Toast Giants Coaching: the Adam Kingsley Era (Coach of the Year 2023)

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Nov 23, 2015
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Time to retire the old thread - I was just awaiting this announcement. An outstanding job this year by Adam and all of his assistant coaches.


Adam Kingsley has ridden the wave of the orange tsunami with the first-year coach recognised as the 2023 Monjon Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year for a superb season in charge at the GIANTS.

After a 16th place finish in 2022 and with a team in transformation, Kingsley led the GIANTS to a preliminary finals berth where they came up agonisingly short to Collingwood by one-point at the weekend. The former Richmond assistant was awarded 263 votes from his peers, which saw him edge out Grand Final combatants Collingwood’s Craig McRae (197) and Chris Fagan (164). The votes take into consideration performance up to and including the preliminary final, with available resources, player talent and team management all part of the voting criteria.

Appointed to the role in August last year, Kingsley’s influence was central to the GIANTS surfing their way up the ladder. Kingsley’s success also came after a challenging start where the team found itself on the wrong side of the ledger at 4-7 and in 15th place on the ladder at the halfway mark of the season.

The award named in honour of coaching legend Allan Jeans was presented to Kingsley by AFL Hall of Fame inductee and his former coach Mark Williams via Zoom. "It’s a tremendous honour to receive this award, particularly given it’s an award voted on by the other coaches," Kingsley said. "I’m grateful for the support I’ve received this season from the club and our players but also a whole new coaching group and I’m exceptionally proud of the way we’ve come together to build a whole new program. While still disappointed by the result on Friday night, in time I think we’ll look back on this season with a great amount of pride, particularly in the growth of our group. I’m determined to continue to learn and grow and, along with our great group of assistant coaches, am excited by what we can achieve together into the future.”

AFL Coaches Association CEO Alistair Nicholson congratulated Kingsley on his first season in the top job. “Adam has shown a tremendous ability to inspire and lead his side in his first season in the role and he thoroughly deserves to be voted by his coaching peers as the 2023 Monjon Allan Jeans Senior Coach of the Year,” Nicholson said. “We all saw last Friday night the improvement the GIANTS have made in such a short amount of time and Adam deserves a ton of credit for the way he has applied himself and organised his team to again be one of the most dangerous up and coming sides in the AFL competition.”

“Congratulations Adam, what an honour to be recognised by your peers in this way, and well done to the assistant and development coaches and those around and above him at the GIANTS.”

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Magnificent effort to come in and turn around our season in such a short time. We could all see positives even half way through the season, but to go on an 11/13 run and miss the big dance by a single point is nothing short of incredible!

Massive shout to all assistant coaches who have left behind their families to assist Kingers!

Well done, you’ve certainly made the game much more fun to watch with our speed pressure and the tsunami



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From Paris to Miami: AFL coaches head overseas to find inspiration ahead of next season

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Ledley King and other Tottenham players watch Sam Mitchell at a Hawthorn training session.

By Lachlan Mckirdy

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

27 October 2023

Warm weather and proximity to beaches are just a bonus for GWS Giants’ coach Adam Kingsley as he takes on a tour of sporting clubs around America.

Kingsley, the reigning coach of the year, is one of many coaches from around the AFL who have dusted off their passports and headed overseas in the name of professional development.

After his first year as a head coach, Kingsley has started his off-season trip in Florida, working with the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat and Florida Panthers. He will then travel up the East Coast to spend time in both Boston and Philadelphia.

A few of his Giants colleagues have flown to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, meeting up with some of the biggest football clubs in the world like Paris Saint-Germain. It’s the first time the Giants have heavily invested in professional development as they look to go one better than their preliminary final appearance this season.


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Kingsley is currently in Florida where he is touring around three different sporting clubs. Picture: Phil Hillyard

In the past, trips to the US and UK have transformed the way coaches think about the game. Damien Hardwick came back a different man from America in 2016 and went on to lead Richmond to three premierships in four seasons.

Alistair Nicholson, CEO of the AFL Coaches Association, confirmed that somewhere in the vicinity of 30 coaches from around the competition are taking part in trips to work with other sports.

“It’s at least one from each club, in that 20-30 range,” Nicholson said.

“With Covid and restrictions in the past years, it was harder to do. But I’d say the appetite to do that and get over and innovate, the thirst is there.

“They’re interested in speaking to peers in their space to help them advance what they’re doing.

“Even if it’s things that potentially help them for life after coaching, whether it’s leadership or management or whatever else.

“Driven coaches also apply that to their own appetite to get better at whatever area it is they think they’ve got a gap on.”

That drive applies across the league with even the most experienced coaches looking at ways to get better.

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire, along with assistants Dean Cox and Jarrad McVeigh, are spending a fortnight in the US.

It started with a four-day executive leadership course at Harvard before meetings with the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots.

Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell is linking up with the most in-demand coach in the world at the moment, Ange Postecoglou. Mitchell and assistant coach Adrian Hickmott have spent the week with Tottenham after also spending time with the Premier League giants during their pre-season trip to Perth.

Some clubs are also looking closer to home, with several Gold Coast coaches set to spend time with teams at the GC 500 Supercars event to see what insights they can bring back to the Suns.

While Nicholson knows an added benefit of these trips is to make the coaching profession look appealing, the constant feedback he receives is that they’re a great way to take a group to the next level.

“We’re very much encouraging, whether it’s this time of year or through the season, doing these types of things,” Nicholson said.

“Clubs can see it as a way to advance their coaching group. Even if it’s the coaching group spending time together … to have them in as good a shape as possible.

“As well as the learnings, there’s also getting overseas in an area where you’re not as noticed when you’re not asked about football.”

Nicholson is also hopeful that as the success of these trips continues to grow, they’ll be able to get AFLW coaches involved more regularly.

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Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell has turned to Ange Postecoglou for advice this off-season. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

WHERE COACHES ARE HEADED THIS OFF-SEASON

Adelaide Crows

Adelaide head coach Matthew Nicks and head of football Adam Kelly opted to go across the ditch to spend a week inside one of the most successful sporting organisations in the world.

The pair travelled to Wellington to work with New Zealand Rugby. While the All Blacks and their coaches are currently preparing for the World Cup final in France, Nicks and Kelly spent time with Super Rugby coaches and managers, as well as presenting to a conference at the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport.

Fremantle

It’s not just the coaches getting involved at the Dockers, with Justin Longmuir and several of his Fremantle players heading to the US this off-season.

Gold Coast

Damien Hardwick has settled in on the Gold Coast and after a long trip to Europe earlier in the year, he’s opted for a quiet off-season in preparation for 2024.

However, some of his assistants will be spending time with the Supercars teams when they come to town for the GC 500 this weekend. They’re hoping to take in some different perspectives of how a team operates to bring back some insights for the Suns as they look to make their first finals appearance.

GWS

Several members of staff, including coach of the year Adam Kingsley, have headed overseas as the Giants look to go one better in 2024.

Kingsley is off to America where he is spending a large chunk of time in Florida with the Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins and Florida Panthers. He’s then set to move up the coast to both Boston and Philadelphia.

Other coaches are off to Europe to learn from some of the world’s best football teams. They’ll head to Kylian Mbappe’s PSG before also spending time at legendary Italian club, Parma.

Hawthorn

Sam Mitchell and his assistant Adrian Hickmott have spent a week with Premier League giants, Tottenham.

Spurs are the talk of the town under Aussie manager Ange Postecoglou, and Mitchell is linking up again with the former Socceroos boss after also spending time with him while he was at Celtic.

North Melbourne

Alastair Clarkson has turned to the US again as he takes on a two-week trip to the west coast.

He is set to visit two American sporting powerhouses, the San Francisco 49ers and the Golden State Warriors, as he prepares for his second season with the Kangaroos.

Sydney

A trio of Sydney coaches – John Longmire, Dean Cox and Jarrad McVeigh – have been put through their paces with a busy US trip.

They started with a four-day executive leadership course at Harvard, before staying in Massachusetts to spend time with both the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots.

They’re ending their trip with some time in New York where they will work with both the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Rangers.

West Coast

After a difficult year on the field, the Eagles have three coaches, including Adam Simpson, heading overseas for professional development.

Simpson will travel to the US alongside strategy and stoppages coach Jarrad Schofield. Forwards coach Luke Webster will be off to New Zealand before the end of the year.
 
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Daniel is now the head of physical performance at the Bulldogs

Duvnjak-Zaknich arrives at the Kennel with 14 years of experience in elite sport, spending nine seasons at the Fremantle Dockers as Head of Strength and Conditioning before moving to the GWS Giants as Senior Physical Performance Coach.

 
We are the 4th best side this year at winning games that are decided by less than 10 points. Just behind Carlton and Port, with Collingwood being the best team in the competition at winning close games. A tribute to Adam and the coaching staff and the mental resilience instilled in our team- long may it continue in 2024!

 
We are the 4th best side this year at winning games that are decided by less than 10 points. Just behind Carlton and Port, with Collingwood being the best team in the competition at winning close games. A tribute to Adam and the coaching staff and the mental resilience instilled in our team- long may it continue in 2024!

That's probably something to be wary of heading into next season, we're bound to see some regression there in close games because there's no evidence that teams are able to consistently win close games year after year, so we'll definitely have to improve to ensure we're not being put in so many close ones because there's a good chance that by sheer luck those results might flip.
 
Cameron Mooney is provide “specialist coaching” to our team this year.

Also a couple of additions to assist Kingsley.

Mooney, who won a premiership with North Melbourne in 1999 before claiming two more flags with Geelong in 2007 and 2009, will visit the club at various points throughout the season to provide specialist coaching to the GIANTS’ key position players

The GIANTS have also added long-time Richmond analyst Jack Harvey to their ranks and as well as experienced strength and conditioning coach Andrew Rondinelli.

Harvey, who spent over 10 years at the Tigers, is the club’s new Opposition and Player Analyst while Rondinelli has been appointed as Senior Physical Performance Coach, having previously worked with Port Adelaide as well as in the NRL and the A-League.



 
Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong thread, but seems Caruso is in contention to be the West Coast list manager. If Adrian leaves, will there be any significant changes to our list management strategy?

According to 9News reporter Tom Morris on Monday afternoon, the Eagles are considering three key names; GWS recruiting boss Adrian Caruso, Richmond national recruiting manager Matthew Clarke, and Adelaide Crows list consultant Binuk Kodituwakku

Caruso has been with the Giants for 11 years, earning the title of National Recruiting Manager upon his arrival in Western Sydney in 2013


 
Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong thread, but seems Caruso is in contention to be the West Coast list manager. If Adrian leaves, will there be any significant changes to our list management strategy?

According to 9News reporter Tom Morris on Monday afternoon, the Eagles are considering three key names; GWS recruiting boss Adrian Caruso, Richmond national recruiting manager Matthew Clarke, and Adelaide Crows list consultant Binuk Kodituwakku

Caruso has been with the Giants for 11 years, earning the title of National Recruiting Manager upon his arrival in Western Sydney in 2013


Caruso leaving would be a pretty terrible result, he's about as good as anyone in the comp at drafting even with our high volume of 1st rounders our hit rate is still quite good and then also does a good job finding contributors late in the draft, priority to retain him
 

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Seems Kingsley’s choice of Cameron Mooney to be a specialist coach for us is paying dividends - Kingsley is building a great coaching team around him

David King thinks that specialist coach Cameron Mooney has made an immediate impact at GWS.

The three-time premiership forward joined the Giants in January in a role where he works closely with the club’s young key forwards and rucks.


 
Seems Kingsley’s choice of Cameron Mooney to be a specialist coach for us is paying dividends - Kingsley is building a great coaching team around him

David King thinks that specialist coach Cameron Mooney has made an immediate impact at GWS.

The three-time premiership forward joined the Giants in January in a role where he works closely with the club’s young key forwards and rucks.


Not sure how much credit can be attributed to Mooney when those guys are still in their developmental stages where there's going to be some natural progression regardless of whos coaching them but probably can't be a bad thing to have Mooney around the club every now and then
 
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Not sure how much credit can be attributed to Mooney when those guys are still in their developmental stages where there's going to be some natural progression regardless of whos coaching them but probably can't be a bad thing to have Mooney around the club every now and then
Mooney as part pf the commentary team has started talking more about the giants and making positive comments ... that's a win
 
Sounds like Kingy pumping up his fox footy mate, hasn't Mooney only been around a few weeks?

I'm really excited by Callum Brown, he is the perfect third tall, he can mark above his head, but because he is so quick, you don't lose out at ground level with defensive pressure.
 

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