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

[crows dude]

Is there a list of possible candidates that could possibly coach us beyond 2025 once /If Nicks goes?
The thought of Hayden Skipworth applying freaks me out.. he almost got the West Coast Job! we were on the right track in 2014 when we went down the path with Phil Walsh.. he was the Fagan type. i hope with the success Fagan has brought the Lions that more AFL clubs look at older experienced footy people. i do not want a rookie coach to coach the Crows

Walshy was only planning on coaching for a few years and have someone then take over. teague was the one he wanted to develop. We could try that again. Like Paul Roos - Longmire.

 

[crows dude]

You need to define 'rookie' coach then because both Fagan and Walsh were rookie AFL head coaches...

Who both had a mountain of experience.

 

[Doctor B]

I heard Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

31

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

in an interview yesterday.
One thing stood out to me when they asked him about what he likes about playing under Fagan was how much the squad is encouraged to play to their strengths, train on weaknesses but absolutely play to your strengths.

Is this philosophy encouraged at the AFC?
I don't think it is.

 

[GreyCrow]

I heard Lachie Neale in an interview yesterday.
One thing stood out to me when they asked him about what he likes about playing under Fagan was how much the squad is encouraged to play to their strengths, train on weaknesses but absolutely play to your strengths.

Is this philosophy encouraged at the AFC?
I don't think it is.

With a background in teaching in Tasmania, Fagan values nurturing the confidence of the young men he has carriage of rather than public dressing downs or engaging in mind games.
“It’s built around building relationships with players, having great trust in them because I think trust is the highest form of human motivation,” he told AFL 360 of his coaching philosophy.
“I know in my life when I have ever felt trusted by those I work with I do better work so that’s been a pillar of what we have tried to do.

Fair cop to Nicks this is his one wood- but to his detriment at times

“And loyalty is the other thing. I hang in with guys because I know this game is tough and hard and it takes a lot experiences to become really good at it.”

 

[JPetro83]

You need to define 'rookie' coach then because both Fagan and Walsh were rookie AFL head coaches...

ok, rookie as in not long out of the game

 

[srv23]

Mark Stone is also mentioned highly

I think the real well of talent are those in schools teaching a subject + the football program

Clarkson and Fagan were both these types of coaches

During his playing days with North Melbourne, Clarkson was employed by Wesley College, Melbourne, as a physical education teacher.

Lions website 2017

Fagan’s first trade was as a school teacher in his local Tasmania. He says the skills you learn as a teacher are integral to success in coaching.

“Teaching is about managing people. It’s about building relationships. It’s about taking a person from one point and getting them to the next point.”

But he emphasises, it must be kept simple.

Josh Francou?
Assistant coaching experience at AFL level previously and more recently teaching and running the football program at St Peter’s

 

[GreyCrow]

Josh Francou?
Assistant coaching experience at AFL level previously and more recently teaching and running the football program at St Peter’s

And seemingly at odds with our club. I'd have him

 

[relapse]

Josh Francou?
Assistant coaching experience at AFL level previously and more recently teaching and running the football program at St Peter’s

He was with us in 2018 and left at the end of the season with 2 years left on his contact.

Rumours were that he wasn't happy with how the club internally handled the fall out from the camp and asked to be let out of his contact.

 

[1970crow]

He was with us in 2018 and left at the end of the season with 2 years left on his contact.

Rumours were that he wasn't happy with how the club internally handled the fall out from the camp and asked to be let out of his contact.

You sure he lasted a season?

 

[adelaidecrows]

The positive to come out of the new coaching director appointment is Nicks and the clubs last excuse is gone.

I look forward to a whole new excuse.

Murray is a rookie coaching director over seeing a rookie coach whose over seeing rookie assistants and a squad full of inexperienced teenagers. We look forward to building connections over the next 5 years and hopefully make the 8 in 2028

 

[CrowBloke]

“It’s built around building relationships with players, having great trust in them because I think trust is the highest form of human motivation,” he told AFL 360 of his coaching philosophy. “I know in my life when I have ever felt trusted by those I work with I do better work so that’s been a pillar of what we have tried to do.
Fair cop to Nicks this is his one wood- but to his detriment at times

I'd like to know more about what you meant.
My impression is that he doesn't trust the playing group, except for re-selecting his faves regardless of merit or Game Day impact.
He blames the players for losses (paraphrasing pressers): "They know what to do but didn't execute". Their 0-4 start to 2024 was proof they didn't know what to do **below.
Nicks doesn't trust the most inexperienced of the group, and needs to say to someone like eg Curtin "We chose you for a reason. We think you're good enough. Show us what you've got".

** P.S. Brisbane started 0-3, then in 13th spot after Round 15. Fagan and the players turned that around brilliantly.
We started 0-4, finished 15th. The highest we got was 10th after 2 rounds. After that, we were steadily 12th-to-15th and never looked like improving.

 

[GreyCrow]

I'd like to know more about what you meant.
My impression is that he doesn't trust the playing group, except for re-selecting his faves regardless of merit or Game Day impact.
He blames the players for losses (paraphrasing pressers): "They know what to do but didn't execute". Their 0-4 start to 2024 was proof they didn't know what to do **below.

Yes this is correct

My phrasing was around when he holds on to these players too long. Its good to have trust and belief but there must be reciprocity.

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

You sure he lasted a season?

My recollection was it was barely even a preseason, just one of those Adelaide crows things that happens

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

So with player acquisitions that improve our best 22, more support in the box and a likely easier fixture, there are no excuses now.

Finals or see ya later.

 

[Scorpus]

It's a shame all these new players will be coached by Nicks

 

[adelaidecrows]

Nicks got a huge win this off season with 3 good recruits, will also get Welsh and a pick 4 mid. The club was able to add Davis as its director of coaching as well. So all in all, this ranks for an Adelaide offseason A+++

What does this mean for Nicks though? I for one am keen to see what Nicks can finally do. With this recruitment, surely the pro Nicks crowd and the club have run out of excuses and now Nicks is surely living and dying on what he does next season. I am putting it on record, I dont hope he fails, I have always said I am happy to be proved wrong every step of the way in all my assessments.

 

[CrowBloke]

OK, so Murray Davis as Director of Football, good. Should help.
McHenry/ Gollant etc gone, good (but I wish Murphy was in there, too).
ANB, Cumming, Peatling IN, also potentially good (time will tell) + Pick 4.

What about chief Selector, player-positioning, Game Day tactics head honcho, NICKS?
What's he gonna do differently?

The Club must believe that it's the list and the players themselves and the Assistants who are responsible for the nightmare of the last FIVE years. 18th-15th-14th-10th-15th is about everybody but Nicks.
By doing all the above the Club has absolved Nicks and backed him fully.
For the life of me, I cannot see why unless it's to deflect attention/responsibility from the people that gave him 2 more years.

 

[Scorpus]

 

[Firewalker]

This needs to be discussed, here it is in all it’s glory



Starting a speech at a Club Champion dinner by potting people for criticising the club in a season which you finished 15th was a bold strategy by a bald coach.

 

[Scorpus]

Nicks also said thanks to our squad of 43 players.

Our squad is 44 players.

 

[cleanhands]

This needs to be discussed, here it is in all it’s glory



Starting a speech at a Club Champion dinner by potting people for criticising the club in a season which you finished 15th was a bold strategy by a bald coach.

Gee doesn’t listen to outside noise………much

 

[Firewalker]

Nicks also said thanks to our squad of 43 players.

Our squad is 44 players.

He probably forgot Billy Dowling exists again like he did for most of the season.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Were there any valid criticisms from outside the club, Nicksy?

Or was it all off the mark, delivered by people outside the inner sanctum who just don't get how great everything is?

 

[WetCrow1991]

The team is actually really good, and coached really well by top quality people. Those outside the club, like most of the opposition sides that have flogged us over the last 5 years, just don't understand our greatness.

 

[GreyCrow]

The team is actually really good, and coached really well by top quality people. Those outside the club, like most of the opposition sides that have flogged us over the last 5 years, just don't understand our greatness.

Even the AFL dont understand us and put us in 15th spot