Adelaide Crows assistant coach Marty Mattner has been cut by the club as a result of coronavirus cost cutting
Marty Mattner has become another casualty of the coronavirus cost cutting in the AFL, following Paul Thomas at the Crows and Scott Thompson and Michael Wilson at Port Adelaide.
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Adelaide has released assistant coach and former defender Marty Mattner as part of coronavirus cost-cutting.
A month after the club axed development coach Paul Thomas and a week on from Port Adelaide letting go midfield mentor Scott Thompson, Mattner fell victim to the Crows’ move to streamline their football department due to the fallout from COVID-19.
Mattner, who played 222 games for Adelaide and Sydney, steered Sturt to premierships in 2016 and 2017 before returning to West Lakes at the end of the 2018 campaign.
“Marty is a quality person who has achieved a great deal during the early years of his coaching career,” Crows head of football Adam Kelly said in a club statement.
“Marty has a long association with us, starting out as a player and in recent times returning to coach our defenders, so his contribution has been significant and he will always be part of the Crows family.
“These are challenging times, which have brought about unfortunate decisions.”
Kelly said the Crows would finalise their coaching panel before games resumed.
Meanwhile, Crows fans have rallied behind their club after it released a stirring video on Monday night urging members to stick with it during the coronavirus pandemic.
Current AFL captain Rory Sloane, AFLW co-captain Erin Phillips and past skippers Mark Ricciuto, Mark Bickley and Tony McGuinness were among those who featured in the video which was released on the Crows’ website, and right across their social media channels, as part of rallying of the club’s supporter base.
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The short clip reflected on Adelaide’s triumphs and hardships over the years, and the important role Crows supporters have played in bolstering the club during that time.
“Times are tough, but if we pull together we’ll emerge from this and make our club even better,” skipper Sloane said during the promotion.
The video will start a month-long campaign by the Crows aimed at getting fans to stick with them and has already garnered a positive reaction from fans, with many voicing their support on social media.
“We will stand with you, we will stand by you, we will stand alongside you and we will always support you,” Adelaide member David Chadwick posted on the Crows’ Facebook page.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
Stand With Us.#weflyasone pic.twitter.com/gXM3UtixFj
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) April 27, 2020
Another fan, Shaun Sellers, said: “Our club has been to hell and back in the last few years but the one thing I am most proud of is (how) resilient and determined we are as a club. We will get through this and we will be stronger than ever”.
Adelaide has signalled it will go without AFL financial assistance, and has been in discussions with premier partner Bendigo Bank over a loan.
It comes as Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan told members their payment plans would continue to run as per usual.
“We are determined to ensure the future financial stability and independence of the Club we all love, as well as underpin the ability to be competitive on-field, and this can only happen with your ongoing loyalty and support,” he wrote.
Fagan wrote that those members experiencing financial hardship could discuss their specific situation
“It has been genuinely uplifting to see so many of you already pledge your support, whether that be financially, sending messages or posting on social media,” he wrote.
“The words of encouragement are immensely appreciated and they serve as inspiration for everyone, especially the players and coaches who remain committed to training programs and plotting a path towards success when the games resume.”
Crows duo earn AA honours
Two Adelaide Crows stars have been rewarded for standout 2020 AFLW campaigns with selection in the All-Australian team.
Defender Sarah Allan and midfielder Anne Hatchard were named in the final team which was announced on Monday and included 21 players – 16 on field and five on the bench.
Allan was the pillar of Adelaide’s backline this past season in the absence of experienced co-captain Chelsea Randall.
She finished the season averaging 12.5 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency – the highest of any player with five or more touches per match.
Allan also ended the season with the third-most marks per game (3.5) behind Ebony Marinoff and Hatchard.
Allan, who was now working causally at Service Australia after being stood down from her role at the football club amid the coronavirus shutdown, was proud to have made the team.
“Hopefully we made the team and club proud and this is something we can look back on and be happy with,” Allan said.
“I had been building every year … to improve.
“I think it helped this year with having a bit more space on the field and a bit more responsibility, it allowed me to flourish a bit more.”
The AFLW season stopped immediately last month with no premiership awarded as the nation grappled with the COVID-10 pandemic.
Allan said although disappointed, the break had allowed her to reset mentally and focus on improving her fitness.
Hatchard, also 22, is a favourite to win the Crows’ AFLW club champion award after enjoying her best season in 2020, topping the league for most disposals (25.3 per game).
She also broke Marinoff’s previous AFLW record of most disposals in round one (recording 34 touches).
“It’s a big honour to be named in an All-Australian team among great players in the league, Hatchard said.
“I’m working on the things I’m lacking at the moment as there’s lots of areas to improve on so hopefully I can come back bigger and better next year.”
Marinoff was named in the 40-player squad but missed the final cut.
Many clubs have been hosting their best and fairest awards online via video chats.
But the Crows will not be announcing their best and fairest award winner until the coronavirus-induced ban on social gatherings is lifted.
The W Awards, meanwhile, will be broadcast on FOX FOOTY and Kayo Sports on Tuesday from 7pm (AEST).
Crows’ Giants uncertain about imports
Meanwhile, Adelaide Giants – who were taken over by the Adelaide Football Club in June 2018 – are considering the possibility of a season without imports, as they continue to lock the cream of local talent into long-term contracts.
The SA club expected confirmation of the 2020/21 Australian Baseball League start date this week, amid concerns the coronavirus might delay the competition.
Giants executive general manager Shane Smallacombe said last summer’s beaten grand finalist was working towards the scheduled November 12 opening day.
But he said the postponement of leagues across the US and Asia, which provided more than half of Adelaide’s roster last season, had created uncertainty.
“We need to consider everything,” said Smallacombe, when asked if the campaign might proceed minus foreigners.
“We are fortunate in that we’re a summer sport and we do have some time on our side to see how this unfolds.
“But there’s still a point in time when we’ll have to make a call.”
The Giants’ transition from wooden spooners to minor premiers, before losing the championship series to Melbourne Aces, was seen as a huge win for the Crows according to their chief executive, Andrew Fagan.
“It’s been a really exciting 18 months to two years since we started this journey,” he said in February.
“Similar to clubs around the world, we were looking at ways to diversify and grow our operations in order to ensure we’re able to remain sustainable.
“Baseball has a global reach of which only a few sports can probably compare.
“To bring joy to baseball fans in South Australia is probably the thing that we’d be most proud of initially.”
Originally published as Adelaide Crows assistant coach Marty Mattner has been cut by the club as a result of coronavirus cost cutting