Hi all
What a sad way to end the season. Not that we lost. But that we simply were not able to deliver our ‘A’ game when it mattered on the day.
Congratulations to North Melbourne, they deserved their win. In short they are a remarkable team, with constant commentary about their home base in future years, and existing on the sniff of an oily rag, they continue to perform.
While no Hawthorn person can take any solace from the way we played on Saturday, on reflection it has been a solid building year, on and off field.
However, never forget, and your Board is driven by this goal, we will only ever consider ourselves, and be judged by others, when we have won a Premiership. So clearly we failed to deliver our goal in 2007. However, we have laid a solid base for 2008.
Our coaching and playing group are older and wiser as a result of participating through another season. We finished 5th at the end of the home and away series, and I think will finish 6th for the year after the finals series.
Had anyone offered us that outcome at the beginning of the year, I think we all would have taken it.
Importantly, our players have experienced playing in two finals. One we won through a hard fought battle against Adelaide, the other we lost on Saturday to North without ever really finding the drive or skills we displayed the week before.
However, playing in those two finals games builds our knowledge and experience base, and will stand us in good stead for next year.
On behalf of the Board, I do thank the coaches led by Alastair Clarkson, and the players led by Richie Vandenberg for the considerable effort they have all made this year. No flag, no prizes, but a substantial improvement on last year.
And of course the last year that Richie will be one of our team, having served as captain for the last three years. We miss most players when they leave the family, but that will be particularly so of Richard Vandenberg.
Richie has been a very important leader, with unimpeachable values, as we have built a younger team through the arrival of a new coach. Sam Mitchell said on radio last week, he was certain Hawthorn would not have played finals this year had it not been for the leadership of Richie Vandenberg. And most of us would agree.
While no one is irreplaceable, Richie will leave a very big hole to fill.
We will say more about, and recognise Richie’s contribution to the Hawthorn Football Club at our Peter Crimmins Medal on the 6 October. Don’t miss the night.
Finally, just because we are no longer playing football, does not mean we are not all busy at the Club. We have many functions to deliver around the Grand Final, we have our Best and Fairest, the Peter Crimmins Medal, Chris Pelchen and his team are arriving at decisions leading up to the draft. Ian Robson, our CEO, and his staff are already planning for next year. And we have a major surprise up our sleeve for all of you which will become obvious soon.
So a disappointing last game of the season, but the Club is on track, on and off field.
Thank you again for all your tremendous support this year, members, sponsors and supporters alike. We could not have done it without you.
Soon you will be getting the opportunity to renew your membership for next year. Can I encourage you to do so as quickly as possible so we can include you in all our initiatives and programmers as we roll them out over the next few months.
Stay well, and hope to see you at the Peter Crimmins Medal.
Jeff Kennett
President
What a sad way to end the season. Not that we lost. But that we simply were not able to deliver our ‘A’ game when it mattered on the day.
Congratulations to North Melbourne, they deserved their win. In short they are a remarkable team, with constant commentary about their home base in future years, and existing on the sniff of an oily rag, they continue to perform.
While no Hawthorn person can take any solace from the way we played on Saturday, on reflection it has been a solid building year, on and off field.
However, never forget, and your Board is driven by this goal, we will only ever consider ourselves, and be judged by others, when we have won a Premiership. So clearly we failed to deliver our goal in 2007. However, we have laid a solid base for 2008.
Our coaching and playing group are older and wiser as a result of participating through another season. We finished 5th at the end of the home and away series, and I think will finish 6th for the year after the finals series.
Had anyone offered us that outcome at the beginning of the year, I think we all would have taken it.
Importantly, our players have experienced playing in two finals. One we won through a hard fought battle against Adelaide, the other we lost on Saturday to North without ever really finding the drive or skills we displayed the week before.
However, playing in those two finals games builds our knowledge and experience base, and will stand us in good stead for next year.
On behalf of the Board, I do thank the coaches led by Alastair Clarkson, and the players led by Richie Vandenberg for the considerable effort they have all made this year. No flag, no prizes, but a substantial improvement on last year.
And of course the last year that Richie will be one of our team, having served as captain for the last three years. We miss most players when they leave the family, but that will be particularly so of Richard Vandenberg.
Richie has been a very important leader, with unimpeachable values, as we have built a younger team through the arrival of a new coach. Sam Mitchell said on radio last week, he was certain Hawthorn would not have played finals this year had it not been for the leadership of Richie Vandenberg. And most of us would agree.
While no one is irreplaceable, Richie will leave a very big hole to fill.
We will say more about, and recognise Richie’s contribution to the Hawthorn Football Club at our Peter Crimmins Medal on the 6 October. Don’t miss the night.
Finally, just because we are no longer playing football, does not mean we are not all busy at the Club. We have many functions to deliver around the Grand Final, we have our Best and Fairest, the Peter Crimmins Medal, Chris Pelchen and his team are arriving at decisions leading up to the draft. Ian Robson, our CEO, and his staff are already planning for next year. And we have a major surprise up our sleeve for all of you which will become obvious soon.
So a disappointing last game of the season, but the Club is on track, on and off field.
Thank you again for all your tremendous support this year, members, sponsors and supporters alike. We could not have done it without you.
Soon you will be getting the opportunity to renew your membership for next year. Can I encourage you to do so as quickly as possible so we can include you in all our initiatives and programmers as we roll them out over the next few months.
Stay well, and hope to see you at the Peter Crimmins Medal.
Jeff Kennett
President
