Why Jackson’s leadership will be invaluable to NicksRichard Earle
The Advertiser
17 March 2020Daniel Jackson presents as the most beautiful mind to arrive at West Lakes since ‘Messiah’ Malcolm Blight’s exit two decades ago, and fundamental to a third Adelaide premiership.
Jackson’s appointment as Crows leadership manager provides rookie coach Matthew Nicks with crucial off-field ammunition in a football arms race, which Richmond dominates.
Richmond’s two flag run in three years has corresponded with the appointment of mind expert Emma Murray to complement rags to riches coach Damien Hardwick.
Dustin Martin credited Murray’s methods in his Brownlow Medal speech.
Jack Grimes was a shadow of the premier defender he became before transformed by Richmond’s mindfulness mentor.
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“Australian sport, particularly AFL is world leading in sports science but it does seem the shoulders up is where you can get the gains,” said Jackson, who holds a Masters in Performance Psychology from the University of Edinburgh.
If you get it right it is super powerful.
“There is a bit of intrigue in these roles. It is newer. I haven’t seen many clubs in the EPL or NFL that have this. It is a bit more niche.”
Whether devising life survival guides for English Premier League prodigies from underprivileged backgrounds to ‘resilience’ for corporate high flyers or climbing Mount Everest, Jackson is a breath of fresh air at West Lakes.
Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan headhunted former Tiger Jackson to address leadership and cultural concerns that headlined Jason Dunstall’s 50-page, 2019 external football department review.
Matching Richmond’s investment in team psychology could arguably have changed Adelaide’s 2017 grand final destiny or prevented the implosion that followed.
Dunstall identified a culture of self-survival among players undermining Adelaide in an 11th placed finish that ended coach Don Pyke’s reign last season.
It is a scenario Jackson had confronted at ground zero while at Richmond, in a rebuild under Hardwick which helped the Tigers become a dual premiership juggernaut.
“I had been part of teams that had been like Jason Dunstall was talking about, when we are under the pump we go internal, shut up shop, don’t want to tell anyone anything is wrong,” Jackson told the Sunday Mail.
“The key will be to keep them looking selflessly.”
There is ‘no magic wand’ but Jackson has first-hand experience at what brought success and turbulence that preceded it at Punt Road.
“The thing I admire apart from winning two premierships is the way they go about it,” said Jackson.
“I would never have retired at 28 with a year to go on my contract if I was part of their current culture.
“It shows the transition they have had to go through.
“Every player wants to be part of something that is meaningful, that brings enjoyment where they feel they can make a difference to their peers internally and community outside.
“I respect what they have been able to do.”
Blight proved an unconventional, one-stop genius over dual magical premiership campaigns in 1997-98 but AFL coaches require multiskilled back up in 2020.
Nicks has a blank canvas to fill at West Lakes but copying competitors is futile.
“My journey since retiring has given me a greater perception of what great clubs are built on. “It comes down to authenticity, you have find your way,” he said.
Blight told The Advertiser in January that incoming coach Nicks should be seen to ‘stamp’ culture at Adelaide.
Comfortable in his own skin, Jackson endorsed the change in his original job title from Head of Leadership and Culture to Leadership and Development manager.
“Everybody is responsible for culture,” explained Jackson, who scooped the inaugural Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award for services to youth mental health.
“Nicksy is clearly the number one there, senior coach.
“Everyone is a custodian of the Adelaide Crows brand from the receptionist to Vinnie who has been here 30 years handing out the kit.
“When they came and said this is the title change I was really supportive.”
Hardwick observed in his early days at Punt Road that players didn’t visit injured teammates in hospital or show the care and pride in the jumper now synonymous with AFL’s power club. The manner in which Adelaide’s squad rallied around triallist James Matthews after suffering a ruptured ACL on Jackson’s first day at West Lakes encouraged the leadership boss.
“They did it off their own bat and that says a lot about them looking outward,” Jackson said.
Jackson is more than a middle management appointment with club legend Mark Ricciuto wanting the 156-game midfielder to ‘have a big impact on the future of the club’.
Underestimating the importance of leadership or psychology experts now risks losing ground to cutting edge rivals.
Nick Maxwell has had a profound impact with coach Nathan Buckley at Collingwood. Jackson’s presence on staff could arguably have made engaging Collective Minds redundant in 2018.
Jackson retired in 2014 having belatedly perfected the meditation and self-help strategies on and off field that Richmond would officially embrace from late 2016, led by superstar Martin and Grimes.
“I had issues with suspensions and not being able to maintain my instincts out on the field,” Jackson said.
“My thing was to compete but could take it too far. A guy from Special Forces became a great mentor who introduced me to skills for keeping calm in high pressure situations.
“He taught me mindfulness.
“Back then I was one of the weirdos meditating in the doctor’s room minutes before I played in front of 85,000 people.
“I stopped getting suspended, played much better footy and was better, level-headed person.”
Jackson recalls hating the AFL caper by 2012 and ‘bursting into tears’ while pouring out his football insecurities to a mentor over coffee.
Within a year he was Richmond club champion.
“I went away and said ‘Why do I play footy? It was to have fun. If I had a message to myself as a 17-year-old getting drafted it was work bloody hard but never forget to enjoy yourself because it will go quickly and something you regret,” he said.
Privately educated Jackson resisted the easy path to post-retirement prosperity in Melbourne, instead ‘paying dues’ without fear or favour in roles across North America and Europe.
“In south London I was working with underprivileged boys who are trying to make it in soccer academies,” Jackson said.
“They go home to a single parent family and are looking after four kids.
“Their concern is to get signed and avoid getting into crime because one of their best mates was stabbed and the story that comes with that.
“We built out a program based around personal development for young soccer players and started rolling out these at some premier league academies Manchester City, Southampton and Crystal Palace.
“We might have been talking about positive masculinity or resilience.”
The Advertiser columnist Kane Cornes noted only one side in the past decade – Western Bulldogs in 2016 – has won a grand final with an average age of 25 years or younger and averaging fewer than 100 games.
Adelaide this season ranks in the bottom four for average age on 24.6 and 88.2 games.
Jackson’s arrival at West Lakes is timely, underpinning a revamped list featuring elite rookies Chayce Jones, Ned McHenry and Fischer McAsey through to franchise on-baller Wayne Milera.
Skipper Rory Sloane is embarking on a maiden season as sole skipper.
“The positive energy the young guys bring and how excited they are to be a Crow is a reflection of what Nicksy has instilled,” Jackson said.
“The consistent message is team first, united and I am already feeling it.
“High performing teams have a strong sense of connection and loyalty, selflessness. That is a great starting point with a young impressionable group looking for help.”
Re-uniting with long-term, Adelaide-based partner and medical student Lottie is the cream on Jackson’s dream gig.
“I was travelling backwards and fourth visiting her. The jet lag was getting me so it is a win-win,” said Jackson who met Lottie in Europe.
“When this opportunity came up it piqued my interest, thought I can make a positive difference.”
Expanding the horizons of players, says Jackson, can prevent pressure and expectation consuming them in Adelaide’s AFL fishbowl.
Jackson happily reminisces climbing Mt Everest base camp with Sherpa people he deeply respects and dirt bike riding up snow-capped peaks in La Paz, Bolivia.
Crucially, Jackson is relatable having lived the pressures of game day.
“I come back with a much better understanding of what the world is like and lessons you can learn in the strangest of places,” said Jackson.
“Right here is what I am passionate about.”
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