Matthew Nicks

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Matthew Nicks

| image = Matthew Nicks, Ade vs. GWS 2022 (52396645580) (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Nicks addressing Adelaide players, 2022

| alt = A fair-skinned bald man in a navy polo speaking to football players

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|5|13}}

| birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = West Adelaide (SANFL)

| debutdate = 14 April 1996

| debutteam = Sydney Swans

| debutopponent = Collingwood Magpies

| debutstadium = SCG

| height =

| weight =

| position =

| statsend = 2005

| years1 = 1996–2005

| club1 = Sydney Swans

| games_goals1 = 175 (125)

| coachyears1 = 2020–

| coachclub1 = {{AFL Ade}}

| coachgames_wins1 = 113 (41–71–1)

| coachstatsend = round 7, 2025

| careerhighlights =

| fullname = Matthew Nicks

}}

Matthew Nicks (born 13 May 1975) is a former professional Australian Football League player and currently the senior coach of the Adelaide Football Club.{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.com.au/news/2019-10-15/nicks-appointed-senior-coach|title=Nicks appointed Senior Coach|publisher=Adelaide Football Club|date=15 October 2019|access-date=15 October 2019}} He was recruited from the West Adelaide Football Club to the Sydney Swans with the 21st selection in the 1994 AFL Draft.{{cite book|title=AFL Record 2005: Guide to Season|editor=Lovett, Michael|year=2005|page=416|isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}

Playing career

=Sydney Swans=

Nicks made his Australian Football League debut in 1996 for the Sydney Swans and played a total of 175 games over the next 10 seasons.{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Matthew%2BNicks/13677|title=MATTHEW NICKS|access-date=1 August 2022}} He retired from AFL football in 2005 after prolonged struggles with injury and illness, including a broken leg in 1995,{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/loyal-nicks-forced-to-call-it-quits/2005/08/09/1123353318391.html|title=Loyal Nicks forced to call it quits|website=Sydney Morning Herald|date=10 August 2005 }} pneumonia in 2000, a broken finger in 2001{{Ref AFL Encyc|4th|483}} and a stress fracture in his leg in 2005. His second last game was the round 10, 2005 match against {{AFL StK}} at Marvel Stadium in which the Swans came under severe scrutiny from the AFL, in particular from then-CEO Andrew Demetriou and Network 10 commentators Stephen Quartermain, Tim Lane and Robert Walls, over their performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/a-new-face-after-roos-loses-faith-20050603-gdlg34.html|title=A new face after Roos loses faith|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 June 2005|access-date=10 April 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/ugly-swans-flag-hopes-at-half-mast-20050530-gdlf1t.html|title=Ugly Swans' flag hopes at half-mast|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=30 May 2005|access-date=10 August 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/268684/nicks-homecoming-behind-enemy-lines|title=Nicks’ homecoming behind enemy lines|date=29 March 2018|access-date=1 August 2022}}

Coaching career

=Port Adelaide Football Club assistant coach (2011–2018)=

Nicks joined the Port Adelaide Football Club in 2011 as a club development coach in an assistant coaching position under senior coach Matthew Primus until the end of 2012 season, during which time the Power struggled towards the bottom part of the ladder, finishing 16th and 14th in 2011 and 2012 respectively.{{cite web|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/06/22/from-port-to-adelaide-gold-coast-suns-complete-the-grand-slam/|title=From Port to Adelaide, Gold Coast Suns complete the grand slam|publisher=The Roar|date=21 June 2020|access-date=4 April 2020}} From 2013 to 2015, he served as the club's backline coach under senior coach Ken Hinkley and in 2016, he served as the forwards coach under senior coach Hinkley.{{cite web|title=Matthew Nicks|url=http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/football/players-and-coaches/coaches/matthew-nicks|website=portadelaidefc.com.au|publisher=Port Adelaide Football Club|access-date=23 August 2015}} In 2017, Nicks was named as Port Adelaide's senior assistant coach under senior coach Hinkley. Nicks left the Port Adelaide Football Club at the end of the 2018 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/two-afl-assistant-coaches-to-depart-port/591405da-344c-4db8-86ac-d1faf4d33ed0|title=Two AFL assistant coaches to depart Port|date=6 August 2018|access-date=14 February 2022}}

=Greater Western Sydney Giants assistant coach (2019)=

Nicks joined the GWS Giants as a senior assistant coach under senior coach Leon Cameron for the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/256225/matthew-nicks-joins-giants|date=27 August 2018|access-date=14 February 2022|title=Matthew Nicks Joins GIANTS }}

=Adelaide Football Club senior coach (2020–present)=

In October 2019, Nicks was appointed senior coach of the Adelaide Football Club, shortly after previous senior coach Don Pyke announced his departure.{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/matthew-nicks-appointed-adelaide-coach-20191015-p530tg.html|title=Nicks says Crows will go on the attack|website=The Age|last1=Ryan|first1=Peter|date=October 15, 2019|access-date=August 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-15/adelaide-crows-announce-new-coach/11572704|title=Adelaide Crows announce Matthew Nicks as new coach|date=15 October 2019|access-date=16 September 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.com.au/news/306286/nicks-appointed-senior-coach|title=Nicks appointed Senior Coach|date=15 October 2019|access-date=16 September 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/adelaide-crows-new-coach-revealed-to-be-matthew-nicks/news-story/04fa24d4d5c2e00460934af3b1832fad|title=Adelaide Crows new coach revealed to be Matthew Nicks|date=14 October 2019|access-date=16 September 2023}} Due to a variety of reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the club entering a rebuild at his arrival, and the lack of experienced assistant coaches at Adelaide, the Crows under Nicks slumped to a 0–13 start to the 2020 season, leading to Nicks being called “the least supported coach” in Adelaide’s history.{{cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/08/03/is-nicks-adelaides-most-least-supported-coach-ever/|title=Is Nicks Adelaide's Most "Least Supported Coach" Ever?|website=Seven News|author=SEN|date=August 3, 2020|access-date=August 4, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/crows-coach-declares-club-took-big-step-backwards-in-horror-loss-to-roos/news-story/ff25c86b245c9ad54ea000e96b1c4f2a|title=Crows coach declares club took 'big step backwards' in horror loss to Roos|website=Fox Sports|author=Fox Sports Staff|date=August 1, 2020|access-date=August 4, 2020}} He won his first game as Adelaide Football Club senior coach when the Crows defeated {{AFL Haw}} by 35 points in round 15, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/494556/disaster-averted-as-crows-break-drought-against-hawks|title=Disaster averted as Crows break drought against Hawks|publisher=Australian Football League|first=Marc|last=McGowan|date=1 September 2020|access-date=1 September 2020}}

Player statistics

: Statistics are correct to end of career{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Matthew_Nicks.html|title=AFL Tables – Matthew Nicks statistics|website=AFL Tables}}

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