Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has brushed off his club's lengthy losing streak at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as irrelevant ahead of what he describes as an early litmus test against the Essendon Bombers. The Crows, who will face Essendon on Saturday afternoon, last celebrated a victory at the 'G back in July 2017 and have since endured a disheartening stretch of 10 consecutive losses, preceded only by a solitary draw.
Despite this grim record, coach Nicks remains unfazed, declaring that the focus is firmly on how to defeat Essendon rather than dwelling on past failures. “This week would be a huge win - as would round three be a huge win,” Nicks commented during his press conference on Wednesday. He acknowledged the team's challenging history at the MCG, stating, “It is what it is. We're looking at how do we beat Essendon.”
Recent performances indicate that Adelaide has been close to snapping this losing streak, as they’ve lost their last four games at the MCG by narrow margins of 27 points, four points, four points, and two points. Nicks pointed out that while they’ve played commendable football at times, unfortunate results have followed. “We have played some really good footy on it; we just haven't got the results we're after,” he reflected.
Looking back at previous encounters, Nicks attributed the club's struggles at the MCG not to a lack of skill or effort but to the unique challenges presented by the larger playing field. “It's tough to play there when you do play teams that play there regularly; it's a larger field, a lot wider, lot more space to work in,” he noted, adding that despite the challenges, the team enjoys playing at the venue.
The Crows are coming off a significant 63-point win over St Kilda in their season-opener, a performance that has rejuvenated confidence within the camp. Nicks emphasized the importance of preparation, stating, “We talked about some things that we've got to get right like being prepared for what we do when we do travel.” He mentioned specifically the need to analyze last week's hitouts at the MCG which were affected by the slippery conditions.
Despite the challenging history, the coach insists that the team is in a confident space and is focused on the right approach moving forward. “We're talking about what we're doing right now; we're feeling really confident in what we're doing,” Nicks affirmed. He also recognized that while confidence is crucial, it doesn’t guarantee victory, hence the effort to remain level-headed and focused on the game plan. “It doesn't mean it's just going to happen. But we're trying to stay focused on why we're in that confident space - continue to believe in ourselves and it won't matter where we're playing,” he concluded.
As the Crows prepare to face the Bombers, all eyes will be on whether they can finally break the MCG curse that has lingered for nearly eight years. A win could mark the beginning of a new era for Nicks' team, reminding fans that while the past may hold weight, it does not have to define the present.
