Adelaide Crows follow Western Bulldogs lead in selecting new coach
Adelaide is happy to play the long game and follow Western Bulldogs’ lead in appointing a new coach after Luke Beveridge delivered a premiership within two years at Whitten Oval.
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Adelaide is prepared to play the long game choosing its next coach with Western Bulldogs premiership mastermind Luke Beveridge the prototype for unifying a fractured club.
GWS assistant Matthew Nicks is the front-runner to emulate Beveridge as a first time senior coach after a solid apprenticeship.
Richmond’s Adam Kingsley and Hawthorn assistants Scott Burns and Adem Yze remain in contention to take charge at West Lakes as a meticulous recruiting process unfolds.
Adelaide board director Mark Ricciuto says the club “cast its net wide” in the search for a head coach with no announcement scheduled for a week.
Appointed in November 2014, Beveridge delivered a premiership within two years at Whitten Oval. Former Melbourne, St Kilda and Bulldogs rover Beveridge built an irresistible bond with players that Adelaide is demanding of Don Pyke’s successor.
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The Crows concede their ninth senior coach may not be in place when the 2019 AFL trade period ends on Wednesday week. Having spent three years as defensive mentor under Hawthorn luminary Alastair Clarkson, Beveridge remained a prospective coach during the 2014 trade period. He had only been in the Bulldogs job 13 days when the 2014 AFL national draft commenced.
Adelaide’s next coach will be charged with unifying a fractured club, building relationships and communication as Beveridge did when Brendan McCartney resigned with two years left on his Whitten Oval tenure. Former Bulldogs skipper Ryan Griffen fled the kennel to GWS triggering McCartney’s demise.
Brisbane-bound midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen has this week highlighted internal division and cultural concerns at West Lakes an incoming Crows boss must fix.
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It’s understood Adelaide must include a portion of Pyke’s wage in its football soft cap for the next two years which restricts its ability to lavish vast sums on a senior coach.
Adelaide is focused on the 2019 draft which suits an untried coach who would attract a reduced starting wage that could grow in unison with a rebuilding side.
Adelaide will not pursue Essendon small forward Orazio Fantasia nor will be it a major player in the trade period. A fresh senior boss will join national recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie in shaping the Crows future at the November national AFL draft.
Nicks remains the $2.25 bookies favourite to coach Adelaide followed by former Power star Kingsley and Yze at $3.50.
Garry Hocking was on the third line of betting. Collingwood announced on Tuesday he will have a new role on Nathan Buckley’s coaching panel as the Magpies’ VFL coach.