Crows set to appoint coaching director, prepare to launch bid for former Collingwood list guru Graham Wright

In a bid to give coach Matthew Nicks more support, the Crows have poached a long-time Lion to be director of coaching as they prepare to try and lure Graham Wright to the club.

Matthew Nicks has a new right-hand man. Picture: Mark Stewart

Adelaide is set to appoint a long-time assistant from premiers Brisbane to be its first coaching director.

Murray Davis, who has been part of the Lions’ staff since 2011 and mentored its forwards this year, will join the Crows to be senior coach Matthew Nicks’s right-hand man.

Adelaide has been determined to provide Nicks with more support after the club’s 15th-placed finish this past season.

Davis started as Brisbane’s runner then oversaw its defence for a decade before taking charge of the forward line for the past two seasons.

His previous experience includes coaching the Northern Territory Thunder in the NEAFL, guiding them to a premiership in 2011.

Matthew Nicks’ future will be in the spotlight in 2025. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The arrival of Davis comes as the Crows try to lure experienced administrator Graham Wright to oversee its football department, in another attempt to strengthen the resources around Nicks after the club’s seventh consecutive season without finals.

Wright reportedly has interest from the AFL and Carlton.

Meanwhile, retired Crows champion Rory Sloane is still considering whether to join Melbourne in a coaching role.

The Demons approached Sloane, who hung up the boots in April after medical advice about the potential impact on his eyesight.

Sloane played 255 games for the Crows over 16 seasons and captained the club from 2019-2022.

CROWS PREPARE TO LAUNCH BID FOR LIST GURU

Adelaide is targeting highly-regarded administrator Graham Wright for a “godfather” role overseeing its football department.

Wright quit as Collingwood’s footy boss in August after taking an overseas sabbatical this season.

He helped to mastermind the Magpies’ 2023 premiership and also had success at Hawthorn, where he was recruiting and list manager during its hat-trick of flags from 2013-15, then head of football from 2018-20.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers worked with Wright at the Hawks for a decade and caught up recently trying to convince him to come to West Lakes in a full-time position.

Adelaide wants to provide more support to senior coach Matthew Nicks on the back of a disappointing campaign.

Former Collingwood GM of football Graham Wright. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

It views Wright as a potential steadying, experienced hand who can improve their footy department.

The Crows won eight of their 23 games this year to finish 15th on the ladder, marking a seventh consecutive season without finals.

Adelaide has chased ex-Collingwood, Geelong and Richmond football boss Neil Balme in previous years to fill that type of overarching football department role.

Wright is understood to have also had interest from the AFL for a position at league headquarters.

A wingman who played 201 games and won one premiership for Collingwood from 1988-1988, Wright became a recruiter with Brisbane from 2004-06, before joining the Hawks, where he became list and recruiting boss from 2011.

He was at Hawthorn from 2007 until the start of 2021 when he went back to the Magpies as general manager of football.

Wright took leave during Collingwood’s premiership defence this year, heading to the US and Europe with family in a move supported by the club’s hierarchy, only for him not to return and part ways with the Magpies two months ago.

Collingwood had chased Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies to replace Wright but he opted to stay at Alberton.

Davies has been with the Power since the end of 2014.