It is a very busy and important time of year! We are pushing hard for a finals berth, and there is a number of projects and Club initiatives on the go.

Firstly, I am thrilled that our major sponsor Toyota is extending its partnership by a further two years. The iconic car brand has been with the Club since its inception in 1991, making it one of the AFL’s longest standing sponsorships. Thank you to the entire team at Toyota for their ongoing support.

Secondly, we have also secured $300,000 of Federal Government funding to boost our Indigenous programs, run by Andrew McLeod. This allows us to offer greater support, mentoring and opportunities, to secondary school students from the APY Lands and west coast of South Australia.

Plus our search for a new Chief Executive Officer is gathering momentum. A talented and diverse range of candidates has emerged, with the Club receiving applications from here in South Australia, interstate and as far abroad as the United Kingdom. Applications close tomorrow.

And of course, Jim Hazel, Bob Foord, Mark Ricciuto and myself have also been busy sounding out potential candidates, who we think can build on the strong platform our Club currently enjoys.

We will soon start to compile our shortlist for the full Board to consider. We have not set ourselves a deadline, other than to say we are determined to find a strong and dynamic leader.

And it is also time to say goodbye to Steven Trigg. He finishes up today, having played an integral role in our sustained growth. Steven has been CEO for more than 12 years, and leaves with the Club well placed for continued on and off field success in the years to come. We wish him and his family the very best at Carlton.

Chariman, Rob Chapman