Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach (Part 3) - The Biggest Loser

[Brett Cummings]

Would be plenty of “say that again” Matthew?

Would there though? He'd have to say something controversial for that to happen. He's boring as shit in the media.

 

[1970crow]

I’m just waiting to see how our R1 team looks like.

Think we will know what 2025 is in store for us looking at that side - Laird to HBF and Murphy out of the team.

Even Laird at half back with his insipid efforts would be a bad sign. It's not hard to select 7 back half players ahead of him. Murray, Butts/Keane, Worrell, Max, Hinge, Cumming, Bond, Nankivell. That's 8 and I'd have Jones ahead of him as an actual small defender, but happy to concede that to avoid argument.

 

[WetCrow1991]

https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/20/living/aisha-tyler-self-inflicted-wounds-success/index.html

CNN: Throughout the book, you share stories of your self-inflicted wounds. In some way it is an anti-self-help book, showing how failure can help in your success. Why write about the failures?

Tyler: I always tell people that success is not the absence of failure, success is persistence through failure. So it does show how failure can help. I mean I think there are a lot of people who are crippled by a failure. Crippled by something that goes wrong in their lives. And we’re crippled by a fear of failure.


Yikes.

Yeah and it seems he missed the point. You're supposed to learn from the failures, not repeat them.

 

[rocket18]

I’m just waiting to see how our R1 team looks like.

Think we will know what 2025 is in store for us looking at that side - Laird to HBF and Murphy out of the team.

Smith, Laird and Murphy should all be out of the R1 side, but we know Nicks suffers summer amnesia so I'm preparing for all 3 to front up in R1, Nicks believes they are all a big part of our future.

 

[kirky]

Even Laird at half back with his insipid efforts would be a bad sign. It's not hard to select 7 back half players ahead of him. Murray, Butts/Keane, Worrell, Max, Hinge, Cumming, Bond, Nankivell. That's 8 and I'd have Jones ahead of him as an actual small defender, but happy to concede that to avoid argument.

I’m fully aware of what should actually happen but Nicks to remove Laird from our side - I just don’t see that happening.

 

[kirky]

Smith, Laird and Murphy should all be out of the R1 side, but we know Nicks suffers summer amnesia so I'm preparing for all 3 to front up in R1, Nicks believes they are all a big part of our future.

Don’t disagree but Nicks thinks he is on the right track - probably Smith misses the cut but the other two? Who ****ing knows!

 

[adelaidecrows]

Don’t disagree but Nicks thinks he is on the right track - probably Smith misses the cut but the other two? Who ****ing knows!

Based on Nicks selection policies his round 1 side is just as likely to be

B: Michalanney Murray Smith
HB: Hinge Worrell Milera
C: Scholl Dawson Soligo
HF: Keays Walker Murphy
F: Rachele, Fogarty, Thilthorpe
R: O’Brien, Crouch, Laird
I/C: Burgess, Berry, Jones, Nankervis
Sub: ANB

Emerg: Peatling, Cumming, Curtin

 

[1970crow]

Don’t disagree but Nicks thinks he is on the right track - probably Smith misses the cut but the other two? Who ****ing knows!

Reckon Smith misses, but the other 2 are locks.

 

[Rags_118]

When you only have too clubs to choose from it makes it likely we will win sometimes. Luko was a test because it really tested our sales pitch. Along with every other player who turned us down this year.

As for the best in our club history, the trading in the 90s wins hands down. Like its not even close.

But in the last 20 years, I agree with you. It has been better. But again, we are only attracting players who want to come home in the first place.

Jacobs, Betts, Lynch, Jenkins, Brown & Seedsman were a fair haul from 2010-2015 that help set up the 2017 minor premiership/GF team - particularly with our draft penalties and only mediocre picks.

Traded in a few spuds in that time too.

 

[Rags_118]

So having a quiet beer with a footy mate over the weekend, we turn to the Matthew Nicks topic. It meanders on as a discussion which ended with him posing a question to me.

"Would you swap Nicks for Kane Cornes as coach right now?"

After laughing... I had to stop and think.

What would you have answered?

Kornes could be the first AFL coach that his players tape to the goalpost at training, take shots ant him from 50m, then leave him there overnight.

 

[cleanhands]

So having a quiet beer with a footy mate over the weekend, we turn to the Matthew Nicks topic. It meanders on as a discussion which ended with him posing a question to me.

"Would you swap Nicks for Kane Cornes as coach right now?"

After laughing... I had to stop and think.

What would you have answered?

 

[Brett Cummings]

Jacobs, Betts, Lynch, Jenkins, Brown & Seedsman were a fair haul from 2010-2015 that help set up the 2017 minor premiership/GF team - particularly with our draft penalties and only mediocre picks.

Traded in a few spuds in that time too.

We had way better coaches during that time. Right now is the worst we've ever been

 

[Pugsley]

Less said, the better!

That's because he was looking for the Aeroguard.

 

[Pugsley]

Should have thrown a drink at him.

 

[John Who]

Mate, the "glass" is 36% full and 64% empty, there's half-half about it.

John, it's THREE bad seasons out of the past 4. 15th, 14th, 10th, 15th remember?
And 10th was nothing to Crow about.

Yep.

... and just forget about how bad Nicks has been ....?

Let’s pretend we’re grading him as a coach in terms of the primary objectives, how would you rate him in the past 4 seasons?

For me:
2021 - C (improving the herd across the board, pass mark)

2022 - C (as above)

2023 - A (taking a team essentially from a bottom-4 to making the Finals, if only without a foul play by a goal umpire; nobody except a literal happy-clapper would have predicted a Finals spot that year; above and beyond most expectations for fans/commentators)

2024 - D (a fail with some genuine reasons other than a poor coaching year)

———
Can we conclude, that Nicks is a shit coach from 1 fail out of 4 past seasons? Can we conclude that Nicks is no hope to improve the team further? I personally think it’s reasonable to wait to see for another half a season further to better gauge. Too early to predict a downward trend.

 

[CrowBloke]

But but its going to happen this time

Hilarious. Made my day.

George W Bush fool me once youtube - Google Search

 

[Pugsley]

Let’s pretend we’re grading him as a coach in terms of the primary objectives, how would you rate him in the past 4 seasons?

For me:
2021 - C (improving the herd across the board, pass mark)

2022 - C (as above)

2023 - A (taking a team essentially from a bottom-4 to making the Finals, if only without a foul play by a goal umpire; nobody except a literal happy-clapper would have predicted a Finals spot that year; above and beyond most expectations for fans/commentators)

2024 - D (a fail with some genuine reasons other than a poor coaching year)

———
Can we conclude, that Nicks is a shit coach from 1 fail out of 4 past seasons? Can we conclude that Nicks is no hope to improve the team further? I personally think it’s reasonable to wait to see for another half a season further to better gauge. Too early to predict a downward trend.

 

[CrowBloke]

Let’s pretend we’re grading him as a coach in terms of the primary objectives, how would you rate him in the past 4 seasons?

OK.
2021 --- Cminus.
I don't rate him for taking us from the Spoon to 15th; still bottom 4.
If they'd sacked him then, I would not have complained.
2022 --- D.
Mate, they improved by only a single spot and Nicks' selection weirdnesses, senior-preferential-treatment and lack of Game Day nous was evident.

2023 - A (taking a team essentially from a bottom-4 to making the Finals, if only without a foul play by a goal umpire; nobody except a literal happy-clapper would have predicted a Finals spot that year; above and beyond most expectations for fans/commentators)

As has been pointed out many times by others in here, there was still time enough in the game for Sydney to have kicked a goal after the bounce (if the goal was called properly), so your claim of "to making the Finals" is
wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong.
We finished tenth.
14th to 10th is a pass, a C, but Nicks can thank James Rahilly for our Forwards' great season.
And look what happened after Rahilly walked <== he could see the writing on the wall ie Nicks is incompetent.

2024 --- F, a serious fail.

Can we conclude, that Nicks is a shit coach from 1 fail out of 4 past seasons?

No, because he had only one reasonable year imo.
We're looking at the same facts with a totally different view on what constitutes improvement and success.

We're just gonna have to agree to disagree.

Can we conclude that Nicks is no hope to improve the team further?

No, nor have I said that he will not "improve the team further".
It's not all that hard to take a side up from 15th especially with the changes in personnel for 2025.
I think all the Club has done is prop him up when the best thing to do is cut him adrift and get a better, stronger Coach with some real drive to win and keep winning.

I personally think it’s reasonable to wait to see for another half a season further to better gauge. Too early to predict a downward trend.

John Seriously?
The last 5 years have not been enough to convince you?

 

[CrowBloke]

I’m just waiting to see how our R1 team looks like.

Think we will know what 2025 is in store for us looking at that side - Laird to HBF and Murphy out of the team.

Jeez, I really hope so (ie Murphy out). Laird, I dunno.
I can't see Nicks dropping a preferred "Leader" .

 

[1970crow]

Jeez, I really hope so (ie Murphy out). Laird, I dunno.
I can't see Nicks dropping a preferred "Leader" .

Can't see either outside the 23 to start the season.

 

[Cromulant]

Can't see either outside the 23 to start the season.

Murphy would have to be odds on for a SANFL start.

Laird.... we can only dream of it sadly

 

[WearyCrow]

What sort of performance next year is sufficient to keep Nicks in the job? If we finish 8th and get flogged does the board keep him on?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What sort of performance next year is sufficient to keep Nicks in the job? If we finish 8th and get flogged does the board keep him on?

Yes

I think even if we're in the mix for the 8 late in the season but finish 9th-11th they'll keep him on.

They're enamoured with him

 

[Cromulant]

I don't think he servives if we miss the 8, unless it's an absolute horror injury year.

You've just brought in 3 starting 18 pieces, you can't afford to miss

 

[rocket18]

I don't think he servives if we miss the 8, unless it's an absolute horror injury year.

You've just brought in 3 starting 18 pieces, you can't afford to miss

Shows you how poor our drafting/development has been over the last 5 years where other clubs bottom tier best 22 players are going to be walk up starts in our best 18 next season.

And that's after adding Dawson and Rankine as ready made players, 5 of 18 players.

Maybe a better way for us to rebuild would've been to trade all our picks for players already developed by other clubs, they haven't been 'Nixed'.