Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach

[Truck25]

I don't think they should be either.... YET. Nicks is responsible for fixing our culture, which by the end of Pyke was deplorable. It remains to be seen whether he can develop himself and the team into a finals contender. I think our best shows we can compete with the best, but our worst is just miles apart. We are also not consistent, but this is not unusual with such a young team. My issue with Nicks at this stage is his selection, however, I am wondering if there is a method to his madness. He knows (has the luxury of) we won't compete for finals this year, I wonder if he's playing folks in their non preferred position, just to see how they/we go? Or, he could know nothing and is just making stupid mistakes? Only time will tell. I'm not completely off the Nicks train, but my foot is hovering at the station.

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

 

[cleanhands]

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

Spoilt top to middle performances is acceptance of mediocrity, spoilt is premierships

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Wont happen this year, within the 4 walls the club are realistic as to where we are at and are happy with the progress. Still a lot of work to do but nobody is pushing any panic buttons.

lol you actually said "within the 4 walls".

 

[LeftyLuke]

A lot can happen in footy in 6 weeks. If the club is to move on Nick's it would be supporters leading it after some significant repeat defeats. Membership has always had a big effect at the club.

Can already see the writing on the wall. Flip-flopping between going for wins, playing the kids in the middle, panicking and bringing back senior players, defensive game plans, media frenzy when under pressure etc etc.

 

[Velvet George]

lol you actually said "within the 4 walls".

For him to have this opinion clearly he’s inferring he’s within the 4 walls or he’s making it up

 

[Truck25]

Spoilt top to middle performances is acceptance of mediocrity, spoilt is premierships

Spoilt is spared the pain of bottom of the table, Nirvana is the premierships

 

[cleanhands]

Spoilt is spared the pain of bottom of the table, Nirvana is the premierships

Spoil me more Nirvana

 

[Interloperer]

Nicks is responsible for fixing our culture

[Citation Needed]

 

[70lethal]

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

Finals 4 times in 13 years is not spoilt its shite and it will probably 4 times in 15 years.
Finals 15 times in 32 years is sub par.

 

[Anzacpaul]

Finals 4 times in 13 years is not spoilt its shite and it will probably 4 times in 15 years.

Man that's gross when you say it like that.

 

[feenix67]

We all talk about Nick's first KPI of fixing the fractured playing group. Who was this disaffected group? It was the senior players. It's little wonder that he's backing them in now - he has spent a lot of time placating them and getting them invested again. You could argue he has no choice as he needs some sort of experienced base and he had to work with what he had.

Next year will be the litmus test imo. If he persists with the same old selection policies and favouring experience over youth in the right positions, then he's cooked. If we see a shift, then perhaps he's had a plan all along. One which we may not like, but may have been necessary due to the make up of the list.

That's not to say I think he can coach successfully - personally Im tired of the see ball, get ball gameplan. We will have to see a more proactive gameplan in 2023 which prioritises ball meovement and scoring over damage mitigation. But just maybe, what we are seeing is the product of the shit sandwich he was served with the list. The next 6 months will be critical in answering these questions.

 

[Rabish Binney]

I honestly think that if Nicks didn't have that 2 year deal in his pocket he'd be in the firing line and wouldn't be with us in 2023.

The Crows are going to try and save face by giving Nicks 2023 and hope for a miracle, the alternative (ie sacking him at the end of this year) would be a PR disaster for the club.

Has any other club in history sacked a coach before they've even started a new contact? No way the club wants that type of publicity.

We're stuck with him for at least another 12 months.

How many wins in 2023 would qualify as a pass mark for Nicks?

 

[Dangerousfield]

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

We've come from where to where in 3 seasons?

We've come from 18th to 15th to likely 16th in three seasons with little likelihood we can overtake any of the teams immediately in front of us next season given we hardly have an injury and the lists above us have far more talent, that's Hawks, Essendon, GWS, Port, Suns, WB etc.

So next year will be Nicks fourth year I'm not sure we can jump anyone above us, barring them having really bad injury runs..

Care to comment on who you think we can overtake?

 

[Truck25]

We've come from where to where in 3 seasons?

We've come from 18th to 15th to likely 16th in three seasons with little likelihood we can overtake any of the teams immediately in front of us next season given we hardly have an injury and the lists above us have far more talent, that's Hawks, Essendon, GWS, Port, Suns, WB etc.

So next year will be Nicks fourth year I'm not sure we can jump anyone above us, barring them having really bad injury runs..

Care to comment on who you think we can overtake?

Mate, I went to every home game in 2020, we were bad, really bad. From 2020 to now is a massive difference, Who do we overtake? NFI, hopefully all of them. I am only comparing Crows 2020 to Crows 2022.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Extending his contract last year is the worst decision the board has made given it has set us back even further. There's no way they'll sack him before his new contract begins. The man is a complete tit.

 

[MrBarry]

I just want him ****ed off now, more pointless selections this week.

 

[Pugsley]

I just hope we have seriously approached Clarkson. We have had enough apprentices looking after our team. Clarkson coming would add a level of excitement and professional approach back to the club.

.......


Oh you were being serious.

 

[Anzacpaul]

How many wins in 2023 would qualify as a pass mark for Nicks?

10

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

I just want him *ed off now, more pointless selections this week.

VB, Burns and Kelly can join him.

 

[Ramify]

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

We are going backwards. Nicks is delusional. Nothings premeditated about any of this no matter which way you choose to sugar coat it.

This whole experience:inexperienced ratio theory is pathetic.

 

[killtaker1993]

He needs to be Sando'd immediately

 

[MRB37]

Pretty confident there is a method, Crouch is a real indication of this. Will Nicks make us a contender? yet to be seen, but we have come from pretty far back in a relatively short time frame. Crows supporters have just been spoilt over the journey with our constant top to middle performances of the past. Our rebuild started at the end of 2019. from the 2017 finals to the end of 2019 was just carnage and fall out of a multiple bad decisions. So reality is we are only 2 1/2 years into the build with a couple more to go. We need to find that mix of experience and youth to bring the young guys on without damaging them. Unfortunately our experience really aren't top shelf bar the Texan and now Dawson. Do I think they have nailed all the choices? hell no! but you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
I also think the form of the SANFL side muddies the water, play AFL get beaten or play in a winning div 2 side and gain confidence, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope.

How is dropping Crouch, bringing him back, dropping him, bringing him back and dropping him again a sign they know what they're doing? If you didn't learn after the second dropping you'd probably need your eyes checked.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

The Murphy selection just sums up this clowns defence first mantra. Heaven forbid we select players that might actually kick goals

 

[MRB37]

The Murphy selection just sums up this clowns defence first mantra. Heaven forbid we select players that might actually kick goals

He's gonna chase out some very talented players this off-season.

 

[Ramify]

He's gonna chase out some very talented players this off-season.

Yeah but at least we will wait for him to do so before we sack him.