Opinion Matthew Nicks: Adelaide's Coach

[mattymac]

Improved massively?

Based on what metric?

We've improved our spoon tally.

That cupboard was once bare.

 

[1970crow]

Nicks is good.

Stop trying to predict his early downfall.

We have improved massively, in many ways.

Early days, keep the daggers in the back pocket until at least 24 months at the helm.

Start listing these "many ways". I'll start with the fact he's not toxic, so it's a happier playing group. Not sure how else we've improved.

 

[baldandbroke]

Start listing these "many ways". I'll start with the fact he's not toxic, so it's a happier playing group. Not sure how else we've improved.

We are playing a more aggressive brand of footy. Hitting the contest, hitting the opposition.

We are trying to shut down opposition players. Shut down roles.

Our young players are improving, massively. Butts, sholl, shoenberg, hamill. SANFL players showing good signs.

Our older players are doing their jobs. Tex, Sloane, Smith, Laird, Seedsman.

Culture is much better. We are signing players that we might normally see wandering off to find success elsewhere. Players look like they enjoy playing together, driving each other towards success.

He played Thilthorpe. Didn't wait.
He's playing Berry. For the attitude and the tackles.

Game Day coaching. We are actually making changes in game.

Off the top of my head

 

[rabidcrow]

I don't disagree with alot of that. I don't think he is up to it and hasn't really shown much to suggest he will improve the group. He got off very lightly last year due to Covid.

I have a bad feeling the club will extend him though. If we fast forward 12 months it's hard to see us being any better off but there will be pressure and scrutiny to extend him. I have no faith in guys like Roo to make the right decision.

I wouldn't put it past the club that if we sneak a few late wins this season against some average teams that they will give him two more years.

Have to disagree. We would be 5-2 if we had Talia which would be a ridiculous recovery at this stage of our group

- not only have we had a massive list turn over, in terms of defence we haven’t had either of our KPD from the last 6 years (Hartigan let go, Talia injured). Not ideal during the rebuild to lose Talia

- let Brouch go but have due to injury only had 3 games from Mrouch and Sloane - there’s our starting midfield from last 5 years

- personally I think the only thing we did wrong with Lynch was to put him on with a quarter to go. The only other option to have been the sub was MacKay and it is important that the Sanfl to have some leaders too. I thought Nicks did what was best for squad development not wins

- we seem much more attuned to what the opposition is doing than we have for a very long time. It’s great to see us adjust the way we play for different opposition

- I think we have the balance of experience, development and list turn over almost spot on

The only key concern at the minute is our recruiting team. So many top 20 misses in the last 5 years has left us with zero depth and a lot of work to do



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[1970crow]

We are playing a more aggressive brand of footy. Hitting the contest, hitting the opposition.

We are trying to shut down opposition players. Shut down roles.

Our young players are improving, massively. Butts, sholl, shoenberg, hamill. SANFL players showing good signs.

Our older players are doing their jobs. Tex, Sloane, Smith, Laird, Seedsman.

Culture is much better. We are signing players that we might normally see wandering off to find success elsewhere. Players look like they enjoy playing together, driving each other towards success.

He played Thilthorpe. Didn't wait.
He's playing Berry. For the attitude and the tackles.

Game Day coaching. We are actually making changes in game.

Off the top of my head

Most of that is extremely subjective and could further be argued that relate to the enhusiasm related to removing toxic coaches/Burton. None are really measurable and we played blocks of good footy even under toxic Pyke where we did almost all of that. I haven't seen too many in-game changes, Murray forward recently, not much else. He's possibly playing Berry because there's no other fit midfielder in the shed. Older players have largely done their jobs throughout the last few years. Tex is cooked again, bet he's not managed. 3 touches in 3/4 of footy, the signs have been there for 3 weeks. Pretty confident he's a bridge from awfulness to mediocrity and once we've maxed out at bottom half of 8 for 2 years, he'll be gone. He won't be our or any other club's premiership coach. Playing Mackay ahead of Sholl last year and Worrell this year is all you need to know.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

The only key concern at the minute is our recruiting team. So many top 20 misses in the last 5 years has left us with zero depth and a lot of work to do

I hope John Olsen has noticed this. Ogilvie is not the man to lead our recruitment through this rebuild. Even passable drafting isn't going to be good enough. We need to smash the next 2 drafts or we're going to be stuck in permanent rebuild mode.

 

[WeeBlake]

Nicks might be good, he might be bad, who knows? Our list is terrible. How’s Clarko going with his now-terrible list?

 

[jackster83]

It's a bit early to make a call on him, but I wouldn't exactly be rushing to extend him.

Hass and Ogilvie have had long enough though. Time for them to be moved on.

 

[40porpoise]

Our 2021 is already better than our 2020. As long as we keep improving I’ll continue to have faith in Nicks

 

[GreyCrow]

Hass and Ogilvie have had long enough though. Time for them to be moved on.

If the rumours are true Hass will be replaced by Burgess

 

[rocket18]

Nicks might be good, he might be bad, who knows? Our list is terrible. How’s Clarko going with his now-terrible list?

Nicks has got the group together, is that all him or us getting rid of most of the idiots involved with the players?

He's made a heap of rookie errors.

Has he a good eye for playing players to their strength, is he and good tactically? Probably a bit early to say but I would certainly keep him on for next season.

By the end of his 3rd season it will be evident either way.

 

[Redline]

I hope John Olsen has noticed this. Ogilvie is not the man to lead our recruitment through this rebuild. Even passable drafting isn't going to be good enough. We need to smash the next 2 drafts or we're going to be stuck in permanent rebuild mode.

I would of thought if either Reid or Ogilvie were going to be moved on that should be happening about now so someone new can have a few months planning.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I would of thought if either Reid or Ogilvie were going to be moved on that should be happening about now so someone new can have a few months planning.

Yeah it probably won't happen. I fully expect the club will drag it's feet and this rebuild will take forever.

 

[Carmo]

Nicks has got the group together, is that all him or us getting rid of most of the idiots involved with the players?

He's made a heap of rookie errors.

Has he a good eye for playing players to their strength, is he and good tactically? Probably a bit early to say but I would certainly keep him on for next season.

By the end of his 3rd season it will be evident either way.

Can you list the rookie errors?

 

[baldandbroke]

Most of that is extremely subjective and could further be argued that relate to the enhusiasm related to removing toxic coaches/Burton. None are really measurable and we played blocks of good footy even under toxic Pyke where we did almost all of that. I haven't seen too many in-game changes, Murray forward recently, not much else. He's possibly playing Berry because there's no other fit midfielder in the shed. Older players have largely done their jobs throughout the last few years. Tex is cooked again, bet he's not managed. 3 touches in 3/4 of footy, the signs have been there for 3 weeks. Pretty confident he's a bridge from awfulness to mediocrity and once we've maxed out at bottom half of 8 for 2 years, he'll be gone. He won't be our or any other club's premiership coach. Playing Mackay ahead of Sholl last year and Worrell this year is all you need to know.

I posted that he has had a positive influence on the club ... and that we should hold back the absolute judgement for 24 months. Reckon that is fair.

 

[rocket18]

Can you list the rookie errors?

Continuing to select injured players - Lynch & McAdam who clearly can't perform with their injuries and someone like Tex (calf) who is now struggling, would a couple of weeks off help his calf?? Let Fog play in his spot, seems obvious when in a rebuild.

Waiting till round six before debuting RT, no reason he couldn't have come in weeks earlier, absolutely zero reason not to.

The mind boggling decision to first select Frampton over Himmelberg but then to wait for so many weeks before making the change. All for giving youngsters a good go (4 or 5 weeks) but Billy is 24 and has had 7 years on an AFL list - he is not one to waste games on.

Speaking of which....... Mr MacKay, why not try Murph or Jones as a small defender with Brown out? Why go back to the same well in a rebuild year.

The statement of not changing a winning team which has led us to now having a heap of the youngsters all requiring a spell, instead of swapping a few out for a freshen up when their form and fatigue required it. Basic errors most of us could see - no hindsight required.

And that's just selection errors without touching on game day tactics/moves etc.

 

[Sanders]

Can you list the rookie errors?

can you not?

 

[TRP1996]

How’s Clarko going with his now-terrible list?

I mean, well enough to beat us?

 

[Murray2503]

I would of thought if either Reid or Ogilvie were going to be moved on that should be happening about now so someone new can have a few months planning.

Surely the board is questioning list management and recruiting. If they aren't we need a new board. This is likely our whole problem.

 

[Murray2503]

Our 2021 is already better than our 2020. As long as we keep improving I’ll continue to have faith in Nicks

Too early to judge whether it's better than 2020. If we lose our remaining games I would definitely prefer 2020 as the football at the end was superior to what we have done so far this year and it was only a 17game season. The win over Geelong and GC were good efforts but other than that we haven't shown a great deal. The final quarter against North and 2nd quarter against the Hawks were a couple of good quarters but they are bottom 3 sides.

 

[Albert Bruce]

Nicks needs experienced support for Adelaide to progress, we need to get an older and more experienced head to support the coaching staff and more importantly list management. We have made so many mistakes and we will continue to pay the price until we get a stronger and more accurate view of list management and player development, right now unless this gets sorted the club will be in the second half for a long, long time. I have no question about the quality of Burns and Van Berlo as assistants, I have a major question about the ability of the off field development coaches to make key decisions about player development.

If he can't attract someone then Nicks will lose his position in the long term in my view - the people we have in player development need an experienced head to oversee what they are doing, so Fagan and Chapman are going but we desperately need someone with real clout to help oversee/drive this appointment. I am pleased they are moving on, changing that admin group over was needed to allow the club to move forward.

Backing players in who are not good enough has a serious price with the draft system.

Current Player Problems in my view
Rowe is not an AFL player - he has a serious lack of speed and he already is looking to go on the crab run like his dad because he knows he can't take them on with speed.
McPherson - poor peripheral vision and lack of foot skills will not work - heart and commitment are clearly there but then it stops.
McAdam thinks it is all about him, lack of chase and ability to tackle, has learnt that he can sit out the back and jump on a head and get away with it in other competitions, sits forward of the ball far too often, feigns lack of confidence - can't believe they recontracted him.If they want to work with him, send him back to the SANFL and teach him in that environment. He is a big drain on culture of the group which we can't afford.

 

[1970crow]

Continuing to select injured players - Lynch & McAdam who clearly can't perform with their injuries and someone like Tex (calf) who is now struggling, would a couple of weeks off help his calf?? Let Fog play in his spot, seems obvious when in a rebuild.

Waiting till round six before debuting RT, no reason he couldn't have come in weeks earlier, absolutely zero reason not to.

The mind boggling decision to first select Frampton over Himmelberg but then to wait for so many weeks before making the change. All for giving youngsters a good go (4 or 5 weeks) but Billy is 24 and has had 7 years on an AFL list - he is not one to waste games on.

Speaking of which....... Mr MacKay, why not try Murph or Jones as a small defender with Brown out? Why go back to the same well in a rebuild year.

The statement of not changing a winning team which has led us to now having a heap of the youngsters all requiring a spell, instead of swapping a few out for a freshen up when their form and fatigue required it. Basic errors most of us could see - no hindsight required.

And that's just selection errors without touching on game day tactics/moves etc.

He went with Mackay 4 weeks before Sholl got his debut last year.

 

[Vhaluus]

We are playing a more aggressive brand of footy. Hitting the contest, hitting the opposition.

We are trying to shut down opposition players. Shut down roles.

Our young players are improving, massively. Butts, sholl, shoenberg, hamill. SANFL players showing good signs.

Our older players are doing their jobs. Tex, Sloane, Smith, Laird, Seedsman.

Culture is much better. We are signing players that we might normally see wandering off to find success elsewhere. Players look like they enjoy playing together, driving each other towards success.

He played Thilthorpe. Didn't wait.
He's playing Berry. For the attitude and the tackles.

Game Day coaching. We are actually making changes in game.

Off the top of my head

Didn't wait on Thilthorpe? A lot of wooden spoon sides field their #1 draft pick round 1. So yeah, he waited.

Culture is better? no culture is just ****ed in a different way. DMac refusing to be medical sub is not a culture of success.

I notice you didn't mention Lynch with your older players, because he's been played useless and injured, same old Crows.

 

[CrowInFiji]

Continuing to select injured players - Lynch & McAdam who clearly can't perform with their injuries and someone like Tex (calf) who is now struggling, would a couple of weeks off help his calf?? Let Fog play in his spot, seems obvious when in a rebuild.

Waiting till round six before debuting RT, no reason he couldn't have come in weeks earlier, absolutely zero reason not to.

The mind boggling decision to first select Frampton over Himmelberg but then to wait for so many weeks before making the change. All for giving youngsters a good go (4 or 5 weeks) but Billy is 24 and has had 7 years on an AFL list - he is not one to waste games on.

Speaking of which....... Mr MacKay, why not try Murph or Jones as a small defender with Brown out? Why go back to the same well in a rebuild year.

The statement of not changing a winning team which has led us to now having a heap of the youngsters all requiring a spell, instead of swapping a few out for a freshen up when their form and fatigue required it. Basic errors most of us could see - no hindsight required.

And that's just selection errors without touching on game day tactics/moves etc.

The fun part of supporting is we get to be experts in hindsight. Almost as fun as watching people waffle on about rookie coaches making rookie errors almost like...that isn't to be expected?

I'm happy to wade through the errors this year if it means we have learned from them by the time we next compete seriously.

Expectations of perfection are the wheelhouse of the village fool.

 

[Vhaluus]

The fun part of supporting is we get to be experts in hindsight. Almost as fun as watching people waffle on about rookie coaches making rookie errors almost like...that isn't to be expected?

I'm happy to wade through the errors this year if it means we have learned from them by the time we next compete seriously.

Expectations of perfection are the wheelhouse of the village fool.

Ah just like everyone going 'Oh Gibbs was obviously a bad trade in hindsight', ignoring everyone with a bit of brains who got it with foresight.



There are 8 of us who saw the warning signs right from his appointment.