Adelaide SANFL Assistant Matt Wright says he is excited to step into the senior coaching role for the Crows' opening round match against South Adelaide on Friday.
The former Crows State League Captain will coach Adelaide's SANFL side against the Panthers, in place of SANFL Senior Coach Michael Godden, who will be with the Club's AFL side for its clash with Fremantle in Perth.
Speaking to AFC Media, Wright says taking the helm of the SANFL side, albeit not on a full-time basis, is an opportunity for him to further develop his coaching skills.
"It symbolises the next step in terms of my footy journey and footy life,” Wright said.
“I’ve played footy, coached and played for a little while, and now just coaching.
“I am really excited by the opportunity and the energy I can put into it.”
Wright lined up in 159 AFL games for Adelaide and Carlton between 2011 and 2018, along with 141 State League games for North Adelaide and the Crows, where he booted 137 goals.
Since 2019, Wright had been a development coach for the Crows, and combined that with Captaining the Club's SANFL team.
The 34-year-old officially hung up his playing boots at the end of the 2023 season and switched his focus to solely coaching.
“That (dual) role probably allowed me to learn some lessons,” Wright said said.
“Before I was still running around with a lot of the boys I will be coaching or essentially be working with on Friday.
“To build those relationships from playing together to now coaching, it has made that transition a lot smoother.”
Wright credited the support he had received from Godden and his coaching cohort, saying they had given him plenty of advice.
“He (Godden) has been fantastic for me and my family and more importantly the footy Club and the players running around,” Wright said.
“I am standing at the coffee machine at the footy Club listening to all these people who have been in the industry a long time and absorbing all the lessons they have learnt.
“Goddsy has been awesome in allowing me to find my feet and my way a little bit.
“He has been really diligent with what he has done over a long period of time and is very successful with what he has done.”
Although this weekend's game will be Wright's official match in charge, he did have hold of the reins for Adelaide's final two SANFL trial games and is confident the side has what it takes to beat the Panthers.
“Obviously the real deal is always a little bit different to the trial games but we try to replicate what we do game day and play around with a few things and set ups,” Wright said.
“I am looking forward to getting up into the coaches box and ultimately watching these young lads run around.
“We know over the years that South has always been a tough game.
“If we can execute our game plan and play our way and do that for four quarters we are confident that is going to stack up against South this weekend.”
Adelaide takes on South Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval on Friday afternoon at 2.10pm.
