Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach (Part 2) - Full Support of the Board

[CrowBloke]

After coming down off my Neil Balme sugar hit Ive come to recognise that Balme or no Balme Nicks will fail.

I agree; Neil is no balm for the Nicks' pain.

Nobody can come up with a list of his achievements - either game plan , strategy or game day coaching. He is bereft of ideas other than trusting the process

Problem is, the process he's trusting is a losing process --- defensive, clogging, stoppage-creating, slow chip-chip rubbish upon which he's fixated.
I don't think Nicks is gonna say to Balme, "OK mate, tell me what to do", nor do I think Nicks is going to be receptive to anything that challenges his core beliefs:
--- senior players know best
--- senior players do best
--- junior players will be given their chance (caveat: when a senior is injured).

If Balme had turned up for Nicks 3rd year I would be less worried but we are year 5 going into 6

We'll never know, mate.

Because I dont think he can coach at the highest level its time to move him on and give someone else the benefit of Balmes experience. Fresh eyes and ideas rather than Nicks stubbornly holding on

I agree strongly.

I am much more comfortable with a Rutten , Caracella or Montgomery under Balme

Not Rutten, mate. Nice bloke, terrific defender, but N.a.C's.a.

 

[CrowBloke]

I'm genuinely curious and have not done the research so have no idea of the answer.

Has there been a coach that has gotten worse results across a 5 year period AND survived to go on for 6th?

Stuart Dew, whose worst year was his 2nd (edited, cheers n4sir).

​
	Year Team Games Wins Losses Draws Win % Finish 2023​ Gold Coast Suns​ 16​ 7​ 9​ 0​ 43.8%​ N/A​ 2022​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 10​ 12​ 0​ 45.5%​ 12​ 2021​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 7​ 15​ 0​ 31.8%​ 16​ 2020​ Gold Coast Suns​ 17​ 5​ 11​ 1​ 29.4%​ 14​ 2019​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 3​ 19​ 0​ 13.6%​ 18​ 2018​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 4​ 18​ 0​ 18.2%​ 17​

and the Crows chased him as an Assistant!

 

[adelaidecrows]

Is Balme the answer?

There is way too much stock being placed into this potential appointment I feel. He has achieved a lot in the AFL with Geelong and Richmond. But if you take a closer look, both those sides had key people already employed and achieving before he joined. I think he refines practice well and can help maximise returns. But the main point is those people need to be at the club already. Does anyone actually believe based on the last 4 seasons we have demonstrated this at all?

This smacks of a Neil Balme wanting to move back to Adelaide retirement job and boys club selection. We need to temper our expectations as Balme wont be the saviour. He will merely be at the club for a couple of seasons then retire out.

This will just all end in tears with nothing gained.

 

[n4sir]

Stuart Dew, whose worst year was his fifth.

​
	Year Team Games Wins Losses Draws Win % Finish 2023​ Gold Coast Suns​ 16​ 7​ 9​ 0​ 43.8%​ N/A​ 2022​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 10​ 12​ 0​ 45.5%​ 12​ 2021​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 7​ 15​ 0​ 31.8%​ 16​ 2020​ Gold Coast Suns​ 17​ 5​ 11​ 1​ 29.4%​ 14​ 2019​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 3​ 19​ 0​ 13.6%​ 18​ 2018​ Gold Coast Suns​ 22​ 4​ 18​ 0​ 18.2%​ 17​

and the Crows chased him as an Assistant!

That year column was listed upside down. His worst year was his second (2019); his fifth year (2022) was actually his best.

 

[cleanhands]

Is Balme the answer?

There is way too much stock being placed into this potential appointment I feel. He has achieved a lot in the AFL with Geelong and Richmond. But if you take a closer look, both those sides had key people already employed and achieving before he joined. I think he refines practice well and can help maximise returns. But the main point is those people need to be at the club already. Does anyone actually believe based on the last 4 seasons we have demonstrated this at all?

This smacks of a Neil Balme wanting to move back to Adelaide retirement job and boys club selection. We need to temper our expectations as Balme wont be the saviour. He will merely be at the club for a couple of seasons then retire out.

This will just all end in tears with nothing gained.

It may be a rudder that may turn the ship though

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It may be a rudder that may turn the ship though

Good things happen when Balme is involved.

Not a coincidence...

 

[cleanhands]

Good things happen when Balme is involved.

Not a coincidence...

Hope the arrogance of the club listen

 

[Crows I Am]

Watch peak Crows unfold.

We back the boys in.

Nicks (who has a much worse record than Hinkley) gets another year to undermine our development.

Paer finally call it on Hinkley.

Buckley goes to da poWer.

Crows goes nowheres.

Josh Carr will be Ports next coach

 

[woofsson]

Josh Carr will be Ports next coach

At least Port appear to have a succession strategy and a coach in waiting.

 

[1970crow]

Is Balme the answer?

There is way too much stock being placed into this potential appointment I feel. He has achieved a lot in the AFL with Geelong and Richmond. But if you take a closer look, both those sides had key people already employed and achieving before he joined. I think he refines practice well and can help maximise returns. But the main point is those people need to be at the club already. Does anyone actually believe based on the last 4 seasons we have demonstrated this at all?

This smacks of a Neil Balme wanting to move back to Adelaide retirement job and boys club selection. We need to temper our expectations as Balme wont be the saviour. He will merely be at the club for a couple of seasons then retire out.

This will just all end in tears with nothing gained.

Balme will be the only person with enough cred to make us think whether we have all the correct answers.

 

[BunjiMac]

Is Balme the answer?

There is way too much stock being placed into this potential appointment I feel. He has achieved a lot in the AFL with Geelong and Richmond. But if you take a closer look, both those sides had key people already employed and achieving before he joined. I think he refines practice well and can help maximise returns. But the main point is those people need to be at the club already. Does anyone actually believe based on the last 4 seasons we have demonstrated this at all?

This smacks of a Neil Balme wanting to move back to Adelaide retirement job and boys club selection. We need to temper our expectations as Balme wont be the saviour. He will merely be at the club for a couple of seasons then retire out.

This will just all end in tears with nothing gained.

The crows lack real football people who have actually seen success

It's a bunch of people who are learning on the job. These decisions are being scrutinized by a board with no real football knowledge. As a result they then fall back on the opinion of Roo as the designated "expert". Given Roo has already had a strong hand in these decisions they are effectively asking him to vet his own work.

I actually don't think Roo himself is the problem. He has a valid opinion and should be encouraged to express them. The issue is the lack of alternate (respected) football voices to challenge these ideas.

Adding a Balme to the mix would 100 percent help to address this. Even ignoring this Balme is 100 times better at understanding how to best run a football club than anyone else at the club. So there is no downside whatsoever and they should chase him hard.

I think the people at the club are actually afraid to bring in people with genuine credibility as they are potentially afraid of being exposed or they know that the free ride would potentially end. The boys club is a real and any challenge to this club will be shut down. You need a strong vocal character to start breaking this down.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The crows lack real football people who have actually seen success

It's a bunch of people who are learning on the job. These decisions are being scrutinized by a board with no real football knowledge. As a result they then fall back on the opinion of Roo as the designated "expert". Given Roo has already had a strong hand in these decisions they are effectively asking him to vet his own work.

I actually don't think Roo himself is the problem. He has a valid opinion and should be encouraged to express them. The issue is the lack of alternate (respected) football voices to challenge these ideas.

Adding a Balme to the mix would 100 percent help to address this. Reverb ignoring this Balme is 100 times better at understanding how to best run a football club than anyone else at the club. So there is no downside whatsoever and they should chase him hard.

I think the people at the club are actually afraid to bring in people with genuine credibility as they are potentially afraid of being exposed or they know that the free ride would potentially end. The boys club is a real and any challenge to this club will be shut down. You need a strong vocal character to start breaking this down.

Exactly.

It has been unhealthy to only have 1 strong football voice at a professional football club.

We need to strengthen the number of decent football people at AFC, particularly on the board.

 

[Gtowncrow]

Is Balme the answer?

There is way too much stock being placed into this potential appointment I feel. He has achieved a lot in the AFL with Geelong and Richmond. But if you take a closer look, both those sides had key people already employed and achieving before he joined. I think he refines practice well and can help maximise returns. But the main point is those people need to be at the club already. Does anyone actually believe based on the last 4 seasons we have demonstrated this at all?

This smacks of a Neil Balme wanting to move back to Adelaide retirement job and boys club selection. We need to temper our expectations as Balme wont be the saviour. He will merely be at the club for a couple of seasons then retire out.

This will just all end in tears with nothing gained.

Irrespective of the reasons for Balme coming to the Crows, he will be a proven major league appointment compared to all employees we currently have.*

* Darren Burgess has the CV to be the only exception.

 

[cleanhands]

Irrespective of the reasons for Balme coming to the Crows, he will be a proven major league appointment compared to all employees we currently have.*

* Darren Burgess has the CV to be the only exception.

Would love to be a fly on the wall in a one on one discussion between the two, a fascinating listen

 

[marty36]

Exactly.

It has been unhealthy go only have 1 strong football voice at a professional football club.

We need to strengthen the number of decent football people at AFC, particularly on the board.

We chose two board members and we chose graham goodings that’s democracy


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

We chose two board members and we chose graham goodings that’s democracy


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

If were selecting the full board, we would have the opportunity to select different representatives with differing skill sets.

With just the 1, it's a popularity contest.

 

[marty36]

If were selecting the full board, we would have the opportunity to select different representatives with differing skill sets.

With just the 1, it's a popularity contest.

It will always be a popularity contest just more to choose from

Would you vote graham goodings Darren Jarman Andrew Macloud

Or

Andrew smith, Adrian smith and Paul smith




On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It will always be a popularity contest just more to choose from

Would you vote graham goodings Darren Jarman Andrew Macloud

Or

Andrew smith, Adrian smith and Paul smith




On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I don't think you understand how board nominations work & I have better things to do...

We wouldn't end up with a board full of ex-footballers!

 

[marty36]

I don't think you understand how board nominations work & I have better things to do...

We wouldn't end up with a board full of ex-footballers!

We would end up with who ever is put forward by the board or members and who the voting members decide upon from these noms but it will only be a couple a year as it’s staggered

Yes I understand more than you know

If you have shares of course you will know how voting a board works and most have them unless you decide on crypto


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CrowBloke]

Very good post, BM.
This is astute:

As a result they then fall back on the opinion of Roo as the designated "expert". Given Roo has already had a strong hand in these decisions they are effectively asking him to vet his own work.
I actually don't think Roo himself is the problem. He has a valid opinion and should be encouraged to express them. The issue is the lack of alternate (respected) football voices to challenge these ideas.

I don't doubt Roo's motivation/s ie that he wants the best for the Club.
The problem is he thinks he's the best for the Club and as you pointed out he doesn't have a lot of people who challenge his opinions and/or decisions. Stellar player, ex-Captain and a Brownlow medal bestow undeservingly a lot of post-playing clout, but his influence far outweighs his Administrative abilities.

It's clear from his media work (dull commentary, a Master of stating-the-obvious), his puerile exchange with Greenwood (no doubt others we know nothing about) and his dismissive "they-can-barrack-for-another-team" comments that Roo is not the sharpest tool in the box, nor the most diplomatic.
One of our best-ever players, but nowhere near as good a Football Director.

 

[marty36]

Very good post, BM.
This is astute:

I don't doubt Roo's motivation/s ie that he wants the best for the Club.
The problem is he thinks he's the best for the Club and as you pointed out he doesn't have a lot of people who challenge his opinions and/or decisions. Stellar player, ex-Captain and a Brownlow medal bestow undeservingly a lot of post-playing clout, but his influence far outweighs his Administrative abilities.

It's clear from his media work (dull commentary, a Master of stating-the-obvious), his puerile exchange with Greenwood (no doubt others we know nothing about) and his dismissive "they-can-barrack-for-another-team" comments that Roo is not the sharpest tool in the box, nor the most diplomatic.
One of our best-ever players, but nowhere near as good a Football Director.

He may or may not be best for the club but he is passionate and loves the club

Could the same be said about say Jason Dunstall if he became a board member I doubt it, he loves Hawthorn

Gale took over at Richmond but loved the club

If Roo goes so be it but I would prefer a crow man not some gun for hire than really isn’t passionate and loves the club.

Would you ever support another club I wouldn’t


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[baldandbroke]

He may or may not be best for the club but he is passionate and loves the club

Could the same be said about say Jason Dunstall if he became a board member I doubt it, he loves Hawthorn

Gale took over at Richmond but loved the club

If Roo goes so be it but I would prefer a crow man not some gun for hire than really isn’t passionate and loves the club.

Would you ever support another club I wouldn’t


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Good god Marty … you literally are spelling out “jobs for the boys”.

 

[Anzacpaul]

Has Hinkley Jr been sacked yet?

 

[Anzacpaul]

He may or may not be best for the club but he is passionate and loves the club

Could the same be said about say Jason Dunstall if he became a board member I doubt it, he loves Hawthorn

Gale took over at Richmond but loved the club

If Roo goes so be it but I would prefer a crow man not some gun for hire than really isn’t passionate and loves the club.

Would you ever support another club I wouldn’t


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I already support another club....


The Whisky Club

 

[George Kramer]

Has Hinkley Jr been sacked yet?

That’s exactly who he is