Well, we stand at nine wins and three losses for the season. Fourth on the ladder!

Not bad, but still a long way to go and having suffered a number of season ending injuries to Roughead, Stratton and Gilham.

But no point complaining as is the nature of the game we are part of.

Call up the reserves I hear you say! And we have, and we are.

Last Saturday against the Gold Coast Suns in what was a scrappy game to say the least, the efforts of Savage, Smith and Breust were outstanding. Fast, courageous, and exciting to watch. Between them, they scored our first five goals.

Two older players stood out as well. Thank heavens for Sam Mitchell. He never gives up and provides a lot of drive around the ground. His quick assessment of opportunities and accurate passing of the ball is as good as ever.

Grant Birchall playing in front of his home audience - but consistently throughout the year - is also playing with dash and courage.

We now need some of the rest of our experienced players to make a stand. With the season past the half-way mark and with a depleted line up, it is time for the more experienced players to dig deep.

I have no doubt they can do it, and next Friday night at the MCG will be a good place to start.

It is the game we have dubbed the “Show us your Colours” game.

We want the brown and gold to be everywhere on Friday night. We want to make a statement. We want to lift our team to greater heights. Bring your colours, bring your voices.

And can you beat this? Some weeks ago a group of young men approached me asking for the name of the tailor who made my reversible jacket. Sadly my tailor could not help them, but not to be put off, they went to the Salvation Army’s second-hand store, purchased six second-hand brown suits, and proceeded to add the gold strips themselves.

I met three of the guys in their gear in Tassie on Saturday - they look fantastic. That is real commitment.

So to enter into the spirit of Friday night's “Show us the Colours” theme and in response to some of the players who have been asking me to start wearing the jacket again, I will claim it back from the museum where it rests and wear it for Friday’s match.

I have previously told the players that I will only wear it again if and when we play in the finals. But for this Friday, in supporting the theme, in recognising and saluting the ingenuity of these your men, I will wear my reversible jacket.

See if you can wear more brown and gold than us!

---

Briefly on the matter of the discussions taking place about the next CBA (or employment agreement) between the AFL and all players as represented by the AFL Players Association (AFLPA). I notice a couple of club presidents have made public comment that the current claims of the AFLPA are not sustainable. There is no point just attacking the players. They are an important part of the game, but not the only part.

Given the new media agreement which the AFL has successfully struck with the television section of the media, and knowing the AFL’s total revenue will be substantially added to by other media contracts, sponsor contracts, licensing agreements etc, it is necessary to look at the components that make up the industry that is the AFL.

Of course there are the players who actually provide the entertainment for the best part of the year. There are the clubs that employ the players, coaches and administrations that look after and service the day-to-day needs not only of their employees, but also the hundreds of thousands of members and sponsors who support the collective whole.

Then of course there is the AFL itself and its administration, which is massive in numbers at around 400 employees.

Finally, there are the future aspirations of our code. Expansion of our code, opportunities for Australia’s youth to become involved through wonderful programs like AusKick and many other programs. There are any number of community programs among all levels of Australian Rules competitions, and targeted community programs such as those that include our Indigenous community. There are programs that recognise our past players and greats. In short - dozens of programs.

AFL football is a broad church with many interests. We are a massive partnership on interests. All of those need to be recognised when we distribute the income generated by and through the conduct of our collective efforts. But the reality is not part is greater than another. No one part can survive on its own.

So we need a responsible solution to allocating the increased revenue among all competing interests.

To their credit, the AFLPA and the players are not threatening strike action. That is both old fashion, and is not what the legions of supporters want.

This issue needs to be resolved quickly to give all parties confidence, and to provide security for the future for all component parts. It needs to be resolved so we can get on with the task that the public expects of us, delivering the best sporting code in Australia.

Best those responsible for resolving this matter, meet again quietly, and emerge from such discussions with a solution that best serves and meets the interests of the code, of which we are all just temporary custodians.

We don’t want any party to enter the next five year period with a taste of bitterness.

All administrators of the code need now to kick a goal!

See you at the game on Friday night.

Go Hawks!

Jeff Kennett
President