The season is starting to take shape and already there have been a few surprises both on and off the field across the competition and I am sure there are many more to come in the months ahead.

Our early form has been encouraging, with the team playing a strong and exciting brand of footy that has earned plenty of new admirers. In saying that, it is clear that a number of clubs have also improved.

The reality is we are 3-2, enter this weekend in ninth spot and on a journey which requires a lot of hard work and continued improvement if we are to be there at the business end. Amidst the media talk and scrutiny, I think it is best to borrow a line from Pykey, who says ‘it is never as good as it seems, nor as bad as it seems’.

The State League team is also performing well and clearly benefiting from the efforts of our high performance guys who are doing an outstanding job in managing the health of the squad.

Your support has led to sell outs for our opening two home games and reinforced in everybody’s minds the immense passion you have for our Club. The atmosphere at the Swans game was nothing short of amazing! Friends of mine visiting from Sydney could not get over the extraordinary atmosphere, not to mention the noise inside the stadium which was as loud as I have heard. Our challenge is to make it a regular occurrence so visiting teams know they’re up against all of us!

Just as impressive are our television ratings with 1.29 million people, which is up 17 percent on last year’s AFL Friday night average, tuning into our match against Hawthorn. Only one game in that timeslot pulled more viewers across the entire 2015 home and away season.

Our plans to be the first South Australian team in the inaugural women’s competition next year took a significant step forward today as we lodged our tender document with the AFL. There has been and continues to be a lot to plan and execute, ranging from talent identification and facilities to sponsors and jumper design, and we are working closely with AFLNT representatives to ensure our bid is approved and in turn the new team is strong and successful.

Many of you have asked whether creating another team will weigh on the Club’s finances and I can assure you the answer is that it will not. We have already been approached by several companies eager to support our side should we be successful in winning a licence. It is important to remember that our focus is not solely on establishing a team but rather a Club-wide engagement program, which already includes our successful Women of Adelaide initiative and will grow to include pathways for talented female athletes and administrators, amongst many other components. This is an investment that will provide return in a multitude of ways.

The Commercial department has also rounded off a successful few months and welcomed many new corporate partners, including Flush Fitness, Chemist Warehouse, Weeks Building Group and international car rental company Hertz, to the Crows family. We are also blessed to have the loyalty of major sponsor Toyota which is in its 26th season with the Club, while Platinum Partners BLK, Domain and Foodland, along with Premier Partners Bendigo Bank, Balfours, Nova Entertainment, RAA and Revolution Roofing are outstanding contributors and friends. With a few more announcements to be made in coming weeks, we will significantly exceed our record levels of corporate support achieved last year. This support is invaluable.

By now I hope you have seen our recently launched 2016 Indigenous jumper which the boys will wear against GWS on May 28. It was designed by the aunt of Eddie Betts and features a crow in full flight on a navy blue base, surrounded by red, gold and white circles and dots. The artwork on the jumper is vibrant, colourful and most importantly, culturally significant and a source of great pride for the Betts family in particular. Our Club values Indigenous Round very highly and during fixture negotiations with the AFL, we were intent on making sure we hosted a game that weekend and it is sure to be a special night at Adelaide Oval. If you want to learn more about the Indigenous jumper and the story it represents, then tune into the Crows Show from 11.30am on Sunday on Channel 7. I should also thank you for your support of the Crows Show. As you know, it is in its second season, continues to win its timeslot each week in Adelaide and is now also being shown nationally on 7mate.

As always, there is a lot happening and we have another big weekend ahead. Let’s hope the boys can get the job done against Fremantle tomorrow – I look forward to seeing you there.

We Fly As One!

Cheers, Fages