Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach

[John Who]

This has been brought up before.

Clarkson got gifted priority picks and 3 picks in the top handful for Lewis, Franklin and Roughhead. Pretty big leg up in the rebuild race. Adding to Mitchell, Hodge and Crawford along with the prior 4 years of low draft picks.

Hardwick took over a team that already had Riewoldt, Martin, Rance, Cotchin, Edwards, Deledio. This core played for most of the next decade who were picked at pick 1, pick 2, pick 3, pick 13, pick 18, pick 26. Richmond had also been out of the 8 for the prior 8 or 9 years with multiple spoon finishes and bottom 4 placings meaning LOADS of early draft picks before Hardwick arrived.

The rebuild never started with either of these Coaches, they took over teams already deep into bottoming out and inherited A grade midfields.


Nicks also took over a team who played finals years in a row just a few years earlier, and a team that was stripped of 1st and 2nd round draft picks who would have been in their prime when he commenced coaching. Very different to Clarkson and Hardwick.

Also Nicks is coaching a rebuilding team under unprecedented times with the Covid19 era. With all the heavy lockdowns and shortened training and matches in 2020, it was never going to favour a young rebuilding side.

He also took over the reigns of the team that was under a heavy media attack with all the camp allegations. No rebuilding side has been that heavily scrutinised by the media in the past as far as I can remember. Funnily enough, ever since we’ve turned things around, wonder where’s McClure and Wilson to report about the positive trends with the AFC, since they showed such love with the our players’ mental welfare with all their past reporting?

 

[John Who]

What makes you say this? This seems like pure confirmation bias. Adelaide are the 6th most accurate team in the AFL for goals/behinds with 54.85%. The #1 team right now is Fremantle with 56.48% so we aren't that far off the best. The worst is West Coast with 49.7%. We've kicked more accurately than our opposition in 10 games this year. We've just had a few games where we kicked poorly which you happen to remember while forgetting the games where we kicked very accurately (like Fremantle, Carlton, St. Kilda etc.). We are not by any means a poor team at kicking for goal in general.

I think there are 2 separate issues:
1. are we overall an inaccurate team? I personally don’t think so, as I recall some of our games having been quite good with the goal kicking.

2. Are we lucky or unlucky with some of our results? I think the answer can be best compared with the rivals over at Port. They won 13 in a row and 5 more games than us this year. Yet their score percentage is more woeful. What this tells me is that they’re more likely to have won the close games, whereas had we kicked more accurately in some of the games, then we could be somewhere near Port’s position on the ladder. I think from general past observations, usually teams with the best score percentages usually also have the highest number of wins and usually makes the Finals. We’re going against that trend this year, unfortunately.

 

[BRL121]

This was the first time I've noticed him coaching from the bench. Has he done that before?
Do we like it?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

This was the first time I've noticed him coaching from the bench. Has he done that before?
Do we like it?

Yes, did a few times mid-season .....It seems to happen when we have a critical game, where potentially we could get blown away

I suspect Nicks was very concerned about a potential big loss against PORT .....particularly with Murray, and Rankine being out

 

[FR0GGY]

This was the first time I've noticed him coaching from the bench. Has he done that before?
Do we like it?

Disadvantage from the bench is he probably won’t be able to see any concussions we get nor make a sensible decision when someone is knocked out.

 

[rabidcrow]

Exactly, and yet you roll in after wins and then go missing after losses. A win here a loss there makes no difference to my assessment, I've held it for about 3 years. He's a bottom of the 8 coach because he lacks the ruthless edge required to be successful. Not being able to drop Sloane on selection night is yet another example of his weak mindset.

I am often here after losses too. A win or loss makes no difference to my assessment of the coach. I just pop back in here to review some “but he hasn’t done this or that, or he picked Rory but then he left him out so obviously he doesn’t know what he is doing - even though the complainers were hoping for Soligo to ahead of Sloane - but he didn’t do it in the way they wanted him to”

I defend Nicks here because of the contradictory garbage put up by his detractors.
We have the worst midfield (garbage) in the comp, he selections terrible teams and has no tactical ability - and yet for our age profile/games played profile we are tracking really really well

I am not sure Nicks takes us to a premiership - but I am not convinced he can’t either. We play an attractive style of footy, we have had development all over the ground - huge strides in both forward and defensive areas and still spluttering a bit in midfield development
We have made AO a place to fear again, we still need to improve away
We have played very well against all of the harder teams

As has always been the case - 2024-2025 are the years he should be judged on as our profile hits near the mark of a good side. And if we can find a kickstart in our midfield - a first year gun through the draft who can come in and make an impact and get more out of Harry, Sam, Jake and Josh then he will continue to be coach as our performances will warrant his continuation

If we plateau then they will need to move him on but got to give him a chance with a half decent squad (which he now has) first


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Danger in Texas]

Some random Friday morning thoughts - fair to say that Burns should be regarded on the same level as Rahilly now?

Seems to have developed a defensive structure that is communicative, and lets everyone play to their strengths. Milera, Hinge, Worrell, Murray (until injury) all having arguably career-best years, while Keane and Michalanney have fitted in seamlessly

Think he could be in line for a senior gig in a couple of years, assuming we make finals from next year onwards

I’m still low on NVB, though

 

[jo172]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

 

[MRB37]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

Burns gave a "No" to the one question the board wanted a "Yes" to which was "Can you get this team back into the Finals next year".

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Burns gave a "No" to the one question the board wanted a "Yes" to which was "Can you get this team back into the Finals next year".

It's also why Hardwick didn't get the ESS job ......however, Matthew Knights gave the required answer .."yes we can play Finals next year" ...and the rest is history

 

[Jarman3]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

He also interviewed for it when we were looking for the Pyke replacement. Withdrew from the running, we ended up hiring Nicks.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

Look at Adam Kingsley ....16 years it's taken him ....and at least 3 Coaching rejections ....even an eyebrow or two was raised when he got the GWS job

 

[jo172]

Look at Adam Kingsley ....16 years it's taken him ....and at least 3 Coaching rejections ....even an eyebrow or two was raised when he got the GWS job

Hinkley another.

If one was to take the glass half full approach he's coached for 10 years and gotten to multiple finals series after spending what felt like 10 years being second or third for every job on the market.

10 years is indicative of a successful coaching stint (at least from the perspective of the coach cashing cheques if nothing else)

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Hinkley another.

If one was to take the glass half full approach he's coached for 10 years and gotten to multiple finals series after spending what felt like 10 years being second or third for every job on the market.

10 years is indicative of a successful coaching stint (at least from the perspective of the coach cashing cheques if nothing else)

Still have to have the cattle .....that said, after 5 years, the Coach has had an opportunity to make the list his .....so, the gaps that befit his team now, are of his own doing

Likewise, Stewart Dew .....he just kept recruiting average players, that were not going to give him a flag .....Atkins, Holman, Tsitas, Burgess, Connor Blakely, Constable, Ben Long and Jake Stein

Most of these recruits ..have been recruited & not played .....why would you do that?

At least when Adelaide trades, it's a need, and they generally over the years ..play

 

[Faaarrk]

Some random Friday morning thoughts - fair to say that Burns should be regarded on the same level as Rahilly now?

Seems to have developed a defensive structure that is communicative, and lets everyone play to their strengths. Milera, Hinge, Worrell, Murray (until injury) all having arguably career-best years, while Keane and Michalanney have fitted in seamlessly

Think he could be in line for a senior gig in a couple of years, assuming we make finals from next year onwards

I’m still low on NVB, though

The communication isn’t there. Too many times multiple players go for the spoil or mark getting in each others way, taking each other out and leaving it open for the opposition to score. Definite work in progress.
Everything else is going great though. Burns is doing a fine job. I’d love for him to take over the midfield and we get another assistant for the back lines.

 

[Redline]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

Alot of right place, right time with AFL coaching. The industry seems to go through trends as well.

I think he has probably missed his chance.

I was talking to a current Assistant Coach and he was saying that alot of it is self promotion. When a job vacancy comes up the ambitious ones get their Manager and Friends to drop their name as a rumour in the media and it grows legs from there.

 

[1970crow]

Burns is a really interesting one when you think he was in the conversation to be a senior coach back in 2012 when Sanderson, Neeld and Richardson were hired which seems a life time ago.

Always wonder whether there's an advantage in being a shiny new thing and whether at some point runs on the board starts counting against you.

I don’t think he’s that interesting. He was apparently close to a few top jobs but kept missing out. I think he’s too long an assistant now, he’s type cast. Plus despite the fact that he’s been at successful clubs, they weren’t whilst he was there.

 

[1970crow]

Still have to have the cattle .....that said, after 5 years, the Coach has had an opportunity to make the list his .....so, the gaps that befit his team now, are of his own doing

Likewise, Stewart Dew .....he just kept recruiting average players, that were not going to give him a flag .....Atkins, Holman, Tsitas, Burgess, Connor Blakely, Constable, Ben Long and Jake Stein

Most of these recruits ..have been recruited & not played .....why would you do that?

At least when Adelaide trades, it's a need, and they generally over the years ..play

Atkins has been ok lately. Looked ripping fit when I watched a bit a couple of weeks ago.

 

[BRL121]

Atkins has been ok lately. Looked ripping fit when I watched a bit a couple of weeks ago.

He's at CHB against us tomorrow!

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Atkins has been ok lately. Looked ripping fit when I watched a bit a couple of weeks ago.

End of his 4 year Contract .....he's stated himself, he coasted the first 3 years

You can tell which players are up for a new Contract .....suddenly Wingard is playing strongly ....and others

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Disadvantage from the bench is he probably won’t be able to see any concussions we get nor make a sensible decision when someone is knocked out.

Yet, he actually did make a sub... but as a club we have always been quick to make a duty of care decision... unlike our neighbours.

 

[1970crow]

End of his 4 year Contract .....he's stated himself, he coasted the first 3 years

You can tell which players are up for a new Contract .....suddenly Wingard is playing strongly ....and others

Tex

 

[Danger in Texas]

End of his 4 year Contract .....he's stated himself, he coasted the first 3 years

You can tell which players are up for a new Contract .....suddenly Wingard is playing strongly ....and others

He’s in the third year of a five-year contract

 

[1970crow]

He's at CHB against us tomorrow!

Did Massie v Franklin ever not work?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

He’s in the third year of a five-year contract

Wingard ? ......are you sure ?