Matthew Nicks has the ability to energise players and deliver Adelaide’s third flag says coach recruiter Phil Smyth
AFL’s leading coach mentor Phil Smyth reveals the qualities that saw Matthew Nicks beat rivals to become Adelaide coach and why he’s come at the right time for Adelaide.
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Master mentor Phil Smyth believes Matthew Nicks can be Adelaide’s next premiership coach – exhibiting a rare ability to engage players and energise a club like the late Phil Walsh.
Smyth – on the Crows selection panels that appointed former Crows coach Walsh and Nicks – revealed frontrunner Scott Burns was “dangerously close” to succeeding Don Pyke.
However, Nicks’ senior coaching roles with Port Adelaide and GWS were ultimately compelling.
Asked if Adelaide could progress from its 11th ranking next season and eventually win a third flag under Nicks, Smyth said: “No doubt but it won’t happen over night, they have to rebuild. “It’s a good group to build off.”
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“There is no question you will be better because you have swept out, cleaned out. You have a guy with new ideas, enthusiasm and engaging. The camp and all that stuff that has dragged on for two years is irrelevant.
“For the players it is a breath of fresh air.”
Nicks beat Scott Burns, Adem Yze, Robert Harvey and Garry Hocking to become Adelaide’s ninth coach through a golden touch with players and proven senior coaching prowess with Port Adelaide and GWS.
“It was an accumulation of stuff. The fact he had sat in that senior coaches seat and coached on his own in pre-season he had a couple of strings in the bow,” former Olympian and three-time NBL championship coach Smyth told The Advertiser.
“What Nicksy had in his armour was he had been in that senior assistant coaching role more than the others.
“There were a lot of outstanding people. In the end it all came back to Nicksy just had a little bit more in the areas that were key.”
Nicks possesses qualities associated with the late supremo Walsh, bringing everyone from back office juniors to board members together.
“What stood out with Nicksy was his ability to communicate with people and engage the players from a coaching stand point. Clearly that was an area they needed to get involved in,” noted Smyth, mentor to Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick in 2017 and Chris Fagan through Brisbane’s stunning rise this year.
“Everyone I spoke to, all the players he had dealt with, Leon Cameron gave the same feedback it was one of his great strengths. He has been around the game a long time, pretty smart.”
Adelaide isolated Nicks as the man to replace Don Pyke ‘two and half weeks’ into its coaching process but did due diligence to bed the ‘right, not quick decision’.
Smyth insists all candidates on the Crows coaching shortlist will soon command ships at senior level.
“All of those will be senior coaches, I don’t have any doubt. Hocking will, Scotty Burns will, Yze and Harvey,” said Smyth.
“I was a big fan of Scotty’s. He has been really good at applying jobs and putting himself out there and learning. That is not a negative. I would be surprised if he is not a head coach in a year or two.”
Smyth said Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan expertly managed a coaching selection process that involved himself, Mark Ricciuto and James Podsiadly pushing each other to the limit before a unanimous decision was made.
“This one was really challenging where guys would see different strengths in people and that would open up robust discussions,” said Smyth.
“To be successful the president, CEO, footy opps guy and coach have to be on the same page and the minute they are not the chance of winning the grand final is just about done. What Fages brought to it was good structure and the business hat on.
“Pods was really good at it. Roo just loves the club, have huge empathy with him, is as good as anyone I have worked with.”
Head of football Brett Burton and senior strategist Scott Camporeale have departed West Lakes but Smyth doesn’t envisage wholesale coaching changes in Nicks’ first season in charge
“I reckon you have to stand in front of the fire for a while to understand what you want around you. Sometimes you can see what you can work with and what I need to add,” said Smyth.