Ladies and Gentlemen – a very warm welcome to our 2015 Season Launch.
It’s on nights like tonight that we are all reminded and heartened by the loyalty and passion of the Essendon family.
On behalf of the Board, Players, Coaches and Staff, thank you to everyone here this evening for your continued support of our Club. It really does mean a lot.
There is no doubt we have all had to endure the toughest period in our 142 year history.
Like you, I had hoped to be standing here this evening, looking forward to a new season unencumbered for the first time in two years.
Unfortunately, the AFL tribunal decision will not be known until the end of the month and we continue to deal with this uncertainty as a football club.
We remain confident in the position of our players and will continue to support them unconditionally throughout this stressful time.
As Chairman, I often get asked how our Club has not fractured, how have we not imploded under the pressure of this drawn out process?
The answer is simple: At Essendon ‘Our Fabric’ is exceptionally strong.
Together we make it strong. Together we ensure that it will always stand the test of time. And together, we will build a stronger and more successful Essendon Football Club for the future.
Our 2015 membership campaign, formally launched today, celebrates the strength of the Fabric that bonds our Club and its 142 year history and success.
Everyone in the room tonight is part of this bond, this Fabric. Each and every player, staff member and fan has contributed to the Fabric of our wonderful Club.
Perhaps no one more than Kevin Sheedy.
I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome Sheeds home to the Bombers.
Kevin is an icon of the game, a legend of the Essendon Football Club and has more than five decades of experience as a player, coach, administrator and pioneer – and on behalf of everyone at the Club, it’s great to have you back Sheeds.
It was only fitting that Sheeds play a central role in our 2015 membership campaign.
Our partners and sponsors are an integral part of the resilience and strength that underpins our Club – I’d like to extend a warm welcome and thank you for your continued support.
In particular, to our major partners; Kia and Fujitsu.
Welcome and thank you to our generous supporters from the coteries, commercial and corporate parnters, First VXIII, our volunteers, our members and our fans, all joining us this evening.
Welcome all to the Essendon family.
I’d also like to welcome to their first official function as Board members, Lindsay Tanner and Andrew Muir, who join Katie Lio and Paul Cousins as new Directors in 2015.
A major part of the strategic initiative by the Board has been the establishment of a nominations committee to identify areas of required expertise to enhance the current Board and its contribution to the Club.
Andrew and Lindsay are highly respected individuals who will bring a diverse range of professional experience and important skills identified by the nominations committee to the Board table.
I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful efforts of outgoing Directors Greg Brown and Phil Pryor.
Greg and Phil are great Essendon people and on behalf of the Board and everyone associated with the Club, we would like to thank them for their service and wish them both well for the future.
Our unique Fabric at Essendon embodies the spirit of our club today and what we aspire to be tomorrow – the most successful, respected and inclusive sporting organisation in Australian sport – the Club of choice that consistently sets the benchmark on and off the field.
There is a great sense of excitement about the future.
We have incredibly loyal staff, a talented and experienced playing list, and wonderful support from our commercial partners and passionate members and supporters.
At Essendon, Our Fabric is strong. It’s time for the Essendon Football Club to again make our people proud and for the Essendon faithful to don the sash and unite behind our club.
Go Bombers!
