Essendon senior coach John Worsfold delivered the following address to guests at tonight's Crichton Medal:

Thank you for your attendance this evening ladies and gentlemen.

A brief recap on season 2019.

Internally we were incredibly committed to improving year on year, learning and developing the facets of our game style we had set out to.

There were incredible performances – Marvel Stadium shaking during the final minutes of the round 17 game against North Melbourne, and the electric round 18 victory over Adelaide on the road are just some that come to mind.

There were five of seven games we won throughout the year that were decided by 10 or fewer points, four of those in a five-week stretch.

And there were inconsistencies and frustrations.

We’re driven to improve, and the reality was that our side was ranked eighth across the league for age, but ultimately 16^th in terms of games of experience.

For us moving forward, it’s about games exposure and consolidation for our younger crop of players coming through in a rapid growth phase, while expecting our senior players to maintain the drive.  

As I said last year, we all clearly know where we want to get to, but we need to be aware that there is a significant amount of work ahead. We will continue to leave no stone unturned to ensure we set ourselves up for sustained success in the coming years.

Richmond is the most recent example of planning ahead. (Richmond coach Damien Hardwick) 'Dimma' coached his first flag after 180 games and eight years in charge. They (Tigers) reached their maturity a couple of years ago and they're sustaining it.

Our improvement is going to come from games experience – getting games into our players and building the chemistry together as a group. There’s been a lot of grounding, strong foundations laid, and I believe that we are moving towards our prime years over the next period with a talented team building trust and chemistry as well as experience and a hard edge.

We implemented changes to our game style over the pre-season campaign, with a tweaked defensive system. There were teething problems early, but we are committed and aiming to be sounder in this area in 2020.  

But we’re on our way. As senior coach of this football club and seeing the growth, planning and implementation over the last two years particularly, I firmly believe this.

We’ve laid some very important foundations. We have a very committed playing group and you would have heard us at lengths talk about our drive towards achieving the success we're after.

You can be clear that we will be expecting greater consistency next season.

Top-eight teams are consistent. Top-four teams even more consistent. It’s as simple as that. 

Throughout the season it was our football club’s great privilege to have featured in a first half of a season filled with blockbuster clashes, including the Good Friday Kick for the Kids game for the first time, as well as Anzac Day, the Country Grame and Dreamtime at the ‘G.

It was a privilege to feature in all four blockbusters, all with a diverse, yet vitally important overarching community-based purpose.

This year there was the historic addition of players through the AFL mid-season rookie draft. We were delighted to welcome Will Snelling from West Adelaide, making his debut in round 18 against Adelaide.

Fellow debutants included Brayden Ham, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Tuth Jok, while Zac Clarke and Dylan Shiel donned the sash for the first time.

Yet with new beginnings come endings, and at the end of the season we said goodbye to our retirees in David Myers, Mark Baguley and Matt Dea - three gentlemen who have left a wonderful mark on our football club and have led by example through their values which will soundly carry them throughout the next phase of their lives and beyond.

'Mysery', 'Baggers' and 'Diesel', on behalf of the entire football club I’d like to sincerely thank you for your contribution to the red and black. 

I’d also like to take the time to acknowledge both Ben McNiece and Jordan Houlahan for their services to our football club over recent years and wish them the very best for their future pursuits.

In line with these farewells, there are several members of staff I’d like to acknowledge on behalf of the football club: coaches Paul Corrigan and Rob Harding, as well as Justin Crow, Richard Little, Leigh Owens, Jesse Campisi, Paul Turk, Ash Brown and finally Matt O’Hanlon. Your collective contribution to our football program in your time at the club was widely appreciated and we wish you well for the future in the industry and beyond.

I’d also like to acknowledge both our VFL and VFLW teams and their seasons. I congratulate VFLW coach Brendan Major and his team for their season as well VFL coach Dan Jordan and captain Aaron Heppell for their outstanding campaign. And to Aaron who claimed his third R.A Freeman Medal last week, well done on a terrific achievement.

From an AFL program, we enter season 2020 with significant enthusiasm. We recently announced a succession plan that will see Ben Rutten appointed senior assistant coach next year and will take on the role of senior coach in 2021. This will be undertaken with the aim to continue the growth of the group into its peak years with minimal disruption and continued improvement.

On a personal note, I’d like to acknowledge the support and love from my family, and I’d like to acknowledge my wife Georgina and Soph, Charlie and Grace for their commitment and support of me.

Finally, I’d like to acknowledge our record membership base and our passionate supporters and fans. At the end of July, the club announced a final – and record – membership tally of 84,237.

This is a tremendous achievement and the unwavering commitment and passion from you, our members, is simply inspiring.

You are the lifeblood of our football club and I look forward to seeing you pack the stands throughout the stadiums next season.

The hard work across the program has well and truly commenced, our list management enters the upcoming trade and draft periods with the aim of improving our list, and we continue to make key coaching and staff appointments.

To our playing group, enjoy this time you have with family and friends while working your backsides off in the off-season program. Look after each other and I look forward to seeing you back at the club in November as we set our sights on a mighty 2020 campaign.

Thank you.