Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers will spend the next 10 days conducting a review on the club’s footy department structures, people and processes.
Though the Crows boss had always planned to embark on a review of sorts midway through the season – as every club would to varying degrees – it’s understood this particular task will have more sting than it otherwise might have.
This, of course, is due to Adelaide’s lowly ladder position. There will be more rigour attached to Silvers’ work than if the Crows were in the top eight, but no documented or public ‘findings’ produced at the end of the process.
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The club understands the restlessness of the fans and is eager to uncover weak points from within the football department for the short and long term.
Silvers, who is still relatively new in the role, having spent 17 years at Hawthorn climbing up the chain, was in Melbourne on Tuesday for the club bosses meeting and the Hall of Fame gala.
While Matthew Nicks is contracted until the end of 2026, it’s understood there are protections in place which would allow Adelaide to sack its senior coach and cover the cost of the decision.
There is no indication this is on the radar of the board or Silvers, but Nicks remains under pressure along with other senior staff due to a faltering first 14 rounds of the season.
The Crows are languishing in 15th on the ladder, having won just four of 14 matches.
Their aggressive list management strategy targeting free agents has failed so far, with Errol Gulden and Will Hayward both re-signing at Sydney.
Neither of these setbacks will stop the Crows from chasing big names in the off-season, with Elliot Yeo among several stars reportedly on their radar.