It takes a special kind of player to head into each and every week facing the toughest tasks in football, going toe-to-toe with the competition's best and embracing the challenge with an ultra defensive mindset. 

But to have the ability to nullify the AFL's top echelon of players and then spring forward to have an impact going the other way, well there are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe an athlete like that. 

If the last 12 months are anything to go by, then Oisin Mullin can comfortably be regarded as one of those players and Saturday night might have been the crowning moment in his career so far. 

Lined up alongside Nick Daicos for a large portion of the game, the Irishman put the clamps on the Collingwood midfielder and significantly limited his impact, holding the superstar to 29 disposals and two clearances, his lowest totals in both categories so far in 2026. 

What would really please Chris Scott and the coaching staff was Mullin's ability to get dangerous with ball in hand, amassing a career-high 21 disposals (15 in the second half) and nine score involvements, while also winning an equal game-high four centre clearances. 

His name is quickly becoming feared by the opposition's top players who might cop the full Oisin Mullin experience, but the Irish star said it is a role he embraces and something he enjoyed on Saturday night.

"Scotty was pretty transparent on it that I was going to Nick, he didn't keep any secrets on that one," Mullin jokingly told Cats Media following the win. 

"There is not too much prep you can do for it, just watching a little bit of vision to see his game.

"He is an amazing player, you just have to accept that he is going to find the ball but try and negate his impact with it. Trying to stop his run and carry, because that is where he is so dangerous linking up their play."

"It was an enjoyable battle with him, he was pretty respectful too which was nice.

"Thankfully we got the win and came out on the right side of it." 

When the game was up for grabs heading into the second half, Mullin was one of the key influences that helped to get the momentum rolling Geelong's way after the main break. 

Bursting out of the opening centre stoppage, the Irishman was instrumental in setting up a lightning fast goal to Ollie Dempsey, going on to record eight disposals at 100% efficiency with two score involvements and two clearances in the third term alone. 

He finished the second half with 15 disposals and seven score involvements as the Cats piled on 11 goals to four, while still restricting Daicos to 12 disposals and one clearance in a dominant period of football. 

It is another notch in the belt for Mullin, who has received coaches votes in three of the last six weeks while doing significant roles on the likes of Marcus Bontempelli and Harry Sheezel. 

The Irishman said that the attacking side of his game was a focus heading into 2026, as he looks to continue his evolution into one of the game's best two-way players. 

"Yeah definitely, I am trying to develop my game and bring in a more offensive side, rather than just being a complete lockdown tagger," Mullin said. 

"Just to add more of an advantage to our midfield, rather than us being nearly down a number at times offensively.

"It was a primary focus going in, to just get off the line and try to get more involved to make Nick work going back the other way.

"He is so good offensively, it was just trying to hold him a bit more accountable for the defensive side of his game."