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 and in September Knights was appointed as the club's new coach.
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.
In 2010, Essendon won seven games and failed to make the finals. Criticism of Knights coaching performance increased during the season. On 12 August, Essendon's CEO stated that Knights would continue as coach in 2011, but he was, nonetheless, sacked two weeks later - on the day after Essendon's final round loss to the Western Bulldogs. He had two years remaining on his contract. Essendon won 25, drew one and lost 40 matches under Knights. For the 2011 season Knights worked with the Xavier College football team in Kew.
During the 2012 season Knights was coach of the Geelong VFL Football Club. He coached the team to the 2012 VFL premiership.
Read more about this topic: Matthew Knights
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