Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach

[Interloperer]

Everybody at the AFC is bleating that we are making progress and "ahead of where we were this time last year". No one at the club is capable or willing to make an honest assessment. Plenty posting on here could do it for them.

That so many of our wins in the last two seasons have been via the boot of an ageing Tex is a worry, because whilst he's still got it, he starts next season as a 33yo. By the time the rest of the squad is ready to move up out of the bottom three, Tex won't be here to provide a kick up the ladder

Imagine if they hadn't ritually gutted the squad in 2020 and made a deliberate effort to portray everyone over 24 as over the hill. And instead conducted the previous 3 seasons somewhat normally, moving average players on and bringing in comparable ones.

Going into 2023 with Walker in the form of his life might actually be seen as the good thing that it is.

 

[Peter Doherty]

Can you name the other squads in contention here? It's a toss up between us and North. I'll reserve judgement on WC until after the draft, they have a stronger draft hand than us.

Essendon, they have the cash also.

North's list is as bad as ours but they have the 'go home' factor with Clarkson.

 

[beartoo]

When did Clarkson become Clarko? Davo, Johnno, Stevo all okay. Clarko is about the worst nickname I've heard.

On SM-A115F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CrouchPotato]

When did Clarkson become Clarko? Davo, Johnno, Stevo all okay. Clarko is about the worst nickname I've heard.

On SM-A115F using BigFooty.com mobile app

And how did he invade this thread?

I thought it was about Nicko.

 

[NSolis]

Can you name the other squads in contention here? It's a toss up between us and North. I'll reserve judgement on WC until after the draft, they have a stronger draft hand than us.

Definitely WC right now, mostly because of the age profile of their list. Not to say they can't turn it around but I'd rather be in our position right now than West Coast. We have actually brought in some players in the last two years who look good, while the majority of the better performing West Coast players this year are over 30. We just have Walker and Smith in that older bracket, really.

 

[LeftyLuke]

And how did he invade this thread?

I thought it was about Nicko.

They are inextricably linked. If Clarko says yes it's bye bye nicksy.

 

[Bearded Clam]

Hey Hamish was due to draft a decent midfielder eventually

yep.

 

[Greenfinger]

I actually think that we have made progress despite the win loss record because I think many of our younger players are influencing games more than last year . Win numbers alone can be misleading as many of these happen as a result of older players efforts which is irrelevant in a rebuild. I would say though that I don’t think that the improvement is happening quickly enough and that we are getting some games into players that have no place in a future quality side ( Rowe, McHenry, Murphy) and we are not testing the players in the seconds enough to have any idea if they are part of the future ( cook, worrell etc…) . Nicks needs to get his skates on or will be out of a job!

 

[1970crow]

I doubt this is true

 

[Jarman3]

I doubt this is true

Roo can't watch, or he has to pay a hundred.

 

[WetCrow1991]

This dickhead is going to slot a burnt to a crisp Sloane right back into the starting 18 if given the opportunity.

 

[WetCrow1991]

And how did he invade this thread?

I thought it was about Nicko.

Nickov is a good nickname, and something he should do.

 

[AFC979810]

Scariest thing about this season?

Take our three biggest positives:

1) Sam Berry's emergence as a midfielder
2) Jake Soligo bursting onto the scene
3) Darcy Fogarty showing what he can do

Sam Berry didn't play the first four games of the season. Was in the reserves. In Round 4 Rory Sloane did his ACL. Berry came in the following week.

Paul Seedsman hasn't played all season which has freed up a spot on the wing.

Darcy Fogarty went 9 possessions and 0.0 vs Brisbane in Round 9, then 6 possessions and 0.0 vs St Kilda in Round 10. Did he get dropped the following week vs Geelong at the Cattery...? No, Tex Walker out with a one-week injury. Fog stays, kicks 3 and keeps he's spot.

If the club was left to its own devices then we may not have had any of these positive outcomes from this season. All our successes have been when we have had our hand forced by factors outside of our control.

So much wrong with this revisionist post.

Ya don't think that Rachele is our biggest positive out of the season?

To Sam Berry. Sloane got hurt in Rd 5 against Richmond (he missed week 3). Sam Berry came in to replace an underperforming Schoenberg in week 5 and was in the same side as Crouch, Sloane, Keays, Laird. He also played 17 of a possible 22 games the year prior. 100% wrong on your weird sliding doors narrative.

I guess claiming the only reason we played Soligo is because Seedsman is injured can't really be disproven. But what a weird take, this year we have had one of the shortest injury lists in the AFL - so not sure how Soligo's selection fits the "forced hand out of our control" rubbish you are trying to sell. The club took a kid at pick 36, he came in and according to all fluff pieces trained the house down over preseason and has been rewarded by playing the last 9 games in a row.

Darcy Fogarty played 11 games in a row in 2021 from Rd 4 - rd 15. He was then dropped for a couple of games before playing the last 6 games in a row for 2021 and continued by playing the first 3 games of 22 before getting dropped. But yeah - despite Nicks playing him in 39 of the 56 games over the past 3 seasons it was a once off Tex injury that allowed Fogarty to shine.

Surely there is enough bad stuff at the club without you trying to make shit up.

 

[Ramify]

Ya don't think that Rachele is of our biggest positives out of the season?

Darcy Fogarty played 11 games in a row in 2021 from Rd 4 - rd 15. He was then dropped for a couple of games before playing the last 6 games in a row for 2021 and continued by playing the first 3 games of 22 before getting dropped. But yeah - despite Nicks playing him in 39 of the 56 games over the past 3 seasons it was a once off Tex injury that allowed Fogarty to shine.

Surely there is enough bad s**t at the club without you trying to tarnish the few positives.

So you are saying it's a positive that talented and often in-form youngsters should have to flounder in the twos, or out of position whilst we prefer to play less talented,cooked and ineffective aging plodders in prime positions?
Scotty's Thompson loves this theory, but I'd love to hear why you see this as a proactive selection philosophy?

 

[AFC979810]

So you are saying that it's a positive that talented and often in-form youngsters should have to flounder in the twos, or out of position whilst we prefer to play less talented,cooked and ineffective aging plodders in prime positions?
Scotty's Thompson loves this theory, but I'd love to hear why you see this as a proactive selection philosophy.

That is absolutely not what I am saying. Nowhere in my post did I even bring up any of what you are suggesting I said.

Your post is the pure definition of strawman argument.

That is such terrible posting by you.

 

[Ramify]

That is absolutely not what I am saying. Nowhere in my post did I even bring up any of what you are suggesting I said.

Your post is the pure definition of strawman argument.

That is such terrible posting by you.

Spell it out then because it's obviously not clear to me at least. How is DABM tarnishing anything with facts? Is it just that he's highlighted a negative?

I'm not looking for an argument. I just find your post unnecessarily strange.

 

[Ramify]

That is absolutely not what I am saying. Nowhere in my post did I even bring up any of what you are suggesting I said.

Your post is the pure definition of strawman argument.

That is such terrible posting by you.

P.s, seeking clarification doesn't equate to a Strawman.

 

[AFC979810]

Spell it out then because it's obviously not clear to me at least. How is DABM tarnishing anything with facts? Is it just that he's highlighted a negative?

I'm not looking for an argument. I just find your post unnecessarily strange.

They aint facts. My point is that the club has done so many things wrong, why try and tarnish the good stuff with wrong facts and weird theories.

He was flat out wrong on Berry. He didn't get a game because Sloane did his ACL. He played 17 of 22 games in 2020 and came into the side to replace Schoenberg.

Saying Soligo only got a game because Seedsman is injured, is weird at best.

Fogarty has been given plenty of opportunities during Nicks' tenure. His assertion that he would have been dropped and the only thing that would have saved him was Walker being out.

I just don't understand why even when good stuff happens at the club - the regular few have to try and tarnish it.

 

[AFC979810]

P.s, seeking clarification doesn't equate to a Strawman.

You weren't "seeking clarification".

You just said "So you are saying...." and then went and created some theory that Scotty Thompson apparently would love. Doesn't get more strawman than that.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

They aint facts. My point is that the club has done so many things wrong, why try and tarnish the good stuff with wrong facts and weird theories.

He was flat out wrong on Berry. He didn't get a game because Sloane did his ACL. He played 17 of 22 games in 2020 and came into the side to replace Schoenberg.

Saying Soligo only got a game because Seedsman is injured, is weird at best.

Fogarty has been given plenty of opportunities during Nicks' tenure. His assertion that he would have been dropped and the only thing that would have saved him was Walker being out.

I just don't understand why even when good stuff happens at the club - the regular few have to try and tarnish it.

Oh sorry... there was a one game overlap with Sloane and Berry!

Fog was been dropped this season for the eleventh time in 44 games, prior to his most recent recall. What a stretch to suggest he was in the gun again had Tex not pulled up lame!

 

[AFC979810]

Oh sorry... there was a one game overlap with Sloane and Berry!

Fog was been dropped this season for the eleventh time in 44 games, prior to his most recent recall. What a stretch to suggest he was in the gun again had Tex not pulled up lame!

Hey - I am not the one saying "all our successes have been when we have had our hand forced by factors outside of our control." and then saying Berry only got a game because of Sloane's ACL. Not to mention the 17 games Berry played last year.

I get it - the club has done a lot wrong. I don't rate Nicks either, however not sure how you can be critical of the club with regards to Berry/Soligo.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Hey - I am not the one saying "all our successes have been when we have had our hand forced by factors outside of our control." and then saying Berry only got a game because of Sloane's ACL. Not to mention the 17 games Berry played last year.

I get it - the club has done a lot wrong. I don't rate Nicks either, however not sure how you can be critical of the club with regards to Berry/Soligo.

Yeah ok, my bad. You're right: Sloane being injured had no effect on the make up of the quartet of midfielders who go through our centre square

 

[GROTTO]

This dickhead is going to slot a burnt to a crisp Sloane right back into the starting 18 if given the opportunity.

Yes and youre being complimentary to Sloane as well.

Nicks is more focused on the wins/competitive losses than the rebuild and the process.

 

[AFC979810]

Yeah ok, my bad. You're right: Sloane being injured had no effect on the make up of the quartet of midfielders who go through our centre square

Not what I said at all.

Its okay to give the club some credit for the 3 positives you listed from 2022.

 

[Burtonsgottago]

When did Clarkson become Clarko? Davo, Johnno, Stevo all okay. Clarko is about the worst nickname I've heard.

On SM-A115F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Steve Waugh has the worst nick name.