Dear members,

Last night Campbell Brown had the decency to ring me, after he had spoken to our coach Alastair Clarkson and General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans, to inform us that he would not be accepting the Hawthorn Football Club's offer to continue playing football with us, but was accepting an offer from the new Gold Coast team.

While disappointed, I was not surprised at the news. The possibility of this eventuating had been rumoured for sometime about Campbell, as it has about several other league players for some months.

I am sorry Campbell will not finish his playing days as a one-club player. He has been a great warrior for Hawthorn and of course a premiership player.

But this is life. This is what all clubs will experience at some stage with two new clubs entering the competition.

The new clubs can offer remuneration that the 16 clubs just cannot afford. Why?

Because their teams will be made up of some champions like Campbell who they can afford to pay at much higher levels than the existing clubs, and the majority of the new clubs' players will be young players; relatively inexperienced, and therefore not on the higher levels of pay.

This is also happening amongst football department officials that are being appointed by the AFL and new clubs to these fledgeling organisations. All this will lead to a break out in costs to clubs - with demands from many players and officials for higher pay - to match that being paid at the new clubs.

This is going to be tough for the strongest clubs financially, and could cripple some of the financially weaker clubs.

But this is the new world we are entering. When this seasons 'picks' are completed and you think it is safe to go back in the water, the same system will re-emerge next year when Greater Western Sydney enters the competition.

So hang on everyone, we are just commencing the ride. And no one can clearly predict the outcome of this ride before it comes to an end.

Campbell this year, who next?

It is not Campbell's fault, and we do not in anyway blame him after years of service for putting his financial security first.

We will miss him. We wish him good luck and good fortune. He has conducted himself with honour in how he has gone about his evaluation of the offers before him, the decision he has made, and his communication first with members of our Club.

And this is what life is all about - change - and your Club will manage this latest challenge professionally.

Speak soon,

Jeff Kennett