Nicks back in Sydney to help GWS Giants take the next step
A lot has changed since the last time Matthew Nicks lived in Sydney. For starters, there's two AFL clubs and a notable lift in interest levels across the board in the code compared to 1995, when he first came to town after being drafted by the Swans.
Originally from Adelaide, Nicks was a loyal servant for Sydney, playing 175 games before he was forced into retirement due to injury in 2005 - a few months before they broke their 72-year premiership drought.
But after eight years back home in South Australia working as an assistant coach with Port Adelaide, he has returned to his second home - only this time with the GWS Giants, where he now serves as Leon Cameron's right-hand man.
"It's a little different," Nicks told the Herald. "Sydney's such a big joint. When I was playing (I was) a single young lad, 19 through to 30, living in the eastern suburbs - Rose Bay, North Bondi.
"Now I'm a 43-year-old has-been with three young kids and a wife and we're out at West Pennant Hills.
"I love where we are at the moment, love what I'm doing. But we're not exactly living the same life I used to."
Viewed by many as an AFL head coach in waiting, Nicks has a rather large portfolio at the Giants. He is Cameron's senior assistant, a job which did not exist until he was hired and thus has been tailored both to his qualities and the requirements of the club.
There's a sharp focus on offence and leadership but by and large, Nicks is at GWS to help lighten the load on Cameron and free him up to be more hands on as and when required.
That will be no more apparent than in the JLT series, in which Nicks will become the boss on match day - starting with Saturday night's clash with the Swans at Blacktown. Cameron will watch both of the Giants' official pre-season fixtures from the bench.
"He quite enjoys spending time down on the bench where he's able to communicate with our leaders and players as they come on and off the ground," Nicks said.
"When you talk about taking the reins ... it's the pre-match address, it's also making sure your messages in the breaks you get through to the playing group are the right messages.
"There's a little bit of pressure in that, making sure you're delivering it in the right way, but it's really a team effort."
Nicks is hopeful he can help contribute to taking the Giants take the next step in 2019, having made the finals in the previous three seasons albeit with a diminishing win-loss record.
"We can continue to talk about talent, but that's not going to win you a premiership," he said.
"That's been shown in the last few years - the teams that have won the flag are the teams that are the best team.
"The group's been really solid over the last four, five years, played some really good footy and been close ... we're trying to find just small areas we can improve on."
JLT Community Series - GWS Giants vs Sydney Swans
Saturday March 2, Blacktown International Sportspark, 7.10pm (AEDT)
GWS GIANTS
FB: Matthew Buntine, Sam Taylor, Harry Perryman
HB: Heath Shaw, Jeremy Finlayson, Lachlan Keeffe
C: Sam Reid, Callan Ward, Matt De Boer
HF: Harry Himmelberg, Jeremy Cameron, Aiden Bonar
FF: Jye Caldwell, Matthew Flynn, Daniel Lloyd
RR: Dawson Simpson, Stephen Coniglio, Lachie Whitfield
Interchange: Phil Davis, Jackson Hately, Isaac Cumming, Brett Deledio, Zac Williams, Adam Kennedy, Brent Daniels, Tim Taranto
Emergencies: Jake Stein, Zach Sproule, Nick Shipley, Connor Idun
SYDNEY SWANS
FB: Dane Rampe, Lewis Melican, Aliir Aliir
HB: Jackson Thurlow, Heath Grundy, Jake Lloyd
C: Harry Cunningham, Josh Kennedy, Jordan Dawson
HF: Luke Parker, Sam Reid, George Hewett
FF: Ben Ronke, Will Hayward, Tom Papley
R: Callum Sinclair, Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills
Interchange: Colin O’Riordan, Robbie Fox, Toby Pink, Ryan Clarke, James Rowbottom, Nick Blakey, Ollie Florent, Justin McInerney
Emergencies: James Rose, Ryley Stoddard, James Bell, Sam Wicks