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

[WeeBlake]

To the people leaning no, can I ask what your passing mark was for season 2023?

Finals would have made me happy but

1. Selection
2. AFLCoachGPT whenever he speaks

Leave me with real doubts about whether he is actually a good coach.

Question for those who are happy - what gives you confidence he’s a good coach? Remember the Sando spike.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Very interesting that we are still quite young and don’t have an age profile that you’d expect would be at pointy end next year

It is possible and Sydney did something similar in 2022 by playing in the granny with similar age profile to us next year

 

[Jeffcrowe]

And giants this year ^^

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Finals would have made me happy but

1. Selection
2. AFLCoachGPT whenever he speaks

Leave me with real doubts about whether he is actually a good coach.

Question for those who are happy - what gives you confidence he’s a good coach? Remember the Sando spike.

Year on year improvement , improvements in specific parts of our game eg ball movement . Buy in from players including senior players that had their doubts early

Negatives - some selection calls , some stubbornness ( many coaches have this trait)

I get more emotional re the bad stuff in season that I am right now , it’s easier to be positive now but considering it’s been a bottom up rebuild I think he has decent potential as a coach

I still wouldn’t sign him now and would wait until round 10 to start thinking about it

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I was one of 2 that thought Dawson should play inside mid so I don’t really feel a need to comment on that , talked up his midfield traits as early as trade period we traded him

I have no doubt that players such as Dawson Rankine ( and lesser extent Hinge , Milera , Michaelanny Soligo etc ) have added layers of class that we didn’t have before hence the evolution of our game plan

Very hard to go from worst in league garbage to highest scoring side in league without some kind of evolution

It definitely does prove that Nicks is no defensive game planned hack though , he was also well known at his short time at giants for working successfully on their ball movement too

To think it’s not a good coaching feat to improve our scoring so significantly is a bit of negative bias , of course he’s not solely responsible but definitely deserves some credit

My view now, is for the Coaches to be bold and play Rankine 60% in the midfield ......he's our best stoppage player ....he sets attacking movement up with vision & execution, very few players have

Let him be a playmaker, moreso than a play finisher

 

[WaynesWorld19]

View attachment 1870490
Very interesting that we are still quite young and don’t have an age profile that you’d expect would be at pointy end next year

It is possible and Sydney did something similar in 2022 by playing in the granny with similar age profile to us next year

Don't forget, Tex and Sloane skew the numbers too ....in all likelihood both won't be around in 2025

 

[Danger in Texas]

Yeah making sure Nicks doesn’t feel ‘comfortable’ is important, I’d wait until mid-season before deciding what a new contract looks like, if there’s one at all

Can’t let any glimmer of complacency slip into the organisation

 

[Danger in Texas]

Don't forget, Tex and Sloane skew the numbers too ....in all likelihood both won't be around in 2025

Sloane definitely, Tex I feel could go on for another season if he wants to

I suspect Tex’s decision re: retiring or not in 9 months might determine whether Gollant requests a trade or not, if he doesn’t it’ll be a pretty smooth transition from Tex to Welsh (if the latter keeps up his development)

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Sloane definitely, Tex I feel could go on for another season if he wants to

I suspect Tex’s decision re: retiring or not in 9 months might determine whether Gollant requests a trade or not, if he doesn’t it’ll be a pretty smooth transition from Tex to Welsh (if the latter keeps up his development)

Tex retiring, could see Fog, Thilthorpe and Curtin as our FWDS ....allowing Welsh a couple of years to develop

 

[Danger in Texas]

Tex retiring, could see Fog, Thilthorpe and Curtin as our FWDS ....allowing Welsh a couple of years to develop

Curtin really is the wildcard in our list development, now

I assume what you’re expecting here is forward for a bit, then mid once Welsh is good to go?

I still like him as a Steven May-type CHB if he doesn’t develop his midfield craft

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Curtin really is the wildcard in our list development, now

I assume what you’re expecting here is forward for a bit, then mid once Welsh is good to go?

I still like him as a Steven May-type CHB if he doesn’t develop his midfield craft

That's my thinking .....Curtin was primarily a FWD as a junior though ....and we have good depth of KPD's , if Keane can progress ....that's the big IF

If Thilthorpe is the FWD / RUCK ....Curtin can cover, along with Fog

 

[WetCrow1991]

The team needs to make finals in 2024, and more importantly win more games we are in a strong position to win. The latter will lead to the former. 8 arguably 9 games in 2023 the Crows were in a strong, winning position only to then bottle it. Almost winning against good sides could be seen as admirable once or twice, but 9 times it becomes indicative of possible problems with handling the expectation of success in high pressure moments.

I would much rather this team develops into a Premiership winning side, rather than a Neil Craig-esque flat track bully.

 

[WeeBlake]

For me his positives are:
1. Kids committing/resigning
2. Not many uncompetitive games
3. 2023 W/L a bit better than you’d expect with a young/inexperienced list, inc some good wins and meritorious losses

Hard to work out how much of this is really Nick’s work tho

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Tex retiring, could see Fog, Thilthorpe and Curtin as our FWDS ....allowing Welsh a couple of years to develop

Curtin back/ mid for mine

Be interesting to see how Petty goes playing forward for Melb this year

Tex 2 more seasons wouldn’t surprise but I think that is 50/50

 

[Jeffcrowe]

The team needs to make finals in 2024, and more importantly win more games we are in a strong position to win. The latter will lead to the former. 8 arguably 9 games in 2023 the Crows were in a strong, winning position only to then bottle it. Almost winning against good sides could be seen as admirable once or twice, but 9 times it becomes indicative of possible problems with handling the expectation of success in high pressure moments.

I would much rather this team develops into a Premiership winning side, rather than a Neil Craig-esque flat track bully.

Yep totally agree the main improvement I want to see next year is being able to close out games

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Don't forget, Tex and Sloane skew the numbers too ....in all likelihood both won't be around in 2025

I’d prob only really count tex in that because he’s still making a massive contribution

Pies are interesting , alot of the players that made clutch plays that helped them win the granny are > 33 yo next season

 

[Danger in Texas]

Curtin back/ mid for mine

Be interesting to see how Petty goes playing forward for Melb this year

Tex 2 more seasons wouldn’t surprise but I think that is 50/50

Curtin is a real spanner in the works for the Petty chase, I suspect we well and truly believed Curtin would be unavailable to us so we targeted a ready-made defender

Maybe we wait on Petty until 2025, when we get a better idea of Welsh and Curtin’s development?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Curtin is a real spanner in the works for the Petty chase, I suspect we well and truly believed Curtin would be unavailable to us so we targeted a ready-made defender

Maybe we wait on Petty until 2025, when we get a better idea of Welsh and Curtin’s development?

Do you really think the Club can decide now if to continue chasing Petty ? .....they've already made the commitment & sown the seeds

Petty is a natural DEF ......he is not a natural FWD ......he got away with this year, because he pitch hit .....that short term sugar hit is not unusual

 

[1970crow]

To the people leaning no, can I ask what your passing mark was for season 2023?

Eliminate selection errors.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Do you really think the Club can decide now if to continue chasing Petty ? .....they've already made the commitment & sown the seeds

Petty is a natural DEF ......he is not a natural FWD ......he got away with this year, because he pitch hit .....that short term sugar hit is not unusual

Yeah, but if it turns out Curtin plays incredibly naturally well as a KPD, where does he fit?

These situations have to be fluid

 

[1970crow]

My view now, is for the Coaches to be bold and play Rankine 60% in the midfield ......he's our best stoppage player ....he sets attacking movement up with vision & execution, very few players have

Let him be a playmaker, moreso than a play finisher

Play through me, not to me.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Yeah, but if it turns out Curtin plays incredibly naturally well as a KPD, where does he fit?

These situations have to be fluid

Curtins strength is his mobility and agility for a 197cm player ......but you want to anchor him, ala Talia in DEF

I agree, it's a good zone to start your AFL career though .....no-one hitting you in the back of the head

I also do not think Pedlar FWD and Rankine FWD predominantly ......is a good use of those players skillsets

I watched the first game against COLL last night .....Pedlar was the player who, via a midfield tackle and a couple of other plays in the midfield ....turned that game around in the 3rd Qtr

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Play through me, not to me.

Good way of putting it

 

[1970crow]

Good way of putting it

Jamie from Ted Lasso. At least I think his name was Jamie.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Curtins strength is his mobility and agility for a 197cm player ......but you want to anchor him, ala Talia in DEF

I agree, it's a good zone to start your AFL career though .....no-one hitting you in the back of the head

I also do not think Pedlar FWD and Rankine FWD predominantly ......is a good use of those players skillsets

I watched the first game against COLL last night .....Pedlar was the player who, via a midfield tackle and a couple of other plays in the midfield ....turned that game around in the 3rd Qtr

We’ve seen some very mobile and agile CHBs over the years that are highly capable of making quick decisions on the rebound. They don’t have to be stuck ‘anchoring’ the defense, that’s Murray’s job. Alex Rance wasn’t a defensive ‘anchor’, per se

Seeing a draftee as something beyond what they’ve shown as a junior is nothing new, but everyone has their own opinions on what players’ ceilings are. Hell, look at you not mentioning Rachele alongside Pedlar and Rankine