Like most of you, we have returned from a short holiday break well rested and ready for another footy season. It is an exciting time of the year and it's almost time for our new women’s team to play its historic first match. It seems like only yesterday we were campaigning for a licence and pushing for South Australia to be represented and now the dream has become a reality. In a relatively short period of time we have grown to become one club with three teams, who all work hard to proudly represent you.

There is a revolution taking place in our sport and this is one of the most significant eras in the 26-year history of our Club and we feel honoured and understand the responsibility that comes with having the State’s only elite women’s line-up.

Like all things that are new, there will be highlights and lowlights, successes and failures. I am supremely confident that not only is this League now a part of the football landscape into the future, but I am also certain the game will quickly evolve and what it looks like in a few years will be very different to today. It is going to be an exciting journey.

A great deal has been achieved since we first mapped our women’s football strategy nearly 18 months ago and we have documented our progress in a Club-produced television program which will air on Channel 7 at 4pm on Saturday afternoon. It has rare behind the scenes access and interviews and is well worth a look.

Much of the public focus has been on the impending AFLW but our men’s squad continues to push themselves extraordinarily hard and Pykey is pleased with the progress over the summer months. There has been a focus on further developing the flexibility within the line-up, with players needing to be strong contributors in their primary role but more than capable of performing elsewhere as well. In recent weeks I have had quite a few people ask about who will make up our Senior Leadership Group and when it will be named, and I am happy to say we will be in a position to make an announcement very soon.

Off-field, we are making solid progress with one of the biggest changes lately being the long-term signing of a new apparel sponsor. Australian company ISC, which has a long history in elite sport and is aligned to some of the country’s biggest clubs, will produce the players’ playing and training gear and a top quality off-field clothing range for you as well. We also welcome official radio partners Triple M and hit107, both part of the Southern Cross Austereo network and very popular stations in their own right.

Our Membership tally is growing by the day and currently sits in excess of 63,000 and we want to see that figure continue to climb. Attending a Crows game at Adelaide Oval is definitely one of the best live sports entertainment outings going around and this year’s fixture has plenty of blockbuster games in marquee timeslots. In a slight change to previous years, daily tickets to all our 2017 home games, including our Showdown against the Power in August, will go on sale at the one time through Ticketek later this month.

I would also like to congratulate Mark Ricciuto who has been re-elected to the Board of Directors on a two-year term. His position was open for eligible Members to contest in an independently-run election but he was returned unopposed and will now continue to add his valuable insight while serving as Football Director.

Finally, I am sure you will join me in wishing Women’s Senior Coach Bec Goddard, her Senior Assistant Andrew Hodges, their support staff and all the players the best of luck for Saturday. Let’s hope it’s a win! I hope to see as many of you there as possible at Thebarton Oval to cheer on the girls.

We Fly As One!

Regards, Andrew.