‘No contract talk before finals win’: Crows coach
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks says relief isn’t the right word to sum up his feelings after an elimination final win that saw a standing ovation from the crowds and Tex taking a journo to task after the Crows finals win.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks insists he did not discuss his coaching future with club hierarchy before his dought-breaking finals win.
Nicks banked the Crows’ first playoff win since 2017 with a stirring 22-point elimination final triumph against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
The victory – Nicks’ first finals win in his seventh year at the helm – came amid reports he was facing the axe if Adelaide lost the game.
Nicks talked with Crows chairman John Olsen and chief executive Tim Silvers in the wake of the speculation, but said his contract wasn’t a topic.
“I’m contracted into next year,” he said after Adelaide’s 14.6 (90) to 9.14 (68) win over the Bulldogs.
“We don’t have a conversation about my contract or any of that.”
Nicks maintained it was “head down, go to work” amid the speculation about his future beyond this season.
“There wasn’t a need for a conversation anything out of the ordinary that we wouldn’t normally have,” he said.
Matthew Nicks did not discuss his contract for next year with club officials ahead of the final. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)
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“Other than a support that I had from our president, which is a regular conversation.”
Nicks, whose Crows travel to play Brisbane in a semi-final next Saturday night, said he understood the nature of the speculation.
“I have been around long enough to understand the industry and the narrative and why things come up about coaches,” he said.
“And we want what’s next – what’s the next big thing; who’s the best; who’s the worst.
“I understand how that works and we have worked in that space for a long time, so it was business as usual.”
And he said relief wasn’t the correct summation of his mood after the Crows booted the last four goals of the elimination final to down the Dogs.
Adelaide held a 19-point lead at three quarter-time but the Bulldogs hit the front by one point some eight minutes into the final term.
“The question was asked. We answered it,” Nicks said.
“Relief is not the right word.
“It’s more reinforcing the belief that I have in them (his players) and we have in them as a coaching group.
“We we believe in them. They they just need to believe in themselves – and you get that through moments like tonight.”
Forward Taylor Walker added his own comments to a Channel 7 reporter after the win taking Morris to task about his report questioning Nicks future earlier in the week.
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“Just so grateful for the opportunity this footy club gave me,” Walker said.
“But in saying that it’s not about me, it’s about this footy club and we’ve got three more games to go. Much to your disgust!”
Morris responded by saying “No, I’m happy for you.”
But Walker backed it up with smile on his face saying “Nicksy will be here, don’t you worry about that. We answered the critics, didn’t we? Really, really stoked, mate. That was awesome.”
Crows by the numbers
It was a mighty effort in the backlines, with the Crows Josh Worrell delivering a record-breaking defensive masterclass to help Adelaide defend 61 inside 50s from the Western Bulldogs.
Worrell finished with an AFL finals record 19 interceptions alongside a career-high 34 disposals and 10 marks. The previous record was 16, set by Melbourne’s Stevem May in the 2022 qualifying final.
All-Australian half-back Wayne Milera also starred for the Crows, with 27 disposals at a remarkable 100 per cent efficiency as well as an equal team-high seven score involvements.
And leading goalkicker Josh Rachele added three goals and two points to his tally with a particularly damaging second quarter.
Taylor Walker played his last game at Adelaide Oval, kicking one crucial goal in the final quarter to take his total score at the venue to 319.198.
His career total is now 713, five behind St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt who is ranked 25th in VFL/AFL history.
Izak Rankine clocked more than 30 disposals for the fourth consecutive game, finishing with 34, seven clearances and two goals, including one of the most amazing snap shots of the season.
Rankine was one of six Crows playing their first final, along with Lachlan McAndrew, James Borlase, Hugo Hall-Kahan, Brayden Cook and Luke Nankervis.
Darcy Fogarty had seven score involvements including two goals.
– with AAP
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