Matthew Nicks has addressed Josh Rachele’s ear-pricking comments amid an AFL legend’s concern about ‘sameness’ at Adelaide.
In an interview on Tuesday, Rachele, Adelaide’s No. 6 draft choice in 2021, revealed his confusion about a shortage of engine room game-time.
The 21-year-old said it was something he would discuss with the Crows’ coaching staff, with Adelaide languishing in 14th spot on the ladder after Round 12.
Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
“We didn’t get a lot of inside-50s on the weekend, and I didn’t play a lot (in the) midfield again, (instead) playing mainly up the ground,” Rachele told 9News Adelaide on Tuesday.
The third-year hybrid attended just two centre bounces in the Crows’ 27-point loss to Hawthorn last Saturday. It was a far cry from the 14 he attended during Adelaide’s Round 11 thumping of West Coast.
“It’s something that I probably don’t really know what’s going on,” the young forward-midfielder continued.
“I’ll sit with the coaches and ask questions today about ‘how can I inject myself in the game?’ when I’m not getting too much of the ball.”
On Wednesday, Nicks addressed reporters ahead of the club’s Round 13 home meeting with Richmond.
“Josh and I had a really good chat this week,” Nicks said when asked if there’d been communication between the pair since Rachele’s Tuesday comments.
“Off the back of poor performance, sometimes, as a team, what can happen is some frustration, and we’ve worked our way through that.”
Asked how Rachele handled that chat, Nick said: “He’s been fantastic. He’s been really fantastic.”
‘Internal and robust debate’ over Petty | 02:44
Amid a trying campaign in which a finals berth seems more unlikely by the week, Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall raised concerns about Adelaide’s midfield combination.
“I think they’ve got lots of questions (going) forward,” Dunstall began on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
“We start in the midfield. There’s a real sameness about what’s happening in the midfield. We know Jordan Dawson’s come in and he’s done a great job.
“I don’t know if they can keep going with Rory Laird. He’s been a solider for the club since moving from half-back in the midfield, but (he) lacks pace, lacks quality of ball movement.
“Matt Crouch, he’s going to miss the rest of the season, so what do they do? They brought (Max) Michalanney in on the weekend, which was something fresh, something new.
“They’re missing (Izak) Rankine. They need him back, because he’s got some genuine leg speed. I think (Jake) Soligo is a good player and he’s going to be good, but they need to run a few other faces through there. I don’t know who else can go through.
“The one name you’ll see in the mix — what’s happened to Josh Rachele? He’s dropped off the map this year, after such an incredible year last year. I mean, he’s better than just a goal a game and just getting a handful of possessions.”
Rachele has averaged 15.6 disposals, 1.2 goals and 3.6 clangers per game across 12 senior outings in 2024. He kicked 1.3 goals per game in his 2022 rookie season.
Collingwood great Nathan Buckley believes Soligo and Michalanney could end up as Adelaide’s marquee midfielders some time down the track.
“(Soligo) and Michalanney could end up being the making of their future midfield with Rankine, who goes in there, and obviously Dawson’s going to be best fit,” he told Fox Footy.
“Rachele is one that got some centre-bounce time, and you do wonder whether he’s just sort of plateaued a little bit with his career.
“We were looking at those Melbourne edits (against Fremantle), and just the simple skill of being able to put two or three chains of possessions together to be able to find momentum — I think Adelaide is suffering from that a little bit at the moment.
“They’re not doing the basics quite as well as they were for the last 18 months.”
After the Tigers this Thursday night, the Crows are scheduled to combat league-leaders Sydney at Adelaide Oval in Round 14 before their Round 15 bye.