Nicks up for the fight
FOR the best part of two years the Adelaide Football Club has been a punching bag — for the opposition and the critics — and new coach Matthew Nicks says it is time to fight back.
Wearing a suit and Crows tie, Nicks fronted the media with what seemed the perfect mix of jovial personality that will endear him to his players, but also that eye of the tiger that says he is there to win.
Walking into a club that has laid itself bare with an external review, sacked its most senior football staff and a swarm of players walking out, Nicks made his intentions clear.
“Let’s get back to playing the type of footy that our supporters will be proud to come and watch — if you lose a game but the supporters are proud, then that’s the sign that you’re heading in the right direction,” he said.
“If you give it everything you’ve got, the way you train, you’re in it together and got each other’s backs and can’t get the job done, there’s no doubt your supporters go home happy [and] proud they’re part of this family. That’s the goal for us I think, to bring the family back together so we all have each other’s backs.
“I wouldn’t put any limit on where we can finish, but if we get to the end of the year with some real pride in the way we performed, then maybe we’re pushing a number of teams.”
There have been five AFL senior coaching vacancies this year, but Adelaide is the only one Nicks went for.
“The moment this job came up, I was straight on to it ... I knew the fit was right,” he said.
“The more we sat down and I got a better understanding of what’s going on inside the club, the hungrier I was to win the position.
“I’ve been ready to coach for a while and I was waiting for the right opportunity, where I’m positioned, the style of coach that I am and the Adelaide Footy Club was screaming out for what I can bring.”
Those in the room laughed at least four times during the presser and none of it was contrived, and if that’s how Nicks connects with his players, he will be very popular.
“Put this [phone] number in your favourites and call it 24/7 ... even if I’m not your favourite, just put it in there,” he said of his players, which triggered a laugh.
Asked what was possible next year, he said: “Do you want me to put a win-loss on it?” More laughter.
Then when explaining that he was about to move house for the second time in 12 months with three kids aged just five, four and two, he said: “So it’s easy,” which triggered the biggest laugh of the halfhour.