- Matthew Knights
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Matthew Knights Personal information Full name Matthew Knights Date of birth 5 October 1970 Place of birth Mildura, Victoria Original team Merbein Height/Weight 178cm / 79kg Playing career1 Years Club Games (Goals) 1988–2002 Richmond 279 (141) Coaching career3 Years Club Games (W–L–D) 2008–2010 Essendon 65(25-39-1) 1 Playing statistics to end of Round 22, 2010 season .Career highlights - Richmond Football Club Best and Fairest 1990, 1992
- Richmond Football Club Captain 1997-2000
- All-Australian 1998
- Richmond Football Club Team of The Century
- AFL Life Member
- Youngest player ever to win Best & Fairest at the Richmond
- Richmond Football Club Under 19s Captain 1988
- State of Origin (Victoria) 1998
Matthew Knights (born 5 October 1970) is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010. In 2011 Matthew Knights took a year off from coaching before being appointed Geelong VFL coach for season 2012
Contents
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 spacial 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 equal second in the Brownlow Medal count for 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 during a fight that Knights himself instigated 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[1] and in September Knights was appointed as the club's new coach.[2]
In 2009, Knights coached Essendon to a its first finals series since 2004, but the team was soundly beaten by Adelaide in the elimination final.[3]
In 2010, Essendon won seven games and failed to make the finals.[4] Criticism of Knights coaching performance increased during the season.[5] On 12 August, Essendon's CEO stated that Knights would continue as coach in 2011,[6] but he was, nonetheless, sacked two weeks later - on the day after Essendon's final round loss to the Western Bulldogs.[7] He had two years remaining on his contract. Essendon won 25, drew one and lost 40 matches under Knights.[3]
As of the 2011 season, Knights now works with the Xavier College football team in Kew.
Honours
- Richmond Football Club Best and Fairest 1990, 1992
- Richmond Football Club Captain 1997-2000
- All-Australian 1998
- Richmond Football Club Team of The Century
- AFL Life Member
References
- ^ Baynes, Dan (25 July 2007). "Essendon Fires Sheedy After Record 27 Years as Coach". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=afnkMm9AwZk8&refer=australia. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ "Knights to steer Bombers". Brisbane Times. 27 September 2007. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/sport/knights-to-steer-bombers/2007/09/27/1190486466107.html. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ a b Brodie, Will (30 August 2010). "Sacked Bomber coach Knights bites his tongue". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/sacked-bomber-coach-knights-bites-his-tongue-20100830-13ylh.html. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Matthews, Leigh (1 September 2010). "Bombers' 'perfect storm'". afl.com.au. http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/101578/default.aspx. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ "Knights unfazed by looming criticism". ABC Grandstand. 7 August 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/07/2976403.htm?site=sport§ion=afl. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Ralph, Jon (12 August 2010). "Essendon boss Ian Robson vows Matthew Knights will fight on despite changes". Herald Sun. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-boss-ian-robson-vows-matthew-knights-will-fight-on-despite-changes/story-e6frf9jf-1225904654374. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Wilson, Caroline (29 August 2010). "Matthew Knights sacked". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/matthew-knights-sacked-20100829-13xdi.html. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
External links
Awards Preceded by
Tony Free
Craig LambertRichmond Best and Fairest winner
1990
1992Succeeded by
Craig Lambert
Tony FreeSporting positions Preceded by
Tony FreeRichmond Captain
1997 – 2000Succeeded by
Wayne CampbellPreceded by
Kevin SheedyEssendon Football Club coach
2008 – 2010Succeeded by
James HirdCaptains of the Richmond Football Club 1908: Pannam • 1909: Condon/Lawson • 1910: Schmidt • 1911: Incigneri • 1912: Ohlsen • 1913: James • 1914–1916: Thomas • 1917: Maybury • 1918: Hall • 1919: Thomas • 1920–1925: Minogue • 1926: M. Morris • 1927–1928: Geddes • 1929: Lilburne • 1930: Geddes • 1931: Hunter • 1932–1940: Bentley • 1941–1949: Dyer • 1950–1951: B. Morris • 1952–1957: Rowe • 1958–1959: Wright • 1960–1962: Branton • 1963–1966: Crowe • 1967: Swift • 1968–1971: Dean • 1972–1975: Hart • 1976–1977: Bourke • 1978: Sheedy • 1979: Bartlett • 1980: Monteath • 1981: Wood • 1982: Cloke • 1983–1984: Rowlings • 1985–1987: Lee • 1988–1992: Weightman • 1993: Hogg • 1994–1996: Free • 1997–2000: Knights • 2001–2004: Campbell • 2005–2008: Johnson • 2009–: NewmanCoaches of the Essendon Football Club 1908–1909: Smith • 1910: Belcher • 1911–1915; 1918–1920:* Worrall • 1920–1921: Ogden • 1922–1924: Barker • 1922: Gravenall • 1925–1927: Maher • 1928–1930: Hardy • 1931–1933: Campbell • 1934–1935: May • 1936–1939: Baggott • 1939: Reynolds/Hunter • 1939–1960: Reynolds • 1941: Griggs • 1944: Plummer • 1945; 1946: Ruddell • 1959: Thaw • 1961–1967: Coleman • 1965: Sewell • 1968–1970: Clarke • 1971: Birt • 1972–1975: Tuddenham • 1976–1977: Stephen • 1978–1980: Davis • 1981–2007: Sheedy • 2006: O'Donnell • 2008–2010: Knights • 2011–: Hird*Essendon did not participate in the VFL from 1916–1917 due to World War I
Italics denote caretaker coachJack Dyer Medal • Richmond Football Club Best and Fairest Winners 1911: Mahoney • 1913: Ricketts • 1914: Reeves • 1916: Bettles • 1917: Thorp • 1918: Herbert • 1919: Herbert • 1920: Minogue • 1921: James • 1922: M. Morris • 1923: James • 1924: Thorp • 1925: O'Halloran • 1926: Geddes • 1927: McCormack • 1928: McCormack • 1929: Titus • 1932: Dyer • 1933: Hunter • 1934: Martin • 1935: Martin • 1936: Bolger • 1937: Dyer • 1938: Dyer • 1939: Dyer • 1940: Dyer • 1941: Dyer • 1942: Merrett • 1943: Durham • 1944: Merrett • 1945: W. Morris • 1946: Dyer • 1947: Wilson • 1948: W. Morris • 1949: Spring • 1950: W. Morris • 1951: D. Rowe/Wright • 1952: Wright • 1953: H. Rowe • 1954: Wright • 1955: D. Rowe • 1956: Sharp • 1957: Wright • 1958: Cuzens • 1959: Cuzens • 1960: Branton • 1961: Branton • 1962: Branton • 1963: Crowe • 1964: Crowe • 1965: Barrot • 1966: Crowe • 1967: Bartlett • 1968: Bartlett • 1969: Hart • 1970: Bourke • 1971: Stewart • 1972: Hart • 1973: Bartlett • 1974: Bartlett • 1975: K. Morris • 1976: Sheedy • 1977: Bartlett • 1978: Raines • 1979: Rowlings • 1980: Raines • 1981: Raines • 1982: Rioli • 1983: Rioli • 1984: Lee • 1985: Poole • 1986: Weightman • 1987: Weightman • 1988: Pickering • 1989: Free • 1990: Knights • 1991: Lambert • 1992: Knights • 1993: Free • 1994: Bond • 1995: Campbell • 1996: Broderick • 1997: Campbell • 1998: Daffy • 1999: Campbell • 2000: Kellaway • 2001: Gaspar • 2002: Campbell • 2003: Coughlan • 2004: Bowden • 2005: Bowden • 2006: Johnson • 2007: Richardson • 2008: Deledio • 2009: Deledio • 2010: Riewoldt • 2011: CotchinDavid King (North Melbourne) • Ashley McIntosh (West Coast) • Glenn Archer (North Melbourne)
Nathan Buckley (Collingwood) • Sean Wellman (Essendon) • Nigel Smart (Adelaide)Forwards
Paul Hudson (Western Bulldogs) • Wayne Carey (Kangaroos) (Captain) • Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide)
Ben Cousins (West Coast) • Tony Lockett (Sydney) • Matthew Lloyd (Essendon)Interchange
Chris Grant (Western Bulldogs) • Andrew McLeod (Adelaide) • Shaun Rehn (Adelaide) • Anthony Stevens (North Melbourne)Categories:- Richmond Football Club players
- Essendon Football Club coaches
- Port Adelaide Magpies coaches
- Victorian State of Origin players
- Jack Dyer Medal winners
- All-Australians
- 1970 births
- Living people
- People educated at Melbourne High School (Victoria)
- Australian rules footballers from Victoria
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