Matthew Knights Biography

Matthew Knights and Jarrad Schofield join West Coast's coaching panel, leaving the posts as midfield coaches of the Cats and Power respectively.

"We're delighted to have them on board and obviously believe they can have a strong impact as we look to rebound after missing out on finals this year," West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said.

Tony Liberatore admits to punching Matthew Knights during the Bulldogs' clash with Richmond in 2001.

"I took things into my own hands, I probably shouldn't have done what I'd done," Liberatore told Fox Footy's Open Mike.

"He was niggling one of our wingmen, Matthew Robbins, and I thought he's pretty fired up.

"From the corner of my eye I thought he was going to come through and collect me. I just felt that something was going to happen, so unfortunately I did what Charlie Sutton told me. I got in first."

Matthew Knights says he would like to return to AFL coaching should the opportunity present itself but is currently enjoying his role as coach of Geelong's VFL side.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my stint at AFL level as a head coach, but at the moment, I must admit, there are plenty of challenges here at Geelong," Knights said.

"I just enjoy coaching full stop. There's no better place to do it than Geelong. What ever happens in the future happens, but I'm really pleased here at the moment."

After a year away from the stress of coaching, Matthew Knights is appointed as coach of Geelong's VFL side.

"Having had 12 months out of the game, it's really refreshing to come back and work with the youth, whether it's the AFL draftees like Joel Hamling and Shane Kersten or the guys that make up our VFL list," he said.

"It's certainly a broad role, but fundamentally you're working with young players to make their game better and to make them more compete people on and off the field."

Matthew Lloyd responds to attacks by Matthew Knights regarding his autobiography saying he is unaffected by them.

''You know yourself what your career was like, I was always for the team and I always put myself on the line, whether it was in a team meeting or on the football field, I always put my team first,'' Lloyd said.

''That's why it's water of a ducks' back. 'Anyone who knows me or knows enough about the game understands that, too, and I don't need to defend that.''

Former Essendon coach Matthew Knights has launched a stinging attack on former skipper Matthew Lloyd over his autobiography.

Knights suggested that Lloyd decided to call an end to his career after deciding that the forward line would no longer revolve around him.

I think Matthew's idea of flexibility is to run the show in the forward line and the ability to push people out of the way to set up his own scenario," Knights said.

Knights was also critical of Lloyd revealing sensitive details about the club including allegations that certain teammates had questionable work ethic.

"When you're a coach and when you're a captain you virtually take an oath that that stays in the inner sanctum, that's not public consumption," Knights said.

"As a coach you take that to your grave, and that's something I'm pretty passionate about. The fact that Lloydy decided to write a book to make some dollars doesn't cut it with me."

Matthew Knights has used his first appearance as an ABC special-comments man to open up about his sacking as Essendon coach.

"The first two years were exhilarating. To have Peter Jackson as a CEO and Travis Auld as a right hand man, there was such unity and purpose," Knights said.

"We played finals in the second year and it was an outstanding football club to coach, and I could coach in a pure sense knowing they had my back.

"Last season, it was just different. There was a sense it was different, there wasn't quite the unity, there was a lot of input from the outside that wasn't there in the first two years.

"But even up until the middle stages of last year, we were five [wins] and six [losses], and we were playing decent football, but in the second half of last year, I'll be frank - it wasn't enjoyable to be a coach when you sensed what was potentially going on behind the scenes."

The Bombers have called a press conference where they announce that Matthew Knights has coached his last game after three years at the club.

Assistant coaches Scott Camporeale and Ashley Prescott will resign from their positions with Essendon at the end of the 2010 season.

"Scott and Ash have been integral to the development of our young group and we are grateful for the role they have played over the past three years," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"We understand that both of the guys are raising young families and it is important that they do what is best for them."

Departed Essendon CEO Peter Jackson said Matthew Knights had done enough to warrant an extension to the end of 2012 as head coach of the club.

"The question for Matthew was, 'has he done enough in the first two years to justify him seeing through that five-year journey?'. I think he has," Jackson said.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has signed a two-year contract extension to coincide with chief executive Ian Robson's first week on the job.

"I am very excited about the direction this football club is heading," Knights said.

"We have unearthed a number of talented young players this season but there is still a lot of hard work to be done - we are under no illusion about that.

"I want to thank the club for the opportunity to keep working with the playing group to try and achieve premiership success."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights says he has tough decisions to make over the future of veterans Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas and Dustin Fletcher.

"I am going to sit down with all of the three veterans at the end of the year. They are all pretty professional mature guys. We will leave it to them," Knights said.

"Those guys will have a big say, and virtually all the say, as to what they want to do. They have earned that right because they are champions of the Essendon footy club."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights says forward Angus Monfries is expected to return for the team's critical clash with Richmond after overcoming a hamstring injury.

"All the medical information coming through is that he'll be fine. I think our medical staff are very diligent, so if they're saying to me pretty early in the week they consider him a very strong chance I would have thought he's nearly over the line," Knights said.

"It will be great to have him back in the team because he's been a really solid player."

Essendon's Matthew Knights doesn't expect to be approached by former club Richmond as it searches for a new coach.

"I played my whole career there, and obviously they're going through a really diligent process. They're going to go through the whole scenario, which I think is fantastic," Knights said.

"I still keep in contact with a lot of guys down there, and past players, so there is a connection there.

"I can't worry about that too much. I'm just focused on coaching here at Essendon."

Mark McVeigh will return from his club-imposed suspension for the Bombers' clash with Sydney.

"He was a little bit sore late last week, he obviously trained pretty hard and wanted to get going again and he pushes himself pretty hard on the track, so he got a little bit sore and he didn't play in the VFL," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"We just felt if we put him out there under soreness we might run the risk of him doing something so he will definitely come back into the senior line-up and is keen to do well."

Essendon midfielder Andrew Lovett has faced court for driving without a licence.

Lovett was handed a $900 fine and an additional three-month licence suspension. He now cannot drive until mid-November this year.

"The court has dealt with it this morning and we're just going to move forward now," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"Andrew understands he's made a mistake and wants to move forward as well."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights hopes forward Scott Gumbleton will play again this season, but a run in the seniors is unlikely.

Knights said Essendon hoped Gumbleton's recovery, after surgery to repair a bulging disc in his spine in April, would mirror that of midfielder Jason Winderlich, who was operated on for a similar injury last year and has been a shining light this season.

"We've just got to hope Scott follows that path. Many times we've started with Scott but it hasn't worked out for us, or for him," Knights said.

"So we can only hope he comes through. We can't guarantee anything, unfortunately, because he has had a history of not being able to get on the ground over the last two or three years."

Matthew Knights says Mark McVeigh should forget about the captaincy and worry about playing good football.

"We've never come out and publicly said that we're looking to change the captaincy in the near future," Knights said.

"Mark just needs to worry about getting back and playing good football in 2009.

"That's Mark's major focus ... the captaincy's a little bit irrelevant at this point in time, because we've got a wonderful captain."

Mark McVeigh has been suspended by Essendon from Friday night's clash with Collingwood for missing a training session.

"Mark was unfortunately out socialising on Sunday and missed the training session on Monday," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"That being the case, his preparation has been hindered for Friday night's game.

"He'll be playing the VFL and can regain some form and fitness there.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights says the club has had no contact with his management regarding a new deal.

"My role is to coach players and a team, and that's what I'm concentrating on," Knights said.

"The things behind the scene with my contact, my manager will deal with.

"I don't really get involved. I don't really take anything as fact until it actually happens. That's the way I work as a person."

Mark McVeigh's one-week suspension came after a night out with former Essendon teammate Dean Solomon.

"He made a choice, he chose a path and he missed a training session which is important to Friday night's build-up. It is just for one match, but it's vital we do this," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"It doesn't matter if you are a first or second-year player or a champion of the club, if you're not going to get the club trademark right - that professionalism right, to prepare yourself to play - then we are not going to pull any punches.

"I always tell all my players we've got 46 on the list and they can all play, and I'm not fussed who I put out there because I know they'll do the club proud."

Essendon will move to reward coach Matthew Knights with a pay rise in 2010 and a new contract, which will tie the 38-year-old to Windy Hill until the end of 2012.

Essendon chief executive Peter Jackson last night dismissed a newspaper report he had been empowered to extend Matthew Knights' tenure.

"I haven't been empowered or authorised by the board to do anything on this," Jackson said.

"No offer has been made."

Young defender Tayte Pears may have the difficult job of standing Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola on Friday night.

"We'll back our young defence. We have all year, and there's no reason for me to go away from that," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"Fevola is a handful and we haven't managed to stop him as a team for two or three years now. He's got sevens, eights and nines, which are really big bags in the modern age.

"We're going to have to try and cut that down a little bit."

Midfielder Mark McVeigh is 'hugely disappointed' to miss the Carlton blockbuster after being suspended for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers, says Essendon coach Matthew Knights.

"Mark is a very passionate young man; he's very tribal, and I know he loves big clashes against Collingwood and Carlton and teams like that," Knights said.

"He's a hugely disappointed young man at the moment and particularly because he hasn't played a lot this season with injury.

"He's missed a lot of football and he feels pretty low at the moment."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights commends Carlton ruckman Matthew Kreuzer on handling the Blues' ruck at such a young age.

"You saw the immense talent but then you said it's a big ask for a young player to come in and play ruck in their first season or second season," Knights said of the Kreuzer, who turned 20 in May.

"But just watching him over the last month, just the maturity he plays with and the way he gets around the ground, he has been buffeted a fair bit also, but his resilience is amazing."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights will be sweating on the match review panel's verdict after Mark McVeigh was reported for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

"I must admit I'd just come down from the box just before the break and I saw the scuffle break out," Knights said after the game.

"I was just preferring that our boys kept themselves out of trouble. That wasn't the case.

"I haven't seen the incident live yet, so I'll have a look at that when I go home tonight. I've just got to see how it looks."

Andrew Lovett's biggest challenges remain off-field, says Essendon coach Matthew Knights.

"Andrew has been a very consistent player for our club this year," Knights said.

"I didn't have a lot to say to Andrew other than to say he had to take responsibility for his own actions, and he's done that.

"His best footy is in front of him, but his challenge is to always stay consistent off the field, so we'll continue to work with Andrew on that."

Essendon has been left with just one geniune ruckman due to the injuries to Tom Bellchambers and Jason Laycock.

Laycock has battled navicular problems since late last year but made his comeback with VFL affiliate the Bendigo Bombers the weekend before last.

"He's training and was playing with discomfort," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"It's not ideal. He hasn't been able to get a run at it, which is frustrating because he would have been perfect to come in."

Youngster Patrick Ryder will be expected to carry Essendon's rucks in their absence.

"We're going to have to be a bit creative and share the workload. It's probably far to say Paddy is going to have to do the majority of the work, but we're going to have to find him support," Knights said.

"We'll have a chat about that this afternoon and try to come up with a plan that will give Paddy enough support and do our best to nullify Adelaide's strengths as well."

Essendon defender Nathan Lovett-Murray will not challenge his suspension from the Match Review Panel.

"It's disappointing because Nathan has been in really good touch," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said on Tuesday.

"Both offensively and defensively he has been providing us with a fair bit of impetus. He is going to be big loss for us."

Scott Lucas may not play at all this weekend, and is several weeks away from a return to senior football with Essendon determined to reinvigorate its veteran forward.

"We just feel in supporting Scott it's the best way to go to release the pressure valve so he can go away, find some form, and come back in some form, and see the real Scott Lucas again," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"We think it's probably the best way to support him through the patch he's going through. We need to break the cycle he's in at the moment"

Essendon has lost patience with out-of-form veteran Scott Lucas, dropping him for Friday's clash against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium.

"Scott's fairly pragmatic. He understands the way of the world," Essendon coach Matthew Knights said.

"He's disappointed as anybody in his position would be.

"We want him to go back and get a bit of relief. We want him to go away and regain some form. Whether he plays in the reserves will be up to him."

Matthew Knights has defended veteran forward Scott Lucas, and believes the goalkicker is "on the up" after a slow start to the season following knee surgery.

"He's just had a couple of weeks where he hasn't taken his opportunities and I'm sure that will come because he's so technically sound. It's just a matter of time before he has a breakout game," Knights said.

Matthew Knights believes a lack of penetration from attacking opportunities cost Essendon victory against North Melbourne, not a hangover from last week's epic against Carlton.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has praised veteran full-forward Matthew Lloyd's courage after the 30-year-old kicked five majors to lead his team to a four-point win over arch-rivals Carlton at the MCG on Saturday night.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has thrown his support behind Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas, saying their return to form is imminent.

The pair have had a limited impact two rounds into season 2009 but Knights backed them to bounce back sooner rather than later.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has turned the blowtorch on wayward star Andrew Lovett.

The Bombers were forced to keep the gifted Lovett after unsuccessful attempts to offload him during last year's trade week, after tiring of his lack of off-field commitment.

Knights challenges Andrew Lovett to step up this year after nearly being traded from following 2008.

"The gun midfielders have the whole package. If you look at the gun midfielders, they win disposals, they win hard balls, they kick goals but they lay eight tackles a week and that's the whole package," Knights said.

''Andrew's challenge is to do that and if he applies himself I think he can slowly get towards being an elite midfielder. But that comes with time and it comes with consistency.''

Essendon walked away from its 16-point defeat to North with three injuries but Matthew Knights was not too concerned.

Matthew Knights confident Essendon will put on good show when his team meets in NAB Cup semi-final.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights is the latest AFL coach to join the call for an extra player for the 2009 season.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has warned fans to prepare for a season of ugly football dominated by zoning all over the ground.

"I think it's where the game is going," Knights said.

"I have been to a number of games live this year and in some of the games the teams didn't pick up a man for the whole day. It was just a 16 or 18-man zone.

"You won't see much man-on-man play and it will be a stark change to even last year. I think there will be 25-50 per cent more zoning this year."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights will again don the sash and enter the field of play to raise money for the bushfire appeals.

Knights will lead a host of former AFL players breaking out of retirement to raise money for the Bendigo region ravaged by Black Saturday's bushfires.

"I may be 38 but I still feel like a 22-year-old and after a couple of extra sessions in the gym,'' he said.

"I think my skills will be as good as when I was captaining Richmond. Our players will be there on the day so they had better have their notebooks out and (take) notes on how the professionals tear up the turf.''