When I wrote to members after Round 8, I expressed frustration with our football performance to that point. That frustration, shared across our club, has grown as the season has progressed.

By Round 15, with no discernible improvement, patience among our supporters and members is, understandably, wearing thin. 

We always knew this year would be hard, but the extent of our losses is deeply concerning.

This morning I met with Geoff Walsh, who joins us in an advisory role and will be embedded in the football department over the next month. There has been a huge amount of change in the football department over the past few years, both personnel and structure.

Geoff has been tasked with helping us to understand where that change is working, and where it is not.

He’ll bring 30 years of industry experience and will provide objectivity and deeper analysis of our operations while those in the football department go about completing their day-to-day roles.

We don’t intend to comment further on Geoff’s work while it is underway. We will, however, provide a summary of his findings to members once his time with us is complete. 

In the meantime, we ask for your patience with the process, and support for our staff and players who are working as hard as they can to turn this around. 

The support and understanding from our members and supporters has been nothing short of outstanding. To those who have contacted the club, one of our players, or me personally, or anyone who has spoken up for us on social media or to your friends or turned up to games or bought a membership – thank-you.

The strength of this club is in its people – in all of us. And we will sort this out. As we always do. Together.

Finally, on Wednesday we look forward to welcoming five new players to the North Melbourne family at the NAB AFLW Draft. We wish everyone in our women’s program our best in what is an incredibly important date on the footy calendar.

Go Roos!