League Coach Report

2022 Senior Coach Report

How do you articulate the feelings from season 2022 - some disappointment with the league side’s win/loss, some great optimism in the growth and opportunity for some 18 debutants, some adulation for the premiership success of our reserves side but mostly I feel the pride in seeing young men coming to a home, having a sense of belonging and a greater purpose each week, growing together. To give some examples: Leadership – Connor Patterson Role – Galen Savigni / Lachlan Henderson Confidence – Jordan Snadden

Persistence – Jaimon Alone

Maturity – Max Walters Football clubs are special places none more special than this one. Outside of family, they raise you, they have the special ability to unify people from all walks of life, the people in this room. We challenge, we support and most importantly we care. When you come to Subiaco, you’re home. Season 2022 had much expectation and belief that this group had everything it takes to go all the way again. And for that reason, the finality of the season hurt more than most. Yes, we faced adversity with injury, unavailability, the loss of players with COVID and adapting to an ever changing environment, we let winnable games slip, but we were coming up with some success at the back end of the year, however, our run was too late. This game makes you pay - and if you’re not at your best you will pay and you’re going to get beat as we found out several times this season. However, it’s not a wasted season if we take the learnings and move forward prepared to make the sacrifice when required, have the hunger to strive for more and be ruthless in our preparation - at the end of it, these are our values.

2022, has however provided a great opportunity for transition and for players to step up and accept responsibility. At the league level we played 43 players across the season, we had 18 players make their club league debut and those players will give us greater growth in the years to come for the experience. To match we had 58 at the reserves level including 9 players through colt’s transition. These are significant numbers. Through this opportunity and the club wide program we deliver, our players continued to grow and understand their roles. I am excited and confident about the depth of players we have, evident through the success of our reserves’ premiership and colts’ preliminary final. We will be in a very strong position for the years to come. For our reserves group, what a terrific performance. I have been so proud of the resilience and cohesion which has underpinned the on-field success across the season culminating in the premiership. To Jamie, the coaches and all the players you should be very proud of this achievement. The synergy and whole club philosophy, have led to sustained success, with at least one team winning a premiership every year since 2017. The team-first attitude and complete buy-in from this group over the finals campaign should give everyone in the room great confidence for the future and what can be achieved with care and mutual respect. When things got tough, you had each other’s back, no blame, no shift of ownership, just doing what you could to make each other better.

I work closely with a lot of great people at our club, but our coaches, what impact they have, particularly my senior group, Nigel, Scott, Matt, Vidda, Jamie, Jason, Brent, Irvo and Kellie who support the players with their dedication, attention to detail and care to ensure we run the best program. They say, “A good coach can change a game, a great coach can change a life.” We aspire to be great coaches and to positively impact the players at our club and in the wider world.

To the Board led by Mark Lawrence and CEO Peter Capes, at times we like to focus on the good times, but when not everything goes to plan, your guidance and support have been unwavering. You have stood firmly behind what we are building as a group, giving the football department confidence to develop these players on and off the field to ensure sustained achievement.

To Dicko - You are a great Football Manager to work with, you have given great support and challenge to ensure we are constantly looking for improvement. You want the best for our group and have been a critical factor in connecting all areas of the club.

A special mention to Chayce Creedy, with over 4 years at the colts, has continued to steer the development of our youth and has been integral to the transition of these players to senior football and having some success to ensure the continued growth of our talent program. I am excited to welcome you into the senior program for 2023. To the lifeblood of our program, the High-Performance team, and our volunteers. You all play such important roles to help our program be as strong as it is. Alby, Rocket, Jamie & Cal. Words can’t do complete justice to your contributions, behind the scenes, you ensure everything is organised and no one misses.

A big thank you to the partners and families of all the players and staff involved who we demand so much time away from

you. For as difficult as the year has been for the players onfield, there is no doubt the ripple effect flows down. We know you ride every bump with us, and I want to acknowledge and thank you for the support and care you give throughout the year and the time you give up to allow us to do what we do. Our players are a remarkable group of young men, it is an absolute honour and privilege to coach you. The humility you have displayed in victory, the resilience shown when things don’t go to plan, the way you go about your football, combining total dedication with a keen sense of fun. The choices you make to improve yourselves as young men and footballers at this club come with great rewards on and off the field. The way you confront and embrace one another through the good times and the challenges defines the terrific culture that is the envy of the WAFL competition. We don’t play footy for the games will never quite remember but for the teammates that we will never forget. What lasts with me and is untouchable outside of this room is the spirit within these walls. It’s an old saying - “often you don’t realise what you have until it’s gone.” But I see it every day, maybe more so over the last month, the common bond, the relationships shared among players, the success the failure, the opportunity to come together. 2023 is exciting and bright. Our club has a successful system in place playing a great Subiaco Brand. Getting several more senior games into the future of our footy club was important this year and with the internal growth of these players, with the help of the experience we already have, our rebound will be fast. With the hard work and support of each other, this is going to be a very good journey to be on. But every single person involved in our program has got to drive each other to improve, helping each other get better - that is the only way. As the great Neale Daniher said, “When it’s all said and done, more is said than done and the mark of a person or group is not what they say but what they do.” The outcome of this season won’t define us, what will define us is implementing the lessons we have learnt through action. The WORK required, the LEADERSHIP required, the CONNECTION required, and the COMMITMENT required are very clear to have success. Use the pain of disappointment as a pain for change. I am committed to our players, our staff, and this great club to drive us back to the top!

Beau Wardman

Head Coach League Subiaco