AFL Crows news: Matthew Nicks addresses poor away record ahead of Collingwood clash
It’s no secret the Crows have been unable to fire away from home but coach Matthew Nicks says it is not an issue as they prepare for the daunting task of facing the Pies at the MCG.
Adelaide is not concerned about its away record ahead of a huge test against Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday, focusing instead of its consistency in matches and managing leads.
The Crows are 1-4 on the road in 2023 and come off the bye in eighth spot, hungry to cause an upset against the second-placed Magpies.
Adelaide’s young side does not have a lot of experience at the MCG.
It has not played there since round 2 last year, Max Michalanney and Josh Worrell) have yet to line up at the ground at all at AFL level, while five others (Josh Rachele, Jake Soligo, Luke Pedlar, Mitch Hinge, Riley Thilthorpe) have done so just once each.
Nicks did not view its road form as an issue, feeling as though there had been some positive away performances that the team had not capitalised on, such as against GWS and Gold Coast.
“We’ve looked at scenarios more so, what’s happening to us in those moments – when we do have a lead and control of the game and unfortunately we’ve not been able to hold onto that,” Nicks said.
“We’ve worked on that for six weeks or more – it’s not something new.
“It’s as our opposition gain momentum, how can we change that and bring it back our way when you’re going up not just your opposition but also their home crowd?
“It’s not necessarily the venue.
“The energy’s there, which is why we’re not concerned about away (matches).”
Adelaide will get a chance to acclimatise to the MCG by having its captain’s run session there on Saturday.
Nicks said the Crows had learnt plenty from its one-point home loss to Collingwood in round 7, when it coughed up a 16-point three-quarter time lead.
“The start will be crucial for us,” he said.
The Crows are likely to go in unchanged for the match, having brought in wingman Brayden Cook, midfielder Harry Schoenberg and forward Lachie Gollant into its extended squad.
Nicks said he was really pleased the club was able to extend the contracts of five youngsters – Rachele, Soligo, Max Michalanney, Chayce Jones and Schoenberg – this past week.
He said the Crows, who had lured South Australian duo Jordan Dawson and Izak Rankine home the past two off-seasons, wanted to become a destination club.
Nicks said the team had this week revisited footage the AFL had sent through to clubs on dangerous tackles.
He urged his players that if they controlled the ball carrier, there was no reason to dump them to the ground.
“If you go back 10 or 15 years, there was always a want to end up on top as the tackler and make sure you show dominance … but we understand that’s not where the game’s going,” he said.
Sunday’s match will be Dawson’s 100th.
SIGNED ON RACHELE’S PLAN TO EMULATE TEX, RORY
Adelaide young gun Josh Rachele wants to emulate Crows greats Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane by playing his entire career at the club.
Rachele took a big step towards achieving that when he extended his contract on Wednesday until the end of 2029.
Already tied to the Crows for two more years, the Victorian midfielder/forward added an extra four seasons to his deal to return the faith the club showed by taking him at pick 6 in the 2021 national draft.
Walker and Sloane have played almost 500 games between them since joining Adelaide as teenagers, while stars Rory Laird and Brodie Smith have been mainstays for more than a decade.
Rachele hoped to have similar longevity at the club alongside newly re-signed young teammates Jake Soligo (until 2029), Max Michalanney (2026), Chayce Jones (2026) and Harry Schoenberg (2025).
“I want to be a one-club player,” Rachele said.
“Looking at Tex and Rory and these guys playing 250 games, that’s definitely something I want to do.”
Rachele and Soligo’s contracts are the longest at the Crows and among the most prolonged in the league.
Shepparton-raised Rachele said getting an extension out of the way meant he could focus on his football for the next six to eight years.
“The opportunity arose and I had no intention of going home whatsoever,” he said.
“It was a no-brainer.
“It made it pretty easy with one of my good mates, Jake, signing on and a lot of the younger boys signing on.
“Adelaide gave me the opportunity to start with so I feel like I have to pay them back in some sort of respect.
“The club’s been really good to my family and done a lot for me so far.”
Rachele, who had played 26 games for the Crows, including all 13 this year, said he was happy with his 2023 campaign, describing it as quite consistent.
His short-term focus was helping Adelaide upstage Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
Beyond that, he hoped to help the eighth-placed Crows end a six-year finals drought this season and eventually win a flag.
“I can definitely see success coming in years to come,” he said.
“Every day in our meeting rooms, we see [photos of] the likes of (Mark) Ricciuto, (Andrew) McLeod and those guys who have won back-to-back premierships, and I definitely want to be a premiership player.”
More Coverage
Goodwin opens up: Healing, hope and lifting Dees’ heavy cloud
Drugs, culture questions and a big fall from the top – Simon Goodwin’s Demons have been through football hell. But as he reveals in detail for the first time, things have changed – for good.
Betts and Buddy Show: This century’s greatest 25 goals
There’s been 126,666 goals kicked in this century. Josh Barnes has narrowed that list down to his top 25, with Eddie Betts and Lance Franklin prominent. Did he get it right? HAVE YOUR SAY.