This has been another tough week in what has been a challenging year for everyone in the Crows family.

As I write we are nearing the end of our investigation into the serious incident a few days ago involving two of our players- Brad Crouch and Tyson Stengle. It was an extremely disappointing and frustrating situation and their conduct is a significant breach of the Club’s standards, let alone those of the community. We are working closely with the AFL and AFL Players Association to determine appropriate sanctions for both players and details of which we’ll share as soon as possible. It has been quite deflating to be confronted with this situation given our promising finish to the season and the momentum and optimism that had been built. Notwithstanding that, we will address it quickly and move forward with our plans for a productive off-season still in place.

Rebuilds are always tough and especially so at the outset. Patience is required. We knew there would be trying times on-field this year and we are in a win-loss industry so by that measure Season 2020 can only be judged as a fail. It hurts to have finished bottom of the ladder for the first time in the Club’s history and we need to use that pain as motivation.

Importantly and despite the pressure, we did not veer away from our agreed plan and instead stayed the course with a focus on rejuvenating our playing list by giving our younger players exposure to AFL level, while relying on our experienced guys to lead the way and foster an attitude of prioritising others to support their growth and development. Overall, we fielded more AFL debutants than any club this season, in addition to those who played their first game in Crows colours after joining us from elsewhere. Enduring the tough times now, coupled with plenty of hard work and good decision making, will serve us well in the not too distant future. We saw some progress in the final weeks of the season when younger players grew in confidence and our senior guys found their groove, and we were rewarded with wins.

Rest assured we are approaching this off-season with an ambitious and ruthless intent to get better. We have already announced the signing of two members of what will be a new look coaching panel and we look forward to the highly regarded Scott Burns and our former captain Nathan van Berlo coming on board to support our Senior Coach Matthew Nicks. We will also be announcing further appointments in coming weeks and we are confident these people will further enhance the quality of our football program and environment. It is also exciting to know we are heading to the national draft in prime position to secure some of the country’s best emerging talent.

This has been a year like no other and the pandemic has piled immense financial pressure on not just our Club but the broader sporting landscape and most industries. We have had no choice but to take on significant debt after spending the past several years working tirelessly to eliminate it. Unfortunately we have seen some hard-working, passionate and caring people leave the organisation through no fault of their own. These forced staffing changes have not made for an easy time in recent weeks but I have great respect for the way in which our people have dealt with the uncertainty and in some cases the bad news.

I am also in awe of the loyalty, passion and in many cases extreme generosity shown by you, our Members and Corporate Partners. Thanks largely to you we are in a very fortunate position compared to other clubs across the competition. You threw your support behind the Club when it was most needed. Thank you! The Board and Executive Management team met this week to fine tune our COVID-19 recovery blueprint and we will soon share an 18-month plan to provide you with a clear understanding of where we are heading and some key focus areas so we can all regularly measure our progress against it. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Reilly O’Brien on being named Club Champion, as well as AFLW best and fairest Anne Hatchard and all the other players recognised at our awards night a week ago. Both ROB and Hatchy typify the work ethic and relentless effort we want to see from every player who pulls on the Crows jumper. The event is always a highlight but perhaps more so this year because it was a joint evening for both our men’s and women’s teams, and given its success we are keen to make this the norm for our Club Champion going forward. 

Thanks once again for your support. Take care and stay safe. We Fly As One!

Regards,
Fages