The Adelaide Crows will not make a decision on the position of senior coach Matthew Nicks until the back end of this season, despite faith in the coach and the culture he has built, according to the club chairman.
John Olsen, chairman of the Crows since the end of Nicks’ first season (2020), said the coaching position would be addressed near the end of the coach’s contract, which expires after this season.
But the Adelaide chairman, a former South Australian premier and influential figure in the state and AFL, expressed faith in Nicks and in the culture he had built in the football department, which Olsen called “outstanding.”
“We’ll address it towards his current contract conclusion,” Olsen told this masthead, in a candid interview in which he suggested that the AFL and clubs faced a tougher battle for funding from indebted state governments, while outlining the benefits of Tasmania’s proposed new stadium to that state.
“We’ve got a lot of faith in Matthew Nicks, the culture that’s at the club, the journey that we’ve been on, and we’re seeing some really, really good green shoots this year.
“So, it’s each game at a time.”
In confirming that the position would not be decided soon – despite the team’s impressive 3-1 start to 2025 – the Crows’ chairman said the coach’s position was not viewed in isolation of other factors.
“Yeah, and it’s not just about one, one person – it’s the coaching group, it’s the culture, it’s the playing squad. It’s what you give... what the coach has got to work with,” Olsen explained.
“There’s a whole raft of components to this, but as I said, it’s not a matter that we’re addressing at this stage.”
Olsen said the Crows had possibly “got a bit ahead of ourselves” in 2024, when they finished well outside the eight after embracing expectations following 2023 – when they missed finals on the back of a goal umpiring error (versus Sydney).
“Last year there were expectations after we didn’t make the finals on the goal umpiring error. And so we said, in ’24, we’re going to embrace the expectations – not be intimidated by it. Well, [we] got a bit ahead of ourselves, perhaps, so this year, we’re not doing that. It’s each game at a time,” said Olsen.
“I think the culture is outstanding, it’s not about the individual, it’s about the team, and we celebrate individual success as a team success and that’s the culture that’s been built in without deviation by Matthew Nicks and the coaching group. It’s really what is the foundation of the playing group at the moment.”
Olsen stated that Adelaide had sufficient salary cap space to pursue athletes from rival teams.
"We have maintained capacity, and we've utilized it prudently and with great deliberation," he stated.
Adelaide, with their strong offense, are eager to face St Kilda. star half-back Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and have expressed interest in Collingwood’s defender and free agent Brayden Maynard, along with several others.
Olsen acknowledged that The 2017 Grand Final defeat against Richmond The following unsuccessful team training camp in Queensland, coupled with Coach Don Pyke’s departure, affected the club. Additionally, several decisions made during the drafts and trades between 2017 and 2019 "turned out to be a mistake."
I believe a club should steer clear of ending up at the very bottom, and rebuilding isn't something that can be achieved quickly. These reconstructions take time. The fan base is eager for victory, just as much as the board is hungry for success—like all those connected to the team.
Olsen pointed out that Adelaide's premier draft selection from 2020, Riley Thilthorpe, served as an instance of a youthful athlete who developed significantly during that period.
“The way in which he’s matured over the last couple of years has been extraordinary – and where he’s at this year – and there was always faith he would get to where he is,” Olsen said.
But after mistakenly embracing expectations last year, the Adelaide chairman said he was taking a more conservative approach.
“Well, we exist to play finals footy – that’s our goal and our objective, and to be consistent finals [contenders].
“After my comments last year embracing expectations, I’m taking a more conservative approach to it, every game, every game at a time, and that we build towards finals and being consistently in finals... but these things are never linear.
“There’s no doubt the grand final loss of ’17, and the camp, and the loss of our coach [Don Pyke], a combination of things, had an impact on the club, and it was a matter of regrouping and rebuilding.”
Olsen mentioned that adding the trio of recruits – James Peatling, Isaac Cumming, and Alex Neal-Bullen – has improved a team that required more depth.
We observed that trades and drafts brought in three players with finals experience, which significantly enhanced our team," Olsen stated. Peatling opted for the Crows instead of "four or five, possibly six, clubs.
Olsen stated that the Crows' aim was to have "no obstacles" for players joining Adelaide as they commenced construction on a new $100 million facility located west of the city center.
"It is indeed a club that people will aspire to join moving forward," he stated.
Olsen has been helping both the Tasmania Devils and the AFL push forward with plans for a controversial new stadium at Macquarie Point. Recently, he met with Tasmanian Members of Parliament to discuss the potential economic and social advantages this new venue could bring. Olsen also mentioned that the AFL faces challenges because of the financial burdens taken on by state governments, noting how increasingly fierce the competition for funds had become.
Yes, securing funding can be challenging," stated Olsen. "As far as I understand, Adelaide Oval got around $30 million from the federal government, whereas Tasmania has access to $240 million—quite a significant disparity.
“But with the state governments racking up substantial debt across the country, competition for expenditure will become tight.”
Olsen, who will host a delegation of MPs from Tasmania on May 2 and 3 in Adelaide, cited the positive economic impact on SA of the Adelaide Oval as an argument for the new stadium in Tasmania in his recent visit.
“My argument to them was, ‘Look at what Adelaide Oval has actually delivered’, and any economic analysis really needs to take into account the actual outcome at Adelaide Oval.”
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