Adelaide starts talks with coach Matthew Nicks over new contract

Adelaide has praised the impact of Matthew Nicks, who is in talks to extend his time as Crows coach ahead of a season where the club is targeting a return to finals.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 01: Matthew Nicks, Senior Coach of the Crows during the 2023 AFL Round 16 match between the Adelaide Crows and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Adelaide Oval on July 1, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers says “positive discussions” are taking place around a contract extension for senior coach Matthew Nicks.

But Silvers says the Crows won’t put a timeline on a new deal, saying the club and Nicks are “in no rush” just weeks out from the start of the season.

It is expected that the Crows will give Nicks a new deal, which is likely to span two years, but it might not happen until the season starts.

Crows senior officials are very happy with Nicks, ahead of his fifth year as coach of the club, regarding him as a “next-generation coach”.

Matthews Nicks is poised to sign an extension with the Crows. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Silvers said Nicks had done a great job in rebuilding the Crows.

“What I can say about ‘Nicksy’ is that he and I are really aligned,” he told Grandstand SA.

“We have the key pillars of our footy club – the CEO, the coach, our GM of footy (Adam Kelly) and president (John Olsen) – we are really aligned.

“We know what we want to deliver into the future.”

The Crows are confident their rebuild under Nicks will bare fruit. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The club’s proposed $100m new home at Thebarton has taken priority at the Crows board level, but Silvers said “positive” preliminary talks about Nicks’ future had begun.

“We have had four years of rebuilding under Matthew and we think he has done a stellar job,” he said.

“He has built a great culture and a game plan that can win finals.

“We are really excited about what he can bring to us in the future.

“We have started preliminary talks about his contract but we are in no rush.

“He has been a great coach, he has done the groundwork, he has a good group of assistants around him.

“We are having really positive discussions and that will take care of itself in due course.”

Originally published as Adelaide starts talks with coach Matthew Nicks over new contract