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

[kirky]

Oh you mean Dawson and Keys should pull their heads in .....I notice no-one is prepared to have a go at them

Rachele one of our best ....cmon, get off the grass

Well he is certainly 100% better and possibly more than one of our other leaders, Lachlan Murphy (who has scored a whopping 7.6 in 16 games).

This is the current season stats

Josh Rachele and Lachlan Murphy AFL Stats Comparison

Josh Rachele and Lachlan Murphy AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

 

[kirky]

It is a tough call. Nicks is no stranger to making tough calls. His career has been littered with them.

The issue isn't whether Nicks makes tough calls - the issue is whether he makes good calls or completely idiotic calls that 99% of the football world can see are idiotic.

When it comes to football coaching - the man is a simpleton. I would prefer simple jack from tropic thunder to be our coach in 2025.

Seriously, what tough calls has he made?

I’m interested to know.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Laird doesn't like it. He can focus on improving his own game. There's no evidence that Keays or Dawson have an issue.

Absoluitely poathetic targeted a youn g footballer publicly over this. Horrendous personal development.

Rachele has been in our top three on a number of critical areas over the last six weeks. You should know that Wayne.

I do know as a matter of fact ....I had a close look at him last week

So no best 3 overall ....but in certain area's .....interesting, want to elaborate, we don't want to give people the wrong impression, he's been in our top 3 best players

FYI ....he's had one good game against GEEL

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Well he is certainly 100% better and possibly more than one of our other leaders, Lachlan Murphy (who has scored a whopping 7.6 in 16 games).

This is the current season stats

Josh Rachele and Lachlan Murphy AFL Stats Comparison

Josh Rachele and Lachlan Murphy AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

That wasn't the question Kirky .....I said no-one's prepared to call out Dawson and Keys ....you simply confirmed, via not answering

 

[kirky]

Another outright lie.

Ginnivan absolutely has celebrated more than Rachele... yet how has Mitchell responded? Embraced his enthusiasm of his younger players, rather than holding them out to dry.

You are seriously clueless about managing people.. yet make fanciful claims you can rebuild teams in organisations. With your attitude, you would have as much success as Birdbrain did at the Crows.

I’m calling bullshit on his claims of rebuilding teams in organisations.

He is an apologist for everything in the AFC. Bloody pathetic.

 

[kirky]

That wasn't the question Kirky .....I said no-one's prepared to call out Dawson and Keys ....you simply confirmed, via not answering

No, you are the King of Deflection. You missed your second sentence which is what I was responding to.

Murphy on every measure should be dropped before Rachelle. End of story.

 

[Crow_68]

WTF has Dan Jackson been doing in his role for the past four years. Does he have any influence on Nicks and the Football Department? Never hear about or from him, appears to operate with no accountability whatsoever.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

No, you are the King of Deflection. You missed your second sentence which is what I was responding to.

Murphy on every measure should be dropped before Rachelle. End of story.

Not even the topic of conversation ....you're saying one wrong is negated by an even bigger wrong, which by the way you're completely wrong on

There's 0% chance Murphy gets dropped on current form .....

 

[WaynesWorld19]

WTF has Dan Jackson been doing in his role for the past four years. Does he have any influence on Nicks and the Football Department? Never hear about or from him, appears to operate with no accountability whatsoever.

A lot of influence in fact, as he's charged with the well-being of the group ....so you can have a go at him over Rachele as well .....and Silvers, as he would be consulted as well

 

[WaynesWorld19]

lol, the irony... as you haven't made a reasonable argument for years!

We are still waiting from you just one reason why Nicks should remain as coach, but you are in full distraction mode protecting AFC mediocrity making up lie after lie after lie.

Have you heard of the search function ....your answer lies there

Trouble is people refuse to read properly....they see what they want to see

 

[kirky]

Not even the topic of conversation ....you're saying one wrong is negated by an even bigger wrong, which by the way you're completely wrong on

There's 0% chance Murphy gets dropped on current form .....

No, Rachelle doesn’t need to be dropped - it is an over exaggeration, pure and simple. Leadership team made a call and Nicks has backed it. But at the end of the day, he is the coach, he could overrule if he wanted to but with him lacking the balls to do so, he in all probability he won’t. We ain’t coached by a committee, we are coached by one individual who has to accept all accountability and responsibility.

And it would make sense that Murphy is dropped on current form but that ain’t happening given Murphy has never been dropped in the past 4 years.

 

[Crowboto]

Did Essendon chastise Draper earlier this year with his post match antics to stir the crowd? Was it even talked about for more than 5minutes. Nicks regime is setting us back bigtime now.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

And it would make sense that Murphy is dropped on current form but that ain’t happening given Murphy has never been dropped in the past 4 years.

Murphy has been one of the players that have stood up the last few weeks ....watch a replay without the emotion, you'll see his contributions

Until there's a player on our list to cover his role, Murphy will continue to play ......he was voted into the leadership group, NOT by Nicks, but his peers, who obviously see what he contributes ....that you don't

 

[1970crow]

lol, the irony... as you haven't made a reasonable argument for years!

We are still waiting from you just one reason why Nicks should remain as coach, but you are in full distraction mode protecting AFC mediocrity making up lie after lie after lie.

The only factor that influenced him is that Kingy reckons Nixxy is the man. Every mistake that Nix has made wasn't a mistake but a deliberate act that was required on our path to success. His position is simply that of someone else and he retrofits everything that happens to fit his belief. I know I've posted this before, but just look at the below, you can't reason with someone like this.

 

[kirky]

Murphy has been one of the players that have stood up the last few weeks ....watch a replay without the emotion, you'll see his contributions

Until there's a player on our list to cover his role, Murphy will continue to play ......he was voted into the leadership group, NOT by Nicks, but his peers, who obviously see what he contributes ....that you don't

We don’t go over one game and say no problem, we go over a body of work and on that Murphy has not meet expectations. Perhaps you should ask the membership at our games? They all think Murphy stinks.

What role does Murphy actually play? Doesn’t kick goals, doesn’t get many clearances, isn’t an outstanding tackler. Oh thats right he is a shape shifter.

Yes, voted into the leadership group, sure it wasn’t a captain’s call (Nicks)? Yes, he is great on training track, wears sunscreen and a broad brim hat.

 

[maxlilly]

Guess we can look forward to burning some dwarfs during the offseason.

Can we make Laird the first one ?

 

[Interloperer]

What role does Murphy actually play? Doesn’t kick goals, doesn’t get many clearances, isn’t an outstanding tackler. Oh thats right he is a shape shifter.

He was the equal leading clearance winner for Adelaide in the last match (5, tied with Dawson and ROB gathering his own clearance). He's normally fairly decent at clearances, but hasn't been this year. All the small forwards are way down there in fact, except for Rankine.

Mostly he's there to provide adequate defensive pressure due to half the forward line being physically unable too.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

We don’t go over one game and say no problem, we go over a body of work and on that Murphy has not meet expectations. Perhaps you should ask the membership at our games? They all think Murphy stinks.

What role does Murphy actually play? Doesn’t kick goals, doesn’t get many clearances, isn’t an outstanding tackler. Oh thats right he is a shape shifter.

Yes, voted into the leadership group, sure it wasn’t a captain’s call (Nicks)? Yes, he is great on training track, wears sunscreen and a broad brim hat.

Players or workers in any team, know their pecking order ....and appreciate & recognise them

Keay's and Murphy are not the most skilled ...but they give 100% every week, Murphy contributing more than you appreciate

Is Murphy replaceable .....sure, any player is .....however there isn't anyone on the list putting their hand up for his pressure role "currently"

 

[WAG]

Players or workers in any team, know their pecking order ....and appreciate & recognise them

Keay's and Murphy are not the most skilled ...but they give 100% every week, Murphy contributing more than you appreciate

Is Murphy replaceable .....sure, any player is .....however there isn't anyone on the list putting their hand up for his pressure role "currently"

Which current players aren't giving 100%? How did you measure this?

 

[cleanhands]

Players or workers in any team, know their pecking order ....and appreciate & recognise them

Keay's and Murphy are not the most skilled ...but they give 100% every week, Murphy contributing more than you appreciate

Is Murphy replaceable .....sure, any player is .....however there isn't anyone on the list putting their hand up for his pressure role "currently"

 

[Trigger13]

So if the murmurs are true that the senior players aren’t too fond of Rachele, we have a big, big problem. Chicken or egg situation. Is it indeed Rash’s attitude. And, if he indeed needs to do some growing up, do we trade him? Or is it the culture that is driven by senior players and our flog of a coach?

I’m going with the latter.

 

[CrowBloke]

Thanks for putting the effort in .....you've obviously put thought into your post, and that I appreciate

On point (1) ....I still subscribe to the theory young players learn quicker with some experience around them ....wiping most of the experience delays /stalls development

Nope.
Want some proof?
AFC, 1997/1998, when Blighty came in not with a broom but a street-sweeper, cleaning out the team of years of experience by sacking McDermott, Andrew Jarman and McGuinness.
Unlike Nicks years later, Blight quickly identified talent (McLeod, Goodwin, Edwards etc) and putting time and effort into them, played them.
Only one example of Blight's Coaching genius: "In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, McLeod, who had been playing primarily as a forward or half-back flanker, was placed into the midfield in the second half by Blight in an effort to spark the Crows side, who trailed by 31 points at half-time. It would be the first time in McLeod's career that he would play in the midfield; and, in a thrilling contest, McLeod and the Crows would win the match by two points to reach the Grand Final for the first time in the club's history."
(Wikipedia, my empasis)
McLeod had just turned 21, ditto Edwards. Goodwin was 20 ffs; that PF was his 9th AFL game!
Can you imagine Nicks even getting our mob to a PF? I cannot.
Can you imagine Nicks taking a bloke who'd played primarily either forward or half-back and putting him into the midfield for the first time ever when 31 points down in a PF? I cannot.
More stories (a good laugh):

I've read player "X" being named as one of our best in a game, whilst another says he was one of our worst

WE disagree often, but I think this is a good point.
Disagreement on the same player's performance varies widely. Same game, same player.
That extends to opinions on Nicks. The disparities continue to surprise me.

Re point (3) this I disagree with the most .....he has us as a very resilient team, a team that fights back when down

Mate, seriously?
Did you not watch the Showdown on Saturday night?
Rankine gets pole-axed, drops like a bag of shit and our blokes lose their cool and the game.
That is not resilience; it's amateur-hour , based on the ineptitude of an amateur Coach who should have shown leadership to calm them down at 3/4 time and get them to re-focus on winning the ball and the game (for which he had perfect motivation --- "Let's win this, for Izak!!".

Also, the problem with fighting back "when down" is getting down in the first place, either
--- by starting slowly (oddly enough, the Crows often win when they start well/fired up <== Nicks needs to harness that, except he's clueless), or
--- by allowing runs of 5 up to 13 goals against us which usually put us so far down we cannot recover.

.....rarely gets blown off the park

I'd prefer us to have lost by bigger margins and found it more acceptable if it was clear that Nicks was developing a highly-skilled team with a solid game plan, using younger players.
Forget the stats-accumulations at which Laird is expert; how many games have Laird/Smith/Sloane won for us on the back of their seniority and experience? Their mediocrity in 2023/24 has been rewarded by multiple Gold Pass selections made worse by his faith in Murphy/McHenry especially. Meanwhile, elitely-talented players like Pedlar (pre-injury) are either given ridiculous assignments (eg on Stewart) or yo-yoed in and out of the side.

Not winning close ones is more a symptom of the age profile and experience ....but supporters have been treated to a lot of close games .....however I appreciate the frustration

We've been treated to a pattern of getting-well-behind followed by a fightback resulting in losses, OR leads of 30-odd points being dissolved and turned into, yes, "a lot of close ones" --- close losses.

If an "A" grade Mid is not available at our Draft position, do you want us to take another Galluci gamble ?

NO, absolutely not.
About 250 players are given a chance by the draft. Let's say half are duds which leaves 125 players of which at least, what, 10% are mids? No? How about 5% (= 6 or 7 mids)?
That makes the probability of having a mid to choose from at Pick4, 100%.

It's not out of the question that Rachele can lift his game and play MID next year .....he has done well in spurts, but overall to date been a disappointment for his pick.

Rachele, 2024:

	GM	K	HB	D	M	G	GA	B	T	HO	FF	FA	CL	CG	I50	R50	AF	SC
Total	22	202	109	311	79	30	18	17	51	0	12	19	23	66	66	12	1,417	1,404
Average	22	9.2	5.0	14.1	3.6	1.4	0.8	0.8	2.3	0	0.6	0.9	1.1	3.0	3.0	0.6	64.4	63.8

I am not disappointed.
Rachele has 30 goals this year and aged only 21 has X-factor which needs to be valued, harnessed and channelled into an even better team asset.
Yes, he hears footsteps on occasion. Yes, he has youthful exuberance and character which can be irritating, but he could be elite and I want him to be elite at the Crows (Murphy 7 goals for comparison; I AM disappointed yet Nicks picks him week after week).

 

[CrowBloke]

Nahh WaynesWorld19 is a big bonus to have on this board, whether you like alternative points of view to consider, or you just like the drama - I like both!

I agree, actually, even though he and I disagree on several key things; Nicks, Murphy, Game Plan (is there one? If there is, it's shit) etc.
He's often interesting and disagreement is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Disco Fox]

Nope.
Want some proof?
AFC, 1997/1998, when Blighty came in not with a broom but a street-sweeper, cleaning out the team of years of experience by sacking McDermott, Andrew Jarman and McGuinness.
Unlike Nicks years later, Blight quickly identified talent (McLeod, Goodwin, Edwards etc) and putting time and effort into them, played them.
Only one example of Blight's Coaching genius: "In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, McLeod, who had been playing primarily as a forward or half-back flanker, was placed into the midfield in the second half by Blight in an effort to spark the Crows side, who trailed by 31 points at half-time. It would be the first time in McLeod's career that he would play in the midfield; and, in a thrilling contest, McLeod and the Crows would win the match by two points to reach the Grand Final for the first time in the club's history."
(Wikipedia, my empasis)
McLeod had just turned 21, ditto Edwards. Goodwin was 20 ffs; that PF was his 9th AFL game!
Can you imagine Nicks even getting our mob to a PF? I cannot.
Can you imagine Nicks taking a bloke who'd played primarily either forward or half-back and putting him into the midfield for the first time ever when 31 points down in a PF? I cannot.
More stories (a good laugh):


WE disagree often, but I think this is a good point.
Disagreement on the same player's performance varies widely. Same game, same player.
That extends to opinions on Nicks. The disparities continue to surprise me.

Mate, seriously?
Did you not watch the Showdown on Saturday night?
Rankine gets pole-axed, drops like a bag of shit and our blokes lose their cool and the game.
That is not resilience; it's amateur-hour , based on the ineptitude of an amateur Coach who should have shown leadership to calm them down at 3/4 time and get them to re-focus on winning the ball and the game (for which he had perfect motivation --- "Let's win this, for Izak!!".

Also, the problem with fighting back "when down" is getting down in the first place, either
--- by starting slowly (oddly enough, the Crows often win when they start well/fired up <== Nicks needs to harness that, except he's clueless), or
--- by allowing runs of 5 up to 13 goals against us which usually put us so far down we cannot recover.

I'd prefer us to have lost by bigger margins and found it more acceptable if it was clear that Nicks was developing a highly-skilled team with a solid game plan, using younger players.
Forget the stats-accumulations at which Laird is expert; how many games have Laird/Smith/Sloane won for us on the back of their seniority and experience? Their mediocrity in 2023/24 has been rewarded by multiple Gold Pass selections made worse by his faith in Murphy/McHenry especially. Meanwhile, elitely-talented players like Pedlar (pre-injury) are either given ridiculous assignments (eg on Stewart) or yo-yoed in and out of the side.

We've been treated to a pattern of getting-well-behind followed by a fightback resulting in losses, OR leads of 30-odd points being dissolved and turned into, yes, "a lot of close ones" --- close losses.

NO, absolutely not.
About 250 players are given a chance by the draft. Let's say half are duds which leaves 125 players of which at least, what, 10% are mids? No? How about 5% (= 6 or 7 mids)?
That makes the probability of having a mid to choose from at Pick4, 100%.

Rachele, 2024:

	GM	K	HB	D	M	G	GA	B	T	HO	FF	FA	CL	CG	I50	R50	AF	SC
Total	22	202	109	311	79	30	18	17	51	0	12	19	23	66	66	12	1,417	1,404
Average	22	9.2	5.0	14.1	3.6	1.4	0.8	0.8	2.3	0	0.6	0.9	1.1	3.0	3.0	0.6	64.4	63.8

I am not disappointed.
Rachele has 30 goals this year and aged only 21 has X-factor which needs to be valued, harnessed and channelled into an even better team asset.
Yes, he hears footsteps on occasion. Yes, he has youthful exuberance and character which can be irritating, but he could be elite and I want him to be elite at the Crows (Murphy 7 goals for comparison; I AM disappointed yet Nicks picks him week after week).

I haven't read the rest of this but I absolutely disagree on the point you made that jumped out at me - if nothing else, Nicks has built a resilient team who NEVER give up. Every Crows supporters I know at least agree on that point & it is frequently pointed out by so-called experts. I was so disappointed that Nicks didn't get up straight after the Rankine blow & come down to the interchange bench to have one on ones with the players as they rotated. That tells me that he is not the brightest spark - it is a young team & it was no surprise to me that they reacted in a an unfocussed manner.

 

[weekend at bernies]

didn't Nixs fix our culture already?