Hello all

At the end of the men’s season and on the eve of our women’s season, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on where we are and where we are headed. 

First, the men’s season. One word – disappointing. The disappointment doesn’t nullify the moments of light – and I’ll get to those in a minute – but let’s not pretend it was a good 24 weeks overall. For many of us, it’s 24 disappointing weeks on top of a succession of disappointing seasons. And that takes its toll – inside and outside the club.

I remain bullishly optimistic about our future, but I am as flattened as anyone by the football we watched to finish our year. I know you are, too.

Although those last two results are fresh in our mind, it’s important to acknowledge the realities of having the youngest and least experienced list in the competition, and some of the positives from the year.

So what are those positives? If I was to summarise, some of our young players took big steps forward, our medical and conditioning team kept our list relatively fit and healthy, and players continue to commit to the club long-term.

And next year, for the first time in a very long time, we enter the pre-season with a stable football department with minimal changes.  

This stability on and off the field is something we’ve been striving to achieve, because a strong, stable organisation is the bedrock from which improvement will come. Not just promising signs – but sustainable, long-term success. And, eventually, silverware.

I simply cannot think of two better people to lead us out of this on-field predicament than Alastair Clarkson and Todd Viney. Their experience and the confidence they and their team bring to the club is as important as the instability has been challenging in the preceding years. 

Make no mistake, though – stability doesn’t mean performance isn’t questioned or challenged. It is, and will continue to be. But the people we have in place are the people who will fix this performance issue.

Going back for a moment to the theme of players taking steps forward, it’s important to recognise those who have received industry awards or nominations in recent weeks.

Congratulations firstly to Tristan Xerri and Harry Sheezel, who earned All-Australian squad nominations this year.

Harry was also voted by the AFL coaches as their Best Young Player on Thursday night.

George Wardlaw finished runner-up in the AFL Rising Star Award, and won a place in the AFLPA’s 22Under22 team alongside Colby McKercher, who also earned a Rising Star nomination, and Harry. Tom Powell and Paul Curtis were named in the AFLPA’s extended squad of 44 players.

And Jackson Archer’s Rising Star nomination was just reward for his strong finish to the season.

Add the stellar seasons of Luke Davies-Uniacke and Charlie Comben, who both put their recent injury issues behind them, and the first-year draftees who each made their AFL debuts – Zane Duursma, Riley Hardeman and Wil Dawson – and there is a great core of players aged 25 and under who will take us forward. 

The list needs time and experience – the two things you can’t fast track – but we have talent in spades. We know it, and the external validation via the awards and nominations underlines that confidence.

Second, to AFLW, where expectations are high and performance hasn’t been an issue in our seven seasons in the competition.

It’s a little over eight months since we fell agonisingly short against Brisbane in our first Grand Final. It’s painful looking back at that day. Making it was wonderful – but it wasn’t enough. 

I look back at that day – in fact, at last season as a whole – with incredible pride. 

Pride in the way that our team demonstrated to the whole world just what the North Melbourne Football Club is capable of. And pride in the roar of our fans when the team ran out onto the ground.

I sense our players discovered what that pride feels like when they stood side by side with fellow North people on the hill at Port Melbourne for the magnificent VFLW premiership win.

All loudly wearing the blue and white, singing Hearts to Hearts with gusto and joy – just like so many have done with the team in past seasons. 

So to coach Darren Crocker, our incredible skipper Emma Kearney and the entire team, make no mistake, we all believe in you.

Bring your best, be your best, and expect the best from everyone around you. There are plenty of places in your life where it’s okay to just be okay, to turn up and tick the boxes – but this isn’t one of them.

And finally, to all of you, our members and supporters, the best in the competition – your passion and love for this club is what keeps us going. 

Bring on Brisbane in Round 1 on Sunday, and ‘Go Roos!’

Sonja