Dear members and supporters,

I‘ll start this letter by asking a question: have we made progress this season?

The short answer is yes. But that answer comes with the rider that, like most of you, I would have liked to have seen more wins. Especially considering how close we’ve been in so many games. 

Two and a half wins is numerically better than the zero wins at this point last year – but I’m not going to try to tell you that it’s enough. We all know it’s not.

And believe me, we are all as frustrated and impatient as you for more success, faster.

I have to keep reminding myself that we are in this for long-term success – not the short term. And there are plenty of signs that things are getting better and will continue to improve in the second half of the season.

Critical to this is improvement in the players such as Tristan Xerri, Tom Powell, Dylan Stephens, Paul Curtis and Charlie Comben – those who have been in the system for four, five or six years, or who now have more than 50 games under their belt. In that group we have seen consistency and performances that have stepped up considerably this year.

Then consider the 13 players on our current list who made their AFL debuts over the past two and a half seasons. Senior regulars like Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw, Colby McKercher, Riley Hardeman and Finn O’Sullivan.

Clarko has always said that we should judge players only after they’ve played 50, 60, 70 games. There is so much improvement still to come, and some of that will come down to time, experience and games.

But while we wait for time to weave its magic, we’re doing everything we can to fast-track it. We are, as I said earlier, impatient. Patiently impatient!

I know many of you can see the promise that sits in the list and the game plan. Not just because of the way you turn out to games or the noise you make or the support every single one of us feels. 

But also because we once again have a record membership, cracking 55,000 members for the first time in our history.

Our players keep re-signing, we have extended our long-standing relationship with Mazda, and partners like Intrepid Travel are joining for the journey.

And alongside us always are, without doubt, the best supporters anywhere.

It speaks volumes for your loyalty, unwavering passion – and your impatient patience!!

Looking ahead, we can’t wait to celebrate our VFL/AFL Centenary in Round 17 against the Western Bulldogs.

The opportunity to mark this occasion on a big Thursday night in front of a huge national audience on Channel Seven and Fox Footy/Kayo was an opportunity too good to pass up, which is why it was moved from the originally mooted Round 20 game. 

We’ll celebrate some of the great moments and people in our history at this match, and honour our 1975 premiership team in the 50th year since that breakthrough VFL/AFL flag. 

We want a big crowd – and for as many of you as possible to be there early enough to celebrate with the past and current greats of our club in an on-ground spectacular before the game. 

>> A LEGACY EVERLASTING Help celebrate our centenary in the VFL/AFL

Finally, this weekend marks the start of our deal to play two home games each season in Western Australia for the next three years.

I won’t back over the details other than to say I look forward to seeing as many of our passionate WA members out in force as possible – alongside everyone who has decided to make the trip across the Nullarbor.

See you at the footy, and ‘Go Roos!’