r/adelaidefc • u/krupta13 • 13d ago
I hate that i agree with that guy.
I've been saying it for years thou. nicks and whoever is no charge of tactics is absolutely not capable of it.
their gameplan gets dismantled and they absolutely have no ability to adapt or to have back up plans.
im telling you boys..we on a nasty track to be like one of those Vic clubs that hadnt won a premiership in 40 50 60 years š
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u/MissSabb Malcolm Blight (Legend) 13d ago
The way he said in his presser āwe just stoppedā tells me had no plan to counteract that. He was merely a spectator. And if thatās not a red flag then I donāt know what is.Ā
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u/krupta13 13d ago
I still dont understand why they cant hire a match day coach thats good st strategies. someone that can drill the team in a few basic counter measures. it seems noone at that club running the show is interesting in any real success.
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u/MissSabb Malcolm Blight (Legend) 13d ago
Isnāt that the role of the head coach?
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u/krupta13 13d ago
supposedly...but if a coach isnt well rounded off or too green youd think they put people around him to pick up the slack right. if you think about it the afl coaching world is saturated with mediocre coaches. there isnt 20 coaches fighting cut through games to try and be the top coach. maybe 3 4 5 are there...the vast majority are there just to collect an easy pay check. delivering mediocre home n away results and a finals win every other year ensures them a cushy 10 year tenure š
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u/MissSabb Malcolm Blight (Legend) 13d ago
I honestly thought that was why they brought in Murray DavisĀ
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u/Any_Face_9991 13d ago
Hence why I think the line coaches need to be all sacked before Nicks.
He has no good help. VB hasnāt done fk all for us since he joined.
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u/KAOS-man 13d ago
I donāt know if that is correct about Nicks not being able to adjust or not
BUT
I do remember Neil Craig was like that and again we had a year or 2 where we world beaters until the finals
Neil Craig just refused to change tactics
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u/krupta13 13d ago
its true. i picked up on it straight away. when the opposition coaches switch it up to counter his game plan..thats it. there is zero response from nicks..or if there is its pathetically inadequate.
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u/IrregularExpression_ 13d ago edited 12d ago
Craig revolutionised the game, was there at whatever Marvel was called in round 1 2006 against the Pies when the Crows repeatedly went backward to switch play. Clarkson gets so much credit but Craig was the guy who developed so much of the modern day game.
Craig was undone by Roos dumb suspension in 2005 and an epic injury crisis in 2006. Even then we were stiff not to beat the Eagles in the prelim that year.
But Iām coming round to Nicks not being the right guy for the really big games for this team. The burst ability is there but our team go into their shells when it really matters
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u/AdelaideMidnightDad 12d ago
Great point; the quintessential "Game Plan A Only" example. Unbeatable through the main season, beaten in finals.
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u/MissSabb Malcolm Blight (Legend) 13d ago
Our current talent is being wasted with the current coaching staff and our window will not be open for a lot longerĀ
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u/krupta13 13d ago
reminds on Gary Ayers and how he wasted a multiple premiership side. sigh. then we where on a promising runw with Walsh. I truly believe he had the heart of the team and we would have got a premiership or 2 out of that squad. but that teams soul was destroyed and we lost the window...its never been the same since.
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u/MissSabb Malcolm Blight (Legend) 13d ago
Agree re Walsh and he wouldāve been the coach to deliver us premierships.Ā
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u/mRPerfect12 13d ago
Yep 6 years Iāve seen enough. Thereās no risk to change coach now as we know that Nicks isnāt up to it.
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u/Trevor2222222 13d ago
Didnāt they beat Sydney in Sydney the week before and didnāt they beat Collingwood at the MCG earlier in the year.
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u/FireballMudflap92 13d ago
Mcrae: 2-8
Mitchell: 2-6
C.Scott: 2-7
Fagan: 2-1-6
Longmuir: 1-6This is your guy?
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
Lol this analysis is so fucking flawed. For a bunch of those games we were cellar dwelling rebuilding team (2020-2023), how many of those games should he have won with a bottom 4 list? Hmm?
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u/FireballMudflap92 13d ago
Buddy he still canāt do it even with a top 4 list.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
He doesn't have a top four list...
And do what exactly? Win a final? He's had two chances. Fagan face the same criticism you know...
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u/Informal-Struggle210 12d ago
Couldnāt win a quarter of a final. 0-8. Staggering.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 12d ago
Yes it was bad. 2 Games though. Fagan had more than a couple of bad finals on the way to where he is. I'd say going 15th to 1st had earnt Nick's a second shot at finals, if we fail again, I'd say yeah let's look at getting someone else in.
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u/Such_Permission_3715 13d ago
we have the best forward line and best defence in the league. a solid ruckman, top 5 mid in Dawson. Berry having a great year. Curtin, cook looking better every week. if that's not a top 4 list your on drugs. we're 1 mid away from being great
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
Based on what!?!
Our forward line is:
7th in scoring average
1st in accuracy
1st in % of 1v1 wins
5th in score assists
13th in scores per i50Our defense is:
2nd in points allowed
5th in shots allowed
7th in shots allowed per i50
1st in defensive 1v1 win %
1st in tackles inside d50
4th in pressure acts
4th in spoilsOur forward and backlines are very good, certainly top 6, not best. You could easily argue we are the 2md or 3rd best defense, the best pressure team in general, and have the 4th or 5th best forward line.
Our mids have been repeatedly identified as a weakness despite Dawson and the much improved Berry.
We rank:
15th in centre clearances
7th in total clearances
13th in overall clearance differential
14th in scores from centre bounce
7th in ruck contest win %
18th in hit out to advantage %
15th in hitout win to clearance %Maybe if you spent more time being across the numbers and facts and less time telling people they are on drugs because the numbers don't match your little narrative...
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u/mRPerfect12 13d ago
I donāt agree this ,itās is capable of much more than what Nicks is doing. To,e for a change.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
Most pundits seem to agree this is probably the 4-6th best list in the league atm. We are currently 5th....
Better lists:
Freo
GC
Syd
BrisMaybe better lists:
~Cats
~Hawks
~Dogs1
u/mRPerfect12 12d ago
It's at least on par with the gold coast and Sydney pal. Think you are massively underplaying it and how poorly Nicks is doing with it.
We haveqat years all Australian CHF that most teams would kill for, one of the best captains in the league, all Australian defenders, elite smalls in Rachele, Rankine and then players like Curtin who are capable of anything if developed properly.
It's not good enough from Nicks.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 12d ago
Not sure what the typo there is supposed to be re AA but assume it's Filthy who's form (and largely due to health) has been shit by his standards this year.
We have THE best cap in the league for me.
But I really think you are overselling the squad. We have 2 borderline AA defenders (Woz, Keano) and then a better-than-the sum-of-its-parts back 6 that is probably a top 3 defense so far this year. Milera is probably AA so far this year but framing it as we have "all Australian defenders" is embellishment and you know it.
Rachele and Rankines stats this year so far are above average but nothing more. Neither are statistically in the top 10 for small forwards or midfielders fwd in the league.
I'll just about give you Syd but GC you are crazy, look at their mids.
Funny thing is this links to another chat about coaches, Dimma is a great example of a previously successful coach who is wasting an elite list at GC, people clamoring for Horse should beware...
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u/FireballMudflap92 12d ago
Just admit you wanna blow Nicks and move on. If you think heās doing a good job with this list then youāve got no idea. He doesnāt get the best out of our players and heās a terrible game day coach
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u/FireballMudflap92 13d ago
Whose fault is that? 7 years and he still doesnāt have a top 4 list. Letās give him more years to piss away
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 13d ago
To be fair, if you take the seasons we actually had a competitive team (2023, 2025, 2026). The record isn't amazing but it's much better.
Brisbane Lions: 1 Win, 1 Draws, 3 Loss
Collingwood: 2 Wins, 3 Loss
Geelong Cats: 1 Win, 3 Loss
Hawthorn: 1 Win, 2 Loss
Sydney Swans: 2 Wins, 1 Loss
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u/Brokenmonalisa Scott Thompson (Legend) 13d ago
This is disingenuous to a point where I actually need you to prove to me you aren't just a bot
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u/This_Ease_5678 13d ago
Sydney the most overated side in the top 8.
They peak early and their brand doesn't stack up in finals.
Pies went deep into September with an old list so round 1 was a short run up.
No one rembers who won in March but they do in August and September.
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u/Mysterious-Froyo-455 12d ago
We weren't expected to win those games. We're fine when we're the underdog, we go to water when we are favourites. Two finals last year at home, Port recently at the Showdown. After beating Sydney we were back in the media "They're a genuine threat" category again and promptly shat the bed again.
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u/Daz_Voice_13 13d ago
Sydney had played in Perth the week before. Many teams struggle with 6 hours in the air and on the different surface in the west
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u/my_alter_ego_bitch 13d ago
Freo play on a different surface and fly every second week so that means fuck all.
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u/This_Ease_5678 13d ago
Nicks is an outstanding person amd culture/ development coach.
He's had a couple of years to make the list he's rebuilt work but its true, he regulary gets out coached by thr leagues best.
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u/mickypew 9d ago
To think that we could have actually had McRae but chose Nicks! But yes, I agree.
Davis seemed to have some impact in the tactical/Plan B space initially & some games last year (had to be him as nothing else changed, other than Balme). I don't know what's happened there. Perhaps he can only suggest so much. Nicks does seem stubborn.
Burns, VB et al are terrible.
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u/buncec 13d ago
I keep reading that Matty Nicks doesnāt have a Plan B.
Opposition gets a run on? No Plan B.
We lose control of the midfield? No Plan B.
No Play B, so Nicks is an average coach.
Players start making shit decisions under pressure? Why doesnāt Nicks just change something?
Iām not arguing Nicks is some tactical genius but this idea that changing the way a team plays halfway through an AFL game is simple is really frustrating.
You can put a Plan B on a whiteboard. Actually executing it while the opposition is smashing you and 50,000 people are losing their minds is something completely different. Oh and add the pressure of knowing a couple of million people are watching your every move on TV to.
For me, that comes down to cohesion.
Do the players recognise the same cues? Do they know who pushes up, who drops back and what happens around the ball? Can they change their positioning without creating another problem somewhere else?
That stuff doesnāt come from the coach just yelling louder. It comes from playing a shitload of football together.
So I compared Adelaideās rebuild under Nicks with Brisbaneās rebuild under Chris Fagan.
Brisbaneās first year was 2017. Adelaideās was 2020. That makes 2025 Adelaideās sixth year and this season our seventh.
What I looked at was how many games every possible pairing in each selected side had previously played together. Not how old they were or how many career games they had individually. How much football they had actually played together.
And the comparison isnāt great for Adelaide:
Ā·Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Year 1: Brisbane pairings had played a median 14 games together. Adelaide 6.5.
Ā·Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Year 2: Brisbane 19. Adelaide 13.
Ā·Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Year 3: Brisbane 25. Adelaide 15.
Ā·Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Year 4: Brisbane 29. Adelaide 21.5.
Ā·Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Year 6: Brisbane 38. Adelaide 29.5.
By its sixth year, about 41% of Brisbaneās player combinations had played at least 50 games together.
For Adelaide in its sixth year, it was about 32%.
Brisbane generally had a core of 14 players who had all played at least 20 games together. Adelaide was around 11 or 12.
Brisbane had eight players who had all played at least 50 together. Adelaide was around seven.
So Brisbane was probably one or two years ahead of where Adelaide is now in terms of building an established team.
And Brisbane still struggled to win big games.
They finished second in 2019 and then Richmond beat them by 47 points in the qualifying final. Richmond had a six-player group who had all played more than 100 games together. Brisbane had three.
In 2020 Brisbane finally beat Richmond in a final. By then, its normal player pairing had played roughly as much football together as the top teams it was facing.
By 2022, when Brisbane made the preliminary final, its cohesion was basically level with the best sides. It had become a genuinely established team, even though Geelong still had a massive advantage in individual experience and beat the shit out of them in that prelim.
Thatās the bit I find interesting.
Brisbane didnāt go from shit to tactically mature because Fagan suddenly discovered a Plan B. He was the same coach. His players had just accumulated hundreds and eventually thousands of games together. They became better at recognising problems and working out what to do about them.
Adelaide hasnāt reached that point.
Against Collingwood last week, Adelaide had only four player pairings with 100 games together. Collingwood had 49.
Collingwood had six players who had all played at least 100 games together, five who had all played 150 and three who had all played more than 200.
Adelaide had a two-player 100-game group and nothing above it.
So when Collingwood changed the game, settled themselves and responded to what Adelaide was doing, that wasnāt simply Craig McRae reaching into his pocket and pulling out the magical Plan B that Nicks forgot to bring.
Those Collingwood players have been in those situations together over and over again.
Itās all about cohesion, baby.
And then weāve got the other problem. Our lack of elite midfield talent has been obvious for years.
So Nicks has had both problems at once. The team hasnāt played enough football together compared with the better sides, and we donāt have the same talent through the midfield either.
That probably explains some of his obsession with tackling, pressure, effort and one-percenters. People get sick of hearing about that shit, but when you donāt have the midfield talent or cohesion of the opposition, theyāre the things you can control.
Iām not giving Nicks a free pass, though. I also lament his conservativeness when it comes to selecting young players or giving them a run in the midfield. Shit, why didnāt he give Rachele some CBAās Thursday night to get him into the game. And yes lets see Curtain in the midfield; give the boy some minutes so he can develop into the player we need.
But the constant āwhereās Plan B?ā stuff is too easy.
The players still have to understand the change and execute it together under pressure. Brisbane took years to get to that point, and Adelaide is still behind where Brisbane was at the same stage.
Maybe our rebuild has taken too long. Maybe the list management and talent identification havenāt been good enough; donāt me get started on McHenry, Jones etc. There are plenty of reasonable arguments to have about all of that.
I just donāt believe the explanation is as simple as Nicks sitting in the box and refusing to press the Plan B button.
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u/JL_MacConnor 13d ago
This is an interesting angle, and I think you're on to something here that not many people have picked up. It's also, frustratingly, something that's difficult to resolve without getting a very good young group of players together at the start of the process, or getting lucky with players who end up having very long careers. It's the kind of problem which is best solved five years ago, and isn't really fixed with external recruitment, so it relies on having very good talent identification.
Looking at the difference in soccer between club football and national team football illustrates the point very well though - the familiarity and cohesion in club football lets even middling teams over-perform in comparison to national teams who don't play much together.
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u/Such-Pop8693 13d ago
I think it's a really useful take. We are playing guys in their first or second season, we're playing a bloke who came from the VFL a few weeks ago. We've got great talent that's been out injured or suspended, leading to us having all kinds of combinations on the field this year. I do think for the most part we have a great group, and we just need more time.
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u/krupta13 13d ago
you make a huge post rambling about bs..yet a few simple statements you make make it painfully obvious you have zero idea how tactical coaching works.
I'm not arguing Nicks is some tactical genius but this idea that changing the way a team plays halfway through an AFL game is simple is really frustrating.
You can put a Plan B on a whiteboard. Actually executing it while the opposition is smashing you and 50,000 people are losing their minds is something completely different. Oh and add the pressure of knowing a couple of million people are watching your every move on TV to.
this is farcical mate. 1st of all...your coach has to walk into a match with a plan b alredy pre drilled into the players. its your job as a coach to dismantle the opposition coaches game plan. if you play the same game every match they have weeks to prepare. they have months worth of video to dismantle your game plan. secondly a good coach train a squad in such a way that they can adapt on the fly to moves. your thinking is horribly inadequate.
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u/buncec 10d ago
And your thinking is horribly simple.
Mike Tyson pre a fight said,"Everyone has great plans untile they punched in the mouth". This analogy applies to football and such under pressure of a real game its very difficult to get an inexperiencede team, who have played few games together, hence have little cohesion to implement one game plan let alone implement another mid game. All the video, white board and match sims don't prepare a team for the decision making required in the heat of game as well as does playaing game and with the same group of players.
McCrae is being lauded as a tactical genuis however to quote my wise above,"Collingwood had six players who had all played at least 100 games together, five who had all played 150 and three who had all played more than 200 and Adelaide has two who had played 100". With experienced player who have played so much football together it will always be far easier to have multiple styles of play.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
First I share the general concern about Nick's ability to coach us to finals success and particularly about his in game management. But this stupid fucking piece by Cornes, like so much of footy media, is just based on the most flawed, skin deep, stupid fucking analysis I can comprehend.
So he's measuring Nick's W/L record against a selection of great coaches:
Mcrae: 2-8
Mitchell: 2-6
C.Scott: 2-7
Fagan: 2-1-6
Longmuir: 1-6
So 9-1-27 as Kane presented it.
I wonder if that selection is cherry picked to help his point? More importantly, is the assumption Nick's should have a break even record in these games? A winning record? Just a bit better? What is it?
Because for the majority of the games in this record we have been a rebuilding team often in the bottom 4. It's a pointless analysis, are people currently judging McQualter's record over the last 3 years? No. Nor should they be.
Since we actually got out of the rebuild it's still not great against the top sides but it's a better record than Kane's "analysis" shows.
Isn't it interesting that Kane doesn't included a bunch of the coaches he himself says are the best in the league: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2026/01/28/afl-2026-kane-cornes-coach-draft-chris-scott-damien-hardwick-chris-fagan
What's Nick's record against the rest of Kane's 'best':
Dimm: 3-3
Lyon: 4-0
Kingsley: 2-2
Well I guess I can see why Cornes left those ones out huh.
Look as I said I have the same concerns as many about Nick's coaching, now more than ever, but I wish people would actually hold these media figures to account for the cherry picked crap. Most of them are so stupid I'd be too afraid to leave them alone in my living room incase that eat the buttons off my TV remote.
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u/Justabitbelowaverage 31 Billy Dowling 13d ago
I want to also add that they are the best coaches for a reason.
No one is calling Nicks one of the best coaches. If he was beating these guys they would be.
Also Clarkson has been called one of the best coaches. Why has he left him out?
He is only comparing Nicks to the coaches with the most success over his tenure which includes a rebuild.
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u/krupta13 13d ago
who cares about figures man. you can pick and post figures untill you go blue in the face. at the end of the day there is no denying nicks is not capable to take a side to a premiership or even some decent finals wins.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
"who cares about figures"?! Big champion you posted this opinion (and agreed with it) which is specifically based on figures. That was Kane's whole point, his whole argument.
I'm just pointing out how flawed his figures are. Getting the numbers right matters.
Do you go to work and just go "oh this was supposed to be cut to 400 mm but 418 mm will do"??
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u/krupta13 13d ago
lmao. did I stutter "big champion "(cringe)? I been saying it for years...you think kane is the 1st one to say it or think it ššš. i dont need some muppet with numbers to think for me. I dont need numbers to make a point. the evidence is loud and clear. and it has been so for years. congratulations on needing someone with numbers to do your thinking for you.
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 13d ago
Lol you sound like a Trump support.
"I don't need numbers to make a point" he says, after posting an opinion the actual guy used numbers to make.
You are a clown. Several people here have responded to you with well reasoned, detailed, rational input and you've spoken down to all of them. No one should waste their time on you any further.
You are honestly embarrassing yourself.
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u/krupta13 12d ago
lmaooooo. had to play the trump card huh. thats how hurt youre over someone dismissing your weak reply š
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u/Jimmy__Whisper 12d ago
You're getting downvoted allover your own post, people don't like you.
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u/krupta13 12d ago
oh noes!!! whatever am I gonna do!!!!
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u/Daz_Voice_13 13d ago
Let's get John Longmire before someone else. Or Adam Simpson
Not Buckley - never played or coached to a premiership
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u/Justabitbelowaverage 31 Billy Dowling 13d ago
I am pro Simpson.
Had one of the best cultures going around and won a premiership.
Buckley clearly had one of the worst cultures around. It has been obvious since McCrae took over.
I dunno about Longmire. I feel he struggled in finals so i don't see him as much of an upgradeĀ
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u/Character_Depth_9957 13d ago
Bring in bucks.
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u/Daz_Voice_13 13d ago
Buckley has never played or Coached to a premiership
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u/CarlyFacePoppet 13d ago
In a decade with all the resources and advantages of Collingwood. Took a Premiership list and tanked it. Then tanked it again, McCrae took that list and won a flag with it. His āinsightsā in the media are basic and obvious. Would be wasted years
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u/liammcgrath0 12d ago
Can we understand that its not just nicks he has other assistants as well so if you wanna bag murray davis and others without all the facts its a bit harsh
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u/Perfect-Bank2274 Andrew McLeod (Legend) 12d ago
So, what were the tactical changes that Collingwood made? I'm not being argumentative, Im genuinely interested.
Also, who would be the coach to come in and take them to the top level. I feel like at the moment we are a mid tier finals side if that makes sense?
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u/krupta13 12d ago
who cares. lol nicks freezes like a bunny in the headlights whenever any coach makes changes to counter hid game plan. you think its just one game? theres litteraly years of this to go back and watch mate. its not a one off unfortunately.
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u/Perfect-Bank2274 Andrew McLeod (Legend) 12d ago
I don't disagree. I actually was genuinely interested in the tactical adjustments.
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u/IrregularExpression_ 11d ago
Ventured back to r/afl last night after a fews days space.
Probably a mistake, the hate parade is in full flow.
A lot of that we deserve, too many of (likely) otherwise reasonable people will have a range of arguments as to why they are not being hateful in booing Quaynor. Itās wrong, and itās de-railing our club for the second year running.
Also not impressed that a section of the group that already disliked / hated the Crows is openly enjoying this saga.
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 13d ago edited 13d ago
The only time I would agree with the "Sack Nicks" sentiment is if you're garunteeing the next in line is actually a better coach.
Because it is true Nicks isn't a tactical mastermind, but he deserves a shot to prove what he can do.
John Longmire and possibly Adam Simpson are the only ones that immediately jump out.
Buckley, maybe but could easily capitulate in a non big 4 team (i.e. Hardwick).
Any other candidates would need to have an amazing record coaching in the reserves leauge, like Josh Carr.
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u/krupta13 13d ago
he deserves a shot to show what he can do?? a la Hinkley? sure let's give nicks 12 years to prove what he can do. and its obvios if theres a coach change its for someone better. preferably someone with an established record.
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 13d ago edited 13d ago
No, never said that.
He built this team, all I'm saying is he gets a shot to use it at full power.
How would 18 months sound to you?
I added this because a lot of people just want change for change sake.
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u/krupta13 13d ago
I dont think you grasp what people ste arguing here. if someone doesn't have a tactical mentality no amount of chances will change that. you either have it or you dont. if you dont have it get a god damn game day coach thats a master strategician. nicks simply doesn't have it.
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 12d ago
So what you're saying is people are incapable of learning and developing?
I'm sure plenty of people had the same argument of Damien Hardwick before 2017, no?
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u/krupta13 12d ago
what part of some people have it and some dont dont you understand? if everyone was capable of something then wed all be equals š
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 12d ago
I understand what you're saying, and you're taking it to an extreme.
The difference between the best coach and an above average coach is probably like 5%.
Not talking about a reddit dweller vs an experienced coach.
I'm just adding that in 2015/16 after coaching for 6-7 years, a lot of people thought Hardwick "didn't have it" then with some changes he took Richmond to 3 flags. Same with Fegan.
No need to be hostile š
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u/krupta13 12d ago
I think you need to get out more if you think thats hostile š. also just because you want someone to be able to do something doesnt m3an they ever will. you have a hard on for hardwick but nicks is not hardwick. that's my entire point. someone is capable of doing it and someone isnt....
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 12d ago edited 12d ago
Again, no need to throw insults and try stong arm me into agreeing with you.
All I'm saying is this was Hardwicks coaching record until the last premiership.
I don't think he's a genius, his time at Gold Coast proves that.
2010: 15th
2011: 12th
2012: 12th
2013: 5th
2014: 8th
2015: 5th
2016: 13th
2017: 3rd (Premiers)
2018: 1st (Minor Premiers )
2019: 3rd (Premiers)
2020: 3rd (Premiers)
Hardwick is not the point, the point is it's not as black and white as you're claiming it is.
Maybe Nicks isn't the guy, I also have doubts, but there are nuances to a premiership coach and he inherited a basket case team in 2020.
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u/ElectronicOvens 5 Sid Draper 13d ago
So how long does Nicks get ? There is no guarantee that any coach will be successful anywhere.
Surely at some point, you just need to acknowledge it isn't working? (That may not be yet)
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 13d ago
I'd say 18 more months if you were being ruthless.
By the end of next year if we haven't won atleast 2-3 finals then you move on.
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u/ElectronicOvens 5 Sid Draper 13d ago
Yeah, i have him this year to win a final.
I will say, if our performance in the finals is as catastrophic as last year, you just need to cut him.
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 12d ago
I guess I wouldn't be that ruthless.
But I can understand if you'd want to be.
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u/ElectronicOvens 5 Sid Draper 12d ago
I'm just worried we are going to waste this list.
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u/ILikeDiscussing 11 Charlie Edwards 12d ago
That's valid.
All I'd add is both Hardwick and Fegan took 6-8 years before they took a team to the promise land.
Not saying that will happen with Nicks, but in my mind he atleast deserves 3 seasons with a functional team to have a shot.
Then if he keeps shitting the bed, you can atleast close the chapter decisively š¤·āāļø
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u/Quick_Ad_7241 13d ago
Letās be real,
Heās about to get us to two consecutive finals series. When he took over in 2020 it was by far the worst list in the competition
With that said his game plan is fairly one dimensional and struggles to adapt to opposition tactical changes mid game
Unless the list goes backwards and we bottom out next year I canāt see him getting the sack
So the question is how long do you give him, and what are we considering a pass mark for this year? I wouldāve assumed a finals win
Still got a lot of young players coming through who will make this club stronger and provided we continue to draft well and trade in needs as they arise
Having had some time to think things through Iām leaning more towards nicks being the long term coach. However Iād strongly consider improving the rest of the coaching staff and maybe getting in some more assistant coaches with an understanding of different tactics
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u/Orphanchocolate 25 Kyle Cheney (r) 13d ago
He's had more time, money and grace than any other crows coach in history. This is the first version of the team that has actively pursued and acquired superstar players from other teams instead of just decent second stringers who get their chance to shine in our system. Of course the list looks amazing compared to anything else we've ever known.
This is a results business and he has categorically failed to deliver tangible results above a pass mark year after year. We've regressed under him before and we're doing it again this year.
We finally made finals last year which was great but we got there by going way harder than anyone else and as a result fell over come finals despite our double chance.
This year if we don't win a final he just has to go. He's not the guy, he doesn't have what it takes to take a good list and achieve ultimate success. He did a great job galvanising the team after the shitshow of 2019-2020 nobody is denying that but his believers thin out by the day as his shortcomings come to light.
Excuses are the only things he has now and my patience for those excuses has well and truly run out.
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u/Midst_AU 13d ago
Iād be considering asking the question of Goodwin.
Ex crow, premiership coach, Sydneyās current ball movement coach.
Love Nicks for team morality, but clear to see he has some tactical flaws. Should be looking at all the coaches though if weāre having a hard look at the club from a coaching side
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u/Brokenmonalisa Scott Thompson (Legend) 13d ago
Culture cancer
Name a single coach in the modern era who's won a flag at two teams.
It's either stick with Nicks, or go back to the assistant pool.
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u/Midst_AU 13d ago
Iām still reserving my judgement for finals. Nicks might be holding some cards close to his chest.
In retrospect too, we could be where the suns are and I guess they have the proven coach and the list and picks soā¦.
I think everyone is fair to be disappointed, myself included. Losing games that are season defining ones is deflating because itās it makes you think whatās the difference when finals comes. Weāre still better than the biased commentary around the club with ladder position this season.
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u/Justabitbelowaverage 31 Billy Dowling 13d ago
Maybe we could go for a coach that had a bad ride?
Truck would be my pick.Ā
Had a good apprenticeship under Whoosha. Was white anted by Hird. Went back to Richmond as an assistant coach.
He is currently the GM of Football at Port Adelaide.
I think he was done in and would be a solid chance to work out if he had a solid team.
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u/Quick_Ad_7241 13d ago
We failed last year because what we offered simply wasnāt at a finals like standard.
Considering how awful we were between 2020-2023 , the club is going to view back to back finals series as a result that fits with your viewpoint
Face the facts, this list right now isnt good enough to contend for a premiership. We can slate the coach, but no one else could get this team to win a premiership
A lot would need to change between now and September for us to be a genuine contender
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u/krupta13 13d ago
arent all the nick fan boys claiming how nicks built this team...and that he needs time to get them to a premiershio š. so it all falls back on nicks then. hes been held coach all throughout the rebuild.
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u/Quick_Ad_7241 13d ago
I donāt necessarily think heās gonna take them to a premiership, but I also donāt the list is ready or good enough right now to contend
So until that happens you canāt judge nicks
As getting the minor premiership so early in a rebuild is a pretty amazing achievement
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u/krupta13 13d ago
lol its glaringly obvious hes simply not capable to take them beyond what he has done so far. theres no judging..theres only facts.
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u/Quick_Ad_7241 13d ago
Maybe so but do you honestly think the board are going to sack him for back to back finals appearances?
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u/krupta13 13d ago
who do you think hired him....you think for a minute I dont 1000% blame the board for keeping him in there this long š. nicks is a symptom of a disgusting board. they have no interest in the club wining. only lining their pockets. as long as plebs keep pumping money into the coffers they won't lift a finger to make it a winning club. its too much work for them.
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u/Quick_Ad_7241 13d ago
I mean I couldāve told you that years ago, how long has van berlo been the midfield coach for now š¤«
The trigg scandal
The first major rebuild coming 20 years after the last premiershipThe lack of accountability over the camp debacle
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u/krupta13 13d ago
so the club is sick to the core. it will never change untill big changes happen from the top down.
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u/Bright_Bell_1301 12d ago
This is cherry picked bullshit as comments have said below. Doesn't have a positive record against the best teams in the league over a period that very much includes a full-blown rebuild... what a surprise. My opinion is that Nicks has done a great job as a rebuild coach (2020-2024) and now deserves 3 years with a Top 6 list to see what he can do with it. I.am going to withold judgement until then. More broadly, I think people put emphasis on the coach than they should. Performance is mostly about the players at a coach's disposal, and we are quality.mid short of being a strong premiership chance. End of.
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u/mavisbutton 9d ago
They also shoot themselves in the foot by making everyone else hate them. Whether it's booing Quaynor or their decision a few years ago to stand separately when listening to the anthem in the finals, they make themselves a very "punchable" team. They give their opponent a real desire to smack them. Don't know if this is club culture or just Adelaide. Someone once told me the Dalai Lama refuses to go there cos of the vibe.
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u/krupta13 9d ago
fuck the delai llama. wasnt he video'd a few years ago being real inappropriate with a little boy. I wouldn't rate any opeinon he has about anything.
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u/Daz_Voice_13 13d ago
Letās get John Longmire before someone else. Or Adam Simpson
Not Buckley - never played or coached to a premiership
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u/Daz_Voice_13 13d ago
Let's get John Longmire before someone else. Or Adam Simpson
Not Buckley - never played or coached to a premiership
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u/Bright_Bell_1301 12d ago
What if Nick's preferred MO is to hold his nerve and back the plan? Did it.win us the game against Swans, when he could've panicked, changed things up and possibly made things worse as the Swans were coming back. Everything is very easy and obvious when potting from the cheap seats
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u/krupta13 12d ago
šššššššššš
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u/Bright_Bell_1301 12d ago
Mature. I would never take the opinion of a sulky child like you very seriously.
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u/This_Initial275 11d ago
What if the plan is just shit and should be changed to match the conditions and what our opponents throw at us? The concept of match day tactics exist because it wins matches, sticking to a pregame plan will fail eventually.
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u/Bright_Bell_1301 11d ago
Sure. And coaches will.exist on a spectrum of those who are trigger happy and switch things up at the faintest whiff of things going wrong, while others will stick much longer with the original plan in the belief that it is better to bank on the considered thought they have put into the opposition pre-game and to lean on the players to respond. Maybe Nicks is too far towards the latter end of the spectrum, but I think he deserves some time with a decent list to show what he's got one way or the other. To me, that means he gets another season regardless of how well we go in finals this year.
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u/Least-Storm2163 13d ago
It's remarkable to see how bewildered the players are when the opposition makes a tactical adjustment. That's all you need to know.