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Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach (Part 3) - Re-Signed to 2027...
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- Aug 30, 2021
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I’m shocked I haven’t had a replyIt’s almost as if he’s a poor matchday coach
- Dec 18, 2007
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I suspect Nicks will be the highest paid coach next year 
- Oct 16, 2011
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OMG, he resigned?
Probably for the best
Probably for the best
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His philosophies on football aligned with Roo’s.
- Dec 18, 2007
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Just playing around with the numbers, this is how Nicks becomes the highest paid coach in 2026, an eye watering $1.4 million, while giving the club flexibility into 2027.
2026
Base salary: $1,300,000
MSA: $100,000
2027
Base salary: $400,000
MSA: $100,000
Nicks stays til the end of 2027, he banks $1.9 million for 2 years
Nicks departs at the end of 2026, he banks $1.6 million ($1.4 mil from '26 and 6 months of $400k, MSA is not paid)
In an end of 2026 Nicks departure scenario, Adelaide would only need to pay Nicks out $200k.
How do Adelaide afford to pay Nicks $1.4 million in 2026?
Soft cap increases $750k in 2026.
Marketing Services Agreement for senor coaches up to $100k doesn't come under soft cap.
Estimated $150k free'ed up by the Darren Burgess departure.
20% of Murray Davis' salary no longer under soft cap (coaching director/senior assistant), rough guess 60k?
This opens up $1,060,000 in soft cap in 2026.
Say Nicks was due to be on $700k in an already contracted 2026, 20% of his contract does not come under soft cap so we needed $560,000 to pay him in the soft cap. On $1.3 million base in 2026, we need to find an extra $480k.
Extra soft cap money available in 2026 is $1,060,000, $480k goes to Nicks. This still leaves $580k extra money to try and bring the assistants and other staff back to pre covid levels.
Ideally they spend the full $750k soft cap official increase on assistants etc., the main intention of this soft cap increase. The flip side is if Nicks stays on in '27, on only $400k, over $1 million opens up in '27 (350K soft cap increase in '27 and Nicks goes from $1.3 mil to $400k).
Back to an end of 2026 Nicks departure scenario... Budget for the senior coach in 2027 is $200k Nicks pay out plus $1.1 million base (plus $100k MSA) for his replacement. The full $350k soft cap increase in '27 goes to the assistants and other staff.
Where does this fall down? I know it's impossible for this to be exactly how they have structured things. Hope they have done something like this, feels like a cake and eat it too scenario.
2026
Base salary: $1,300,000
MSA: $100,000
2027
Base salary: $400,000
MSA: $100,000
Nicks stays til the end of 2027, he banks $1.9 million for 2 years
Nicks departs at the end of 2026, he banks $1.6 million ($1.4 mil from '26 and 6 months of $400k, MSA is not paid)
In an end of 2026 Nicks departure scenario, Adelaide would only need to pay Nicks out $200k.
How do Adelaide afford to pay Nicks $1.4 million in 2026?
Soft cap increases $750k in 2026.
Marketing Services Agreement for senor coaches up to $100k doesn't come under soft cap.
Estimated $150k free'ed up by the Darren Burgess departure.
20% of Murray Davis' salary no longer under soft cap (coaching director/senior assistant), rough guess 60k?
This opens up $1,060,000 in soft cap in 2026.
Say Nicks was due to be on $700k in an already contracted 2026, 20% of his contract does not come under soft cap so we needed $560,000 to pay him in the soft cap. On $1.3 million base in 2026, we need to find an extra $480k.
Extra soft cap money available in 2026 is $1,060,000, $480k goes to Nicks. This still leaves $580k extra money to try and bring the assistants and other staff back to pre covid levels.
Ideally they spend the full $750k soft cap official increase on assistants etc., the main intention of this soft cap increase. The flip side is if Nicks stays on in '27, on only $400k, over $1 million opens up in '27 (350K soft cap increase in '27 and Nicks goes from $1.3 mil to $400k).
Back to an end of 2026 Nicks departure scenario... Budget for the senior coach in 2027 is $200k Nicks pay out plus $1.1 million base (plus $100k MSA) for his replacement. The full $350k soft cap increase in '27 goes to the assistants and other staff.
Where does this fall down? I know it's impossible for this to be exactly how they have structured things. Hope they have done something like this, feels like a cake and eat it too scenario.
- Dec 18, 2007
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We likely would have known by August that Burgess was leaving, considering in Sept when they announced he was leaving they announced his replacement.
So we would have known by August that we had over $1 million extra in soft cap for '26.
If they have done this heavily front loaded deal, it would have been done before November.
It would be a pretty cynical move by the board, to front load so heavily, in anticipation of an end of '26 departure. I suspect it reflects the pressure he is under internally.
So we would have known by August that we had over $1 million extra in soft cap for '26.
If they have done this heavily front loaded deal, it would have been done before November.
It would be a pretty cynical move by the board, to front load so heavily, in anticipation of an end of '26 departure. I suspect it reflects the pressure he is under internally.
How do you arrive at an extra $1m? You reckon Burgess was on $1.5m?And how do you know there wasn’t multiple other contracts up that demanded increases off the back of a minor premiership.
- Dec 18, 2007
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Go 1 post up, I've outlined it.
Soft cap goes up $750k 2026.
100k Marketing Services Agreement for head coach doesn't come under the soft cap.
Estimated 150k difference between Burgess and his replacement.
20% of the senior assistant's salary doesn't come under the soft cap, rough guess is $60k
Just a rough guess, but we'll have an esitmated $1,060,000 extra in soft cap for 2026.
AFL Soft Cap policy changes
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon has announced further increases to the 2026 and 2027 Football Department Soft Cap
www.afl.com.au
Go 1 post up, I've outlined it.
Soft cap goes up $750k 2026.
100k Marketing Services Agreement for head coach doesn't come under the soft cap.
Estimated 150k difference between Burgess and his replacement.
20% of the senior assistant's salary doesn't come under the soft cap, rough guess is $60k
Just a rough guess, but we'll have an esitmated $1,060,000 extra in soft cap for 2026.
AFL Soft Cap policy changes
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon has announced further increases to the 2026 and 2027 Football Department Soft Cap
And you reckon all this extra $ are going to the coach in 2026 whilst other clubs add $1m to improve their footy departments or retain in demand staff. So you’re basically saying that you’re pretty sure we’re hamstringing out footy dept in 2026 so we mightn’t have to do it in 2027. I’m struggling to see the positive.
- Dec 18, 2007
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You have to view it through their stability lense. You also have to keep in mind they clearly aren't convinced with Nicks. You thought it would be more than 1 year, they aren't as convinced.
This proposal gives them exactly what they want, Nicks contracted but still flexibility to move him on.
This deal also addresses why Nicks has agreed to a 1 year deal. $1.6 million reasons if he doesnt make it to '27.
Every club is getting a $1.1 million increase to the soft cap over the next two years. Under this proposal whether Nicks stays or goes in '27, a load of money opens up in '27, we won't fall behind.
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But aren’t we better off bringing the $1m in extra resources into 2026 and if he’s sacked, deal with 2027 after that’s occurred. Let’s say we’re talking about $800k, it’s only $280k per year needing to be amortised over the new coach’s contract.
Why hamstring yourself by $1m in a year following a minor premiership ahead of maybe having to manage a $270k yearly overspend for 3 years. It would be absurd.
- Dec 18, 2007
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You're saying if the club were dead keen on having him contracted, they should have just tacked on another year to his contract, no front loading?
Only way Nicks would do that I'd say is if there's no pay out clause. The front loading allows for a 6 month clause and Nicks is still looked after.
How are we hamstrung by $1m next year?
- Oct 16, 2011
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Can't we just get Nicks a part time job at a finance company?
It's what all the cool kids are doing these days
It's what all the cool kids are doing these days
Samcro24
Covered by the Cape
- Oct 28, 2014
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Bovo
Premium Platinum
I never trust anyone who works in finance!
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If there is one positive about the re-signing is the one year extension means we have allowed the excuse of the distraction of the contract to disappear and I feel the club decided it can afford to pay the extra year out to remove that issue. If Nicks makes the finals this year and we win a game or two I would not be against the club further extending his contract by maybe even a couple of years. S
WaynesWorld19
Post-Human
I think it should only be one year extensions unless he makes a Grand Final Next year is his 7th year, the bar has to rise otherwise we will end up with a generation of supporters not knowing anything but Nick's as a Coach.
Not arguing. I just think that's the thinking. All excuses removed and the cost worth it.
