Matthew Knights
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| Matthew Knights | |||
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Matthew Knights | ||
| Original team(s) | Merbein | ||
| Height / weight | 178cm / 79kg | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Matthew Knights (born 5 October 1970) is the coach of the Essendon Football Club and a former captain of the Richmond Football Club, of the Australian rules football sports scene.
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. 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.
On 27 July 2007, Essendon was on the brink of making the finals sitting one game out in 9th position with 6 games remaining. After Essendon sacked Sheedy, Essendon collapsed to 12th position winning only 2 of the remaining 6 matches. Melbourne radio station SEN 1116 reported that Knights would become Essendon's new coach for the 2008 season on a 3 year contract, replacing Kevin Sheedy. This was confirmed in a media release by the Essendon Football club the same afternoon.
In 2009 Knights led Essendon to a very good season in which they were the first side to beat minor premiers St. Kilda. They played their first finals series for 5 years, but in the final, they were thumped by Adelaide to the tune of 96 points.
In early 2010, the bombers struggled to cope with Knights' game style as teams are working out ways to defend against it.
After a thumping at the hands of Adelaide in round 14, another dismal performance against the Demons in round 15 and a disgraceful 32 point loss to the bottom placed West Coast in round 16, Essendon had then lost 6 matches in a row. That meant that supporters were again questioning the appointment and subsequent contract extension of Knights.
In Round 17 and 18, the bombers did play well and beat Nth Melbourne and St. Kilda and the hammer was off Knights. But 2 recent beltings and appauling efforts against bitter rivals Carlton and Collingwood, losing by 76 and 98 points, and yet again, the Essendon fans were questioning Knights' coaching career.
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
External links
- Matthew Knights's playing statistics from AFL Tables