ON BEHALF of the AFL Commission I’d like to add my personal welcome to everyone here tonight for the launch of the 2015 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
It’s pleasing to note this is Gillon’s first season launch as AFL CEO and on behalf of the Commission I’d like to congratulate him on his excellent start in the role. I think you’d all agree that since coming to office, we have seen real evidence of Gill’s efforts to make the game more accessible, more affordable and more fun for our fans. I also want to add my farewell to our two departing Commissioners who have given so much to our game – Bill Kelty and Linda Dessau.
It gives me great pleasure to take a few moments to salute last season’s Toyota AFL Premiers, the Hawthorn Football Club.
Hawthorn won its third premiership under Senior coach Alistair Clarkson with an exceptional performance against the Sydney Swans.
Alistair joined John Kennedy Senior and the late Allan Jeans as the only coaches to have led Hawthorn to three Premierships across an incredible era which began in 1961 with the club’s first flag.
And since then the Hawks have contested another 17 Grand Finals and won a further 11 premierships.
Hawthorn’s 12 premierships in 54 years is among the most successful periods of sustained success in the history of our competition, which also includes Melbourne winning 10 premierships in 25 years between 1939-64 and Collingwood winning 11 premierships in 34 years from 1902-36.
It was also the second time Hawthorn has won back-to-back premierships, the last time being the 1988-89 seasons
It would be remiss of me not to mention the fantastic contribution of Brendon Bolton to the success of Hawthorn last year.
Brendon stepped in as interim coach for five matches after Alistair Clarkson was hospitalised and diagnosed with Guillian Barre syndrome in May last year.
Brendan is the only man in the club’s history to coach the club to five successive victories in his first five games. This is an incredible testament to the Hawthorn Football Club and the obvious effort they put into the development and mentoring of key personnel.
Congratulations to Hawthorn President, Andrew Newbold, Chief Executive Officer Stuart Fox, General Manager Football Operations Chris Fagan, Alistair Clarkson, the board, the players led by captain and dual Norm Smith medalist Luke Hodge and all the staff for another outstanding season on and off the field.
I also want to commend Sydney Swans Chairman, Andrew Pridham, CEO, Andrew Ireland, Senior Coach John Longmire, former General Manager of Football Dean Moore and acknowledge the Swans players, board and staff for their efforts last year and continued excellence over recent years.
