Adelaide Crows’ Senior Coach Matthew Nicks addressed the media following a hard-fought victory against West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on Sunday evening. The Crows, trailing by 10 points in the final quarter, surged back to secure a 13.9 (87) to 12.8 (76) win, marking their 16th victory of the season. This win officially secured their spot in the 2025 Toyota AFL Finals Series, their first finals appearance since 2017.
Adelaide’s win did not come easily, as West Coast, despite being 18th on the ladder, displayed relentless pressure and intensity. Nicks acknowledged the challenge posed by the Eagles, who were buoyed by their home crowd and the emotional farewell of retiring stars Jeremy McGovern and Dom Sheed.
Full Credit to the Eagles
Nicks was quick to praise West Coast’s performance, admitting that the Eagles outperformed Adelaide in several critical areas. “Today unfortunately we didn’t bring our best and our opposition did, I thought they were outstanding tonight,” Nicks stated. “Our opposition were better than us with their energy, their intensity, the pressure they brought, they beat us in that area of the game tonight.”
The Crows’ coach emphasized the importance of learning from the match, acknowledging that their execution was lacking. “The game went the way it should have, if you aren’t at the level and fundamentally we were off in the way we fumbled and struggled to execute by foot, you will get found out,” he added. Despite these challenges, Nicks expressed optimism about improving performance in their upcoming clash against Collingwood.
Thilthorpe Cleared After Third-Quarter Scare
A pivotal moment in the match occurred when star forward Riley Thilthorpe collided with Eagles Skipper Liam Duggan in the third quarter. Thilthorpe left the field to have his neck assessed, causing concern among fans and teammates. Fortunately, the diagnosis was a jarred neck, allowing him to return and contribute significantly with two crucial last-quarter goals.
“I think he jarred his neck which then shot some nerve pain down his arm,” Nicks explained. “But after a minute or so of recovery he was fine.” Thilthorpe’s resilience and performance were instrumental in Adelaide’s comeback victory.
Crows Trio Stand Up with Big Second Halves
At half-time, Adelaide needed leaders to step up, and three players answered the call. Skipper Jordan Dawson led by example with significant contest wins, while Izak Rankine brought moments of brilliance. Zac Taylor, often unheralded, delivered a standout performance with a career-high 20 disposals, a crucial goal, and key tackles.
Nicks recognized their contributions, noting, “I like Jordan (Dawson) a lot, Izak Rankine as well. But when we needed them, those two really stood up and showed their class in big moments. And Zac Taylor was the other one who I thought played one of his best halves of footy in his career in the second half.”
The Inexact Science of Managing Players
With an eye on the upcoming match against Collingwood, Adelaide made the strategic decision to rest all-time leading goalkicker Taylor Walker. Nicks discussed the complexities of player management, especially as the season intensifies. “I think it’s always difficult, and there’s not an exact science to when you should rest players,” he said.
Walker’s absence was a calculated risk, but one that paid off with the victory. “Now that we’ve got across the line and got the result it’s a good move, but going into the game we don’t know that,” Nicks admitted, highlighting the delicate balance in managing player workloads.
Nicks Reflects on Securing Finals Spot
The win not only secured a finals berth but also maintained Adelaide’s position at the top of the ladder with two matches remaining. Nicks took a moment to reflect on this achievement, acknowledging the hard work and development that led to this point.
“I take maybe a second to reflect on how big it (returning to finals) is,” Nicks shared. “I think it’s great, I think it’s a sign of what we’ve done now over a longer period of time, and the work we’ve put into developing and building a strong group of people.”
Looking ahead, Nicks remains focused on the challenges to come, particularly the upcoming match against Collingwood. “It’s great for our supporters as well, we saw last week 50,000-plus rocked up, so it feels like they know we’re doing some good stuff and it’s nice to reward them, but for us we are just locked in on what’s next and that’s Collingwood.”
