Without question the 2020 season was the most challenging imaginable, not just in a football sense but obviously on a national and global scale as COVID-19 had a devastating effect on the world.

It was often referred to as a year like no other and for us that was certainly the case. Playing our opening round against Melbourne to an empty stadium and then going into recess for 10 weeks as the country went into lock-down was surreal.

Like everyone else, we were in a state of flux not knowing what would happen from one day to the next.

When we resumed, we relocated to the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in a hub that we shared with Fremantle. We came home for six weeks and then returned to Queensland for a second stint in a hub.

After finishing the qualifying rounds in fifth position we came home to play an elimination final against Collingwood and unfortunately we didn’t get the job done. We were gutted by that loss.

While it was a challenging and bizarre year we felt that we still had a bit in the tank when our season ended so abruptly. Having been through what we did, going in and out of quarantine, abiding by strict Government and AFL protocols, we wanted more.

Our first hub venture brought with it a level of uncertainty, but no more than what the nation was experiencing at that time. We acknowledged the hardships being felt by people in the community – and indeed within the AFL industry. We understood we had a role to play in getting the competition back up and running and maybe even bringing our fans a few hours of relief, even a sense of enjoyment, in bringing footy back into their lives.

This did not come without significant sacrifice by all of our staff and players, who were separated from their families for extended periods to enable the season to continue. We had three or four families travel with us to Queensland, but mainly we relied on FaceTime and Zoom calls to remain in touch with our loved ones and club staff who remained in Perth. That was difficult for everyone.

There was a cap on the number of staff we could take to Queensland on both occasions and unfortunately we were unable to retain some of those people whose salaries and hours were significantly reduced. They were forced to assess their options and make decisions on what was best for them.

We lost some fine people, which impacts all of us and we expect the landscape has changed permanently given changes to the soft cap and list sizes.

Taking into account all of those circumstances I am overwhelmingly proud of our club, our people and our culture. We adapted as best we could to the ever-changing circumstances, rolled with the punches and soldiered on.

I would like to thank everyone at the club for their unwavering commitment and support, starting at the top with chairman Russell Gibbs and the Board and CEO Trevor Nisbett and his executive team. While we didn’t achieve exactly what we were after, the strength of our club was evident throughout 2020.

To think that we also passed the 100,000 mark in membership, with little or no  chance of seeing our team play, is simply extraordinary. We are now the biggest club in the southern hemisphere and one of only a handful of clubs in the world that can boast that level of committed support.

Craig Vozzo and the football department were exceptional in remaining focused on the ever-changing task when confronting so many blind turns. There was  no  blueprint  to follow, but with people like Ben Sharman and Peter Staples dealing with so many foreign issues the players and  coaching staff could concentrate on preparation and performance.

There were so many governance and compliance issues, as well as unique logistical requirements – even last-minute changes to fixtures and the availability of training venues – and they worked tirelessly in solving so many of the problems that popped up.

We didn’t quite get things right in our first hub venture. We dropped a couple of games but we learned a lot during this period and the corrections we made got us back on track quickly. We won the last two games before returning to Perth and we started to build some momentum.

It was great to play at Optus Stadium in front of our fans – albeit at about 50 per cent capacity.

We had really missed playing in front of our parochial members and supporters, but playing six games in Perth was a great thrill and privilege, and something we simply never take for granted.

After that stint at home, we headed to Sanctuary Cove and then played five games in 19 days. It was always going to be the most challenging block of games in the season and it lived up to expectations. We were decimated by injuries, but it was also the period when I was most proud of the group.

The St Kilda game was a stand-out performance. We showed a lot of resilience, we had a lot of kids playing and it was a really important game for us. After coming from behind and winning that clutch game, we actually took a moment to enjoy it.

Jeremy McGovern suggested we get everyone in the rooms, all the staff and players, and just have a beer as we enjoyed the moment. There was a week between that game and our last qualifying game against North Melbourne, so we just took a moment to enjoy the win together.

We got the elimination final, had a good swing at it, but came up short. While extremely proud of the group, we know the ladder doesn’t lie and we have to get better.

I mentioned earlier that we lost some good people as a result of the pressures created because of the pandemic, but also lost a couple of quality people who simply called time.

Opposition analyst John Wardrop and senior physiotherapist Paul Tucker were strong contributors to our club for significant periods of time. Not only were they outstanding in their roles, but they are great people who will be missed.
We wish them well for their future endeavours.

We also farewelled two exceptional players and people with Will Schofield and Lewis Jetta ending their careers at the elite level after the most extraordinary season in history. As key members of our 2018 premiership team, they will always be an integral part of this club’s history.

Schoey is a legacy player and I have always enjoyed the robust conversations we have shared, so I will miss that.

Lewis was a wonderful influence at our club, his skill and dare important tools in our 2018 campaign.

The season did not deliver to the level we imagined, but there were certainly many highs, including some wonderful individual achievements.

I would like to congratulate Nic Naitanui on winning the John Worsfold Medal as our very deserving Club Champion, edging past Andrew Gaff in the last game of the season.

Nic obviously had an outstanding season, earning all-Australian selection for the second time, along with Liam Ryan and Brad Sheppard.

Gaffy was exceptional throughout the year and when we had so many senior players sidelined from our midfield at the back end of the season, he took it upon himself to assume even greater responsibility and to provide direction for the younger players who were called into the team.

Shep has been an outstanding player for many seasons now and it was great to see him recognised outside of our club as well  as finishing in third position in the Club Champion Award. He capped off a great year by winning the Chris Mainwaring Medal as the best clubman.

I touched on the growth of our club as a result of the hub experiences and it was evident in the rise of two of our emerging players breaking into the top five in the Club Champion Award.

Not only did Tom Barrass win our player trademark award, but  he  was  also  fourth  in the fairest and best voting while Liam Duggan capped his best season in senior football by rounding out the top five. Duggo was also called upon to switch from half-back to midfield when our injury crisis hit and handled the transition seamlessly.

Josh Kennedy has been a champion of our club for many years and he won the leading goal-kicker award for the seventh time in his career, kicking 34 goals in the abbreviated season. We’re delighted he and Shannon Hurn have signed contracts that will take them into our 2021 campaign.

We have been planning and fine-tuning our progression since the end of this season. After spending a few days of reflection, enjoying each other’s company outside of an isolation bubble, our focus quickly turned to next year.

Finally, I would like to begin with a couple of acknowledgements, especially the Richmond Football Club that won its third premiership in four years. We know they have been the benchmark club in this era and our mission is to not only close the gap, but hurdle it.

To my coaching staff, you’re remarkable. It’s so much fun working with you all – Jaymie Graham, Daniel Pratt, Nathan van Berlo, Luke Webster, Gavin Bell, Adrian Hickmott, Mark Nicoski, John Wardrop and Tim Gepp, thank you for your tireless efforts in the last 12 months.

Unfortunately ‘VB’ is returning to Adelaide in 2021, but I thank him for his efforts over the last three years.

To Nicky and the kids, thanks for the balance you provide outside the AFL bubble. That is so important and clearly I couldn’t do what I do without your love and understanding.

Finally, to our members and fans. I touched on it at the awards night, but you are simply amazing. We love playing at the new stadium that is one of the best in the world, but it is the people in the stands who make it what it is.

We really missed you this year and it emphasised just how important you are to what we do. We look forward to our next opportunity to make you proud and to celebrate it together.