Coach’s Welcome

A new year and a new challenge – welcome to AFLW Season Four.

Twelve months ago, I was fortunate enough to join a new family: the amazing group of women and men who make up our AFLW team. Over the past year, I have witnessed first-hand their enormous commitment and outstanding care. These two attributes underpin everything that this team has been able to achieve in its short history, and they have achieved a lot.

Last season, the players added a second premiership to the inaugural title captured in 2017. In doing so, they have extended the influence they are having on the next generation of female footballers and drawn a wider audience to the game. Their accomplishments have received high praise and are a source of great pride for our Club, but it’s the care they show for everyone they interact with which sets them apart most. To be able to share in this is a great privilege.

One of the things I love about sport is the glorious uncertainty, there is no script – we truly don’t know what lies ahead. This is

particularly true of AFLW where the competition is undergoing such rapid development. In Season Four, we welcome four new teams to the competition each with their own aspirations to make a mark on the game. Within our team we welcome eight new players, excitingly all of these players have developed their games locally in the SANFLW competition. This is a demonstration of the pathway we are striving to help create for talented athletes and we look forward to the contribution they will make to our team.

From inception, our team has received outstanding support from our Club’s members, supporters and corporate partners. We do not take that support lightly and are truly grateful. The noise and energy at our home games is a source of competitive advantage which we gladly accept. We will strive to represent you in a way that makes everyone associated with our Club proud. Instinctive, attacking and fiercely competitive is the type of footy which is most fun to play and that draws people to our great game. This will be our intent whenever we play, and I have great confidence we can deliver on this aspiration. We don’t know what lies ahead, but we are excited by the possibilities and we look forward to sharing the ride with you.

Go Crows – We Fly As One.

Matthew Clarke Senior Women’s Coach