Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach

Is Matthew Nicks the right coach for Adelaide's rebuild?

  • Firmly yes (I love what I'm seeing)

  • Leaning yes

  • Can't decide either way

  • Leaning no (but don't sack him yet)

  • Firmly no (he should be sacked)


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Nov 1, 2012
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Even throughout the 30-year draft history, it's bleak on a team success front. Like you can kiss any hope of winning a premiership in the next decade bleak if you got pick 1 without trading for it unless of course your really a top 4 team who inexplicitly had a bad year (seeing the only team to have won a spoon, then a premiership within a decade is Brisbane). Though of course, had Carlton not got a priority pick in 2007, it would have been a different story*.

In terms of player quality, providing injuries don't get in the way, you're going to get a good player. Heck, even Melbourne and Carlton got good players from that number 1 pick, as much as both clubs pinned their hopes on it being more than.


*This also happened in 2010, seeing West Coast won the spoon, but didn't receive pick 1. They would go on to win a premiership within a decade.

For another fun coincidence, the four teams to have won a premiership after that decade mark of legitimately receiving pick 1 have done so without that pick 1 being a key factor in their side. Sydney moved on Gasper after two years, Fraser was overtaken by Jolly in the early part of 2010, Dogs had traded Cooney and Richmond Delideo. The football gods do not like most pick 1s on a team success front.

Where would West Coast be without Nic Nat? No flags since for sure
 

PsychoG

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2020
221
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Fairly current example isn’t it?

Current, as in reigning premiers!
So what? So because one team finished bottom one year and it turned out well for them over 10 years later it's a foolproof strategy?

Getting that one guy was the difference?

Had nothing to do with the rest of their picks, many of whom weren't top 5 who turned out really well?

Or savvy trading?

Or good culture and development over a long time?

No, I'm sure that one decision was the sole reason Richmond have been so successful.
 
Nov 1, 2012
38,535
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So what? So because one team finished bottom one year and it turned out well for them over 10 years later it's a foolproof strategy?

Getting that one guy was the difference?

Had nothing to do with the rest of their picks, many of whom weren't top 5 who turned out really well?

Or savvy trading?

Or good culture and development over a long time?

No, I'm sure that one decision was the sole reason Richmond have been so successful.

Yes, their 3x premiership captain was a small and insignificant piece.

Good spot 👍
 
Jun 7, 2011
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There haven't been too many pick 1s not go to an absolute basket case of a club.

Exactly. A decent club that finds there way to a spoon isn't going to automatically turn basket case. Those clubs won because they were already there. Our spoon and the one we didn't win this year would have been courtesy of very isolated circumstances. The sole purpose of our club is to put a list together and runs a selection strategy that maximises the chances of making the 8. We've still not strayed from that from that imperative.
 

Slippery Pete

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Jul 19, 2010
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I think the point is you need high end talent.

Took 98 pages but we finally arrived at “you need good players.”

1627471476203.gif
 
Jun 7, 2011
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Took 98 pages but we finally arrived at “you need good players.”

View attachment 1189832

Couldn't disagree more. All you need is a group of bog average players that are good citizens, train hard, speak well, come from good families and can be drilled to run to specific places regardless of whether they win possession. If you add top level training form, continuity and exceed the set average games played minimum, then success is guaranteed. I doubt that I'd be the first to suggest that if you had a list full of David Mackays you'd be in a very good place indeed.

Unfirtunately, thise philosophies infest the club at its very core.
 
Nov 1, 2012
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Couldn't disagree more. All you need is a group of bog average players that are good citizens, train hard, speak well, come from good families and can be drilled to run to specific places regardless of whether they win possession. If you add top level training form, continuity and exceed the set average games played minimum, then success is guaranteed. I doubt that I'd be the first to suggest that if you had a list full of David Mackays you'd be in a very good place indeed.

Unfirtunately, thise philosophies infest the club at its very core.

People forget those 1997/98 teams were jam packed with high talent. The team was literally dripping with top end, crazy levels of talent above graft.

Our plodders were Brett James & Clay Sampson, these were not low ability guys either

* knows where this obsession with character over talent came from.
 
Dec 14, 2007
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People forget those 1997/98 teams were jam packed with high talent. The team was literally dripping with top end, crazy levels of talent above graft.

Our plodders were Brett James & Clay Sampson, these were not low ability guys either

fu** knows where this obsession with character over talent came from.
Probably Angwin combined with a need for players that could learn Neil Craig's setups.
 
Jun 6, 2010
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He didn’t have the talent that those flag winning teams did.

Do agree he didn’t lack for ability in his list though
Imagine having the luxury to free roam DJ. That's how good that team was in the midfield. Good to classy players on every line. Ellen was a depth player and he was no slouch. We just had a team full of class in those years. In 05 and 06 we had a great team but we lacked the class. The reality is the draft probably got us. This obsession to play for finals every year even though we clearly didn't have the team, rather then develop young guys hurt us. It was the culture back then though.

On SM-N981B using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Slippery Pete

Samcro24 alias account
Jul 19, 2010
25,387
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People forget those 1997/98 teams were jam packed with high talent. The team was literally dripping with top end, crazy levels of talent above graft.

Our plodders were Brett James & Clay Sampson, these were not low ability guys either

fu** knows where this obsession with character over talent came from.

I could hazard a guess where it came from.

PS - call BJ a plodder again and we’re gonna have to take it outside!
 
Aug 4, 2004
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Imagine having the luxury to free roam DJ. That's how good that team was in the midfield. Good to classy players on every line. Ellen was a depth player and he was no slouch. We just had a team full of class in those years. In 05 and 06 we had a great team but we lacked the class. The reality is the draft probably got us. This obsession to play for finals every year even though we clearly didn't have the team, rather then develop young guys hurt us. It was the culture back then though.

On SM-N981B using BigFooty.com mobile app
Back then? I don't think we have changed all that much.
 
Aug 4, 2004
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There isn't anything wrong with that obsession as long as you develop young guys along the way. We lacked the balance and had a long history of flogging a dads army.

On SM-N981B using BigFooty.com mobile app
The problem with it is that it means you never plan for the future. Every game is 'got to win today'. Hence pick your most experienced team. When you do that, you fail to prepare and the result is mediocrity. It's a vicious circle.
I'm actually glad the club took the brave step of going backwards in order to go forwards. I just hope we have the nerve to see it through properly and don't immediately revert to type.
 

Vhaluus

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The problem with it is that it means you never plan for the future. Every game is 'got to win today'. Hence pick your most experienced team. When you do that, you fail to prepare and the result is mediocrity. It's a vicious circle.
I'm actually glad the club took the brave step of going backwards in order to go forwards. I just hope we have the nerve to see it through properly and don't immediately revert to type.

Did we deliberately take that step?

Or did we trip over ourselves because of all the mistakes we'd made and as we recovered found we'd accidentally taken the step?

I'd argue the latter and that we've done everything we can to backpedal as fast as possible.
 

Faaarrk

Maybe later
Jul 27, 2019
375
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People forget those 1997/98 teams were jam packed with high talent. The team was literally dripping with top end, crazy levels of talent above graft.

Our plodders were Brett James & Clay Sampson, these were not low ability guys either

fu** knows where this obsession with character over talent came from.
Think it's always been there since we entered the afl. The only difference is we hired a coach that didn't take bullshit and strategically cleaned house with getting rid of a few senior players.
 

Faaarrk

Maybe later
Jul 27, 2019
375
484
AFL Club
Adelaide
Imagine having the luxury to free roam DJ. That's how good that team was in the midfield. Good to classy players on every line. Ellen was a depth player and he was no slouch. We just had a team full of class in those years. In 05 and 06 we had a great team but we lacked the class. The reality is the draft probably got us. This obsession to play for finals every year even though we clearly didn't have the team, rather then develop young guys hurt us. It was the culture back then though.

On SM-N981B using BigFooty.com mobile app
We had the class in 05/06, just not a coach who had a plan b.
 
Nov 1, 2012
38,535
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AFL Club
Adelaide
PS - call BJ a plodder again and we’re gonna have to take it outside!

Relatively speaking. He was a fine player, but an example of the lesser pure talent in that team

My point is, he was on the lower side of pure talent (not output or quality) in that side and he still didn’t lack for talent

When Brett James is an example of your more workman like talents, then you’ve got plenty of talent!
 
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