MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR COACH JOHN LONGMIRE

The 2021 season certainly threw everything at us.

On June 22, we packed up and left Sydney with the Covid outbreak escalating. What we expected might be a couple of weeks on the road, turned into a two-month long tour, with stints on the Gold Coast, in Adelaide, Melbourne and Tasmania.

While bitterly disappointed with how we bowed out in Tasmania against GWS, it is a season I look back on with pride.

Despite all the challenges that came our way, we were able to return to finals football after winning 15 games.

Throughout the season our group showed great resilience. As we found in 2020, the experience of life on the road, with all its unpredictability, brought the group closer together. I have no doubt we saw that on the field, and the Round 18 game against GWS, played on the Gold Coast, was probably the best example of that.

Thirty minutes before the bounce of the ball, three of our players were forced into quarantine and with just minute’s notice, Dylan Stephens, James Rowbottom and Ben Ronke suited up as their replacements.

To be able to come from nearly six goals down in the second quarter and win that game was a credit to all our players and staff. It was a special win, full of Bloods spirit.

Throughout this magazine, you will be able to look back at the many positives from the season we will take forward into 2022.

One of those positives was the performance of our captains Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy and Dane Rampe and all our leaders who drove the standards of the group and embraced the challenges thrown their way.

Luke’s achievement to win his third Bob Skilton Medal was outstanding. It was his fifth consecutive top-3 finish in the Club Champion and a testament to his hard work and professionalism.

After signing a new longterm deal with the club, Luke is determined to drive this group forward and set the standards for all those young players we saw emerge in 2021.

Among that young group are the four players who were all rewarded with Rising Star nominations in 2021 – Errol Gulden, Braden Campbell, Chad Warner and Justin McInerney.

As footy demands, we very quickly turn our attention to how we can improve again for next season. Our preseason has kicked off and I’ve been really pleased with the level of enthusiasm from the group.

Our new players, including ruckman Peter Ladhams - who we acquired during the trade period - and new recruits from the draft Matt Roberts and Lachie Rankin have settled in really well. They will be joined by our West Australian recruits Angus Sheldrick and Corey Warner after the Christmas break.

As a footy club – like our members and so many others in the community - we have had some unique challenges thrown our way over the last two seasons. The support we have had from our members has been extraordinary. No matter where we have been or where we have played, we have felt the support of all 50,144 of our members.

While we have embraced our time away on the road during the Covid pandemic, there is nothing quite like the playing in front of big, red and white crowds. We can’t wait to see all our members back at the footy in 2022.

Wishing you all a happy and safe festive season.

Thank you for your support.

JOHN LONGMIRE Senior Coach