Matthew Knights

Matthew Knights (born 5 October 1970) is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Geelong Football Club.[1] Knights played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002, before going on to forge a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010 where he became the head coach of the Geelong VFL Football Club from 2012–14, guiding the Cats to the 2012 VFL Premiership and the 2013 VFL Grand Final.

Matthew Knights
Knights with Geelong in April 2019
Personal information
Full name Matthew Knights
Date of birth (1970-10-05) 5 October 1970
Place of birth Mildura, Victoria
Original team(s) Merbein, Mildura Imperials
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1988–2002 Richmond 279 (141)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2008–2010 Essendon 67 (25–41–1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2010.
Career highlights


Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Playing career

Knights wore the number 33 guernsey in 279 games between 1988-2002 for the Tigers whom he captained between 1997-2000. Playing in Richmond's midfield for the majority of his career, Knights was known for his ball winning ability if not his athleticism. Gifted with excellent "vision" or spatial awareness, and consistently reliable delivery from his left boot, given time and space Knights was one of the most damaging midfielders in the AFL throughout the 90s.

Though rewarded with numerous individual honors playing in a mediocre team, Knights made only two appearances with the Tigers in the AFL Finals Series in 1995 and 2001. He was placed top four in the team's annual best and fairest vote seven times between 1990 and 2000, and tied for fourth place in the Brownlow Medal count of 1995.

Knights' career was interrupted by a serious ankle injury in Round 2 of 1996 and a knee injury in the pre-season Ansett Cup competition in 1997. Late in 1998 he became one of the first high-profile AFL players to be diagnosed with the debilitating groin condition osteitis pubis, which dogged him through much of the remainder of his career. His courage in leading his team despite these set-backs made him much admired by his team's supporters and his removal as captain just before the beginning of the 2001 season caused much controversy (despite this, Richmond went on to finish the season as preliminary finalists). In Round 2 he was the centre of a further public controversy when struck behind play by Western Bulldogs player Tony Liberatore, who was suspended for five matches as a result. Inability to maintain high expectations saw Knights' retirement as a player towards the end of the 2002 season.

Coaching career

Knights was quickly recruited as assistant coach for the SANFL Port Adelaide Magpies and replaced Stephen Williams as head coach the following year. Having played a major role in restructuring the club's playing list, but without having reached the finals, he resigned at the end of 2004 by mutual consent to coach the Bendigo Bombers in the VFL, while also acting as an assistant coach with the Essendon Football Club in the AFL.

In July 2007, Essendon announced that long-standing coach Kevin Sheedy would be replaced at the end of the 2007 AFL season[2] and in September Knights was appointed as the club's new coach.[3]

In 2009, Knights coached Essendon to its first finals series since 2004, but the team was soundly beaten by Adelaide in the elimination final.[4]

In 2010, Essendon won seven games and failed to make the finals.[5] Criticism of Knights coaching performance increased during the season.[6] On 12 August, Essendon's CEO stated that Knights would continue as coach in 2011,[7] but he was, nonetheless, sacked two weeks later - on the day after Essendon's final round loss to the Western Bulldogs.[8] He had two years remaining on his contract. Essendon won 25, drew one and lost 41 matches under Knights, during which they enjoyed three consecutive victories against Alastair Clarkson and the Hawthorn Football Club.[4][9] For the 2011 season Knights worked with the Xavier College football team in Kew.

During the 2012 season Knights was coach of the Geelong VFL Football Club. He coached the team to the 2012 VFL premiership.[10]

Statistics

Playing statistics
[11]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
AFL playing statistics
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1988 Richmond 334384221631740.82.010.55.315.84.31.00
1989 Richmond 33199819214733947320.50.410.17.717.82.51.74
1990 Richmond 332219734820355163520.90.315.89.225.02.92.43
1991 Richmond 3322161131721853581340.70.514.49.924.33.71.517
1992 Richmond 3322161228922551467340.70.513.110.223.43.01.55
1993 Richmond 3320111529021650665440.60.814.510.825.33.32.213
1994 Richmond 3320141122116238349420.70.611.18.119.22.52.18
1995 Richmond 332412730622252853720.50.312.89.322.02.23.016
1996 Richmond 331013876615336240.10.38.76.615.33.62.40
1997 Richmond 3311241298721634220.20.411.77.919.63.12.08
1998 Richmond 33206428922951856610.30.214.511.525.92.83.118
1999 Richmond 33225425421046455440.20.211.59.521.12.52.06
2000 Richmond 332211624021245282520.50.310.99.620.53.72.49
2001 Richmond 332512923423046475650.50.49.49.218.63.02.67
2002 Richmond 33164211813425244310.30.17.48.415.82.81.90
Career 279 141 111 3356 2582 5938 824 613 0.5 0.4 12.0 9.3 21.3 3.0 2.2 114

Coaching statistics
[12]
Legend
 W  Wins  L  Losses  D  Draws  W%  Winning percentage  LP  Ladder position  LT  League teams
Season Team Games W L D W % LP LT
2008 Essendon 22814036.4%1216
2009 Essendon 231012145.7%816
2010 Essendon 22715031.8%1416
Career totals 67 25 41 1 38.1%

Honours

References
  1. "Coaches presented by Momentum Energy". geelongcats.com.au. Geelong Football Club. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. Baynes, Dan (25 July 2007). "Essendon Fires Sheedy After Record 27 Years as Coach". Bloomberg. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  3. "Knights to steer Bombers". Brisbane Times. 27 September 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  4. Brodie, Will (30 August 2010). "Sacked Bomber coach Knights bites his tongue". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  5. Matthews, Leigh (1 September 2010). "Bombers' 'perfect storm'". afl.com.au. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  6. "Knights unfazed by looming criticism". ABC Grandstand. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  7. Ralph, Jon (12 August 2010). "Essendon boss Ian Robson vows Matthew Knights will fight on despite changes". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  8. Wilson, Caroline (29 August 2010). "Matthew Knights sacked". The Age. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  9. Matthew Knights Coaching Record, AFL Tables
  10. Wojcinski's perfect exit as Cats claim VFL flag - AFL.com.au
  11. Matthew Knights' player profile at AFL Tables
  12. "AFL Tables - Matthew Knights - Coaching Record". afltables.com.
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