The return drive from Hickinbotham Oval last Saturday was an opportunity for quiet reflection on the year that had just been completed with a hard fought but uninspiring 12 point victory over South Adelaide. It was a season that started with expectations of improvement but ultimately ended with an inferior win-loss ratio to 2006 and a fifth consecutive absence from finals.

Preparation started on November 6 at Kensington Oval, familiar and loved faces Brett James, Scott Carslake, Paul James and Brad Vassal were not present, ultimately they wouldn't be, Scott Boden, Ryan Lewis, Steven Bailey and John Pratt would join them by seasons end. There were fresh faces in attendance including 2006 McCallum Medallist Jack Bampton, small in size, but big on integrity and Ryan Schoenmakers who had just completed year 10 studies at St.Pauls College and excited coaches and team-mates with his athletic and skilful prowess. Five (5) one kilometre time trials would get the program under way, 3 ball sessions per week, 2 weights, and 2 running.

By the Christmas break, last years eye-openers Gavin Hughes and Adam Cockshell had made their way onto AFL Lists, Adam to Port Adelaide and Gavin a rookie for the Western Bulldogs.

New Football Operations Manager Jamie Mason moved into his office in the New Year, bringing a fresh, straight-talking yet personable approach, providing much needed full-time assistance to the coaches and players.

Kieran McGuinness and Ed McDonnell drove into town early January and were welcomed enthusiastically at the team's pre-season camp at Woodhouse in the Adelaide Hills. The camp was structured around review, planning, companionship and activities including bike-riding, laser-skirmish, raft building and challenging running exercises.

A player leadership program commenced under the guidance of former Carlton player Jim Plunkett. The program which is ever-evolving, enables players to make decisions and take ownership of the culture they want to play football within, setting agreed benchmark behaviours, implementing them with defined actions, performance review and peer feedback.

By the time Iggy Vallejo, Austin Wonaeamirri and Chase Wynne arrived in February from Darwin and Perth respectively the playing group for the season ahead would be complete with the exception of Adelaide Crows listed player Luke Jericho who transferred from West Adelaide in May.

After some promising form in the trial games the Redlegs ran into a Warren Tredrea inspired (7 goals) Port Magpies in Round 1 and were given a reality check. After giving up a 5 goal lead at Noarlunga the team's first win came against Sturt, a superb team effort in wet, muddy conditions at Unley Oval in Round 4.

After losses to North and Centrals at home the team travelled to Richmond Oval, the season already seemingly on the line with just one win from 5 games. Jesse Aish with 3 goals sparked the visitors in the 3rd quarter, earning the Cola-Cola Star Search nomination for the round. This would be the first of four straight wins (Port Magpies, Glenelg and Eagles) before the mid-season bye. Chad Gibson suffered a season ending shoulder injury against Glenelg at Coopers Stadium; the effect of his absence for the remainder of the season could not be underestimated. AFL listed players Kris Massie, Bryce Campbell, Darren Pfeiffer, Nick Lower and Matthew Thomas were all contributing well, James Gallagher was relishing the responsibility of leading the team, his own game was taken to another level, Jamie Vlatko was in career best form at the goal-front, Kieran McGuinness was showing why he was a "must have" recruit, and Luke Nitschke was entrenched as a first choice player.

The outstanding performance at Thebarton Oval against last year's premiers was the highlight of the season; it would also be the turning point for all the wrong reasons as we would win just 3 more games. Comprehensive beltings by Sturt (Coopers Stadium) and Centrals (Elizabeth) after the bye were followed by more competitive yet just as unacceptable performances against North (Coopers Stadium) and Glenelg at the Bay leaving the season at 5 wins and 8 losses. South Adelaide came to Coopers Stadium with their own disarray, the Redlegs handing out an 85 point massacre to restore some pride and confidence in the Norwood jumper. This was the last we would see for the season of promising young ruckman Kenrick Tyrrell who badly broke his ankle in just his third game of league football.

Sensibly the Norwood Football Club board elected to extend Trevor Hill's contract by a further two years. This will enable the root cause of our non-finals appearances for the past 5 years under 3 coaches to be identified and addressed. There will be no quick, magical fix to our on-field predicament.

Two more losses to heavy weights Eagles (Coopers Stadium) and North (Prospect) would send the Redlegs to just 6 wins from 16 games at the last break. The even-ness of the competition however meant the Redlegs finals chances were far from spent, if only they could string some consistent football together in the last 4 games.

The loss of playmakers Kris Massie and Matthew Thomas to AFL and injury and the extended absence of team leaders Borlace and Zorzi during this seven week period could not be underestimated. This would not excuse however the patchy and inconsistent form of many players.

A 62 point victory over a disappointing West Adelaide after the bye would again kick-start our season, this would be short lived however when the Magpies clinched the Williams-Gallagher cup with a gutsy 11 point win that also ended any hopes of finals football.

Central Districts arrived at Coopers Stadium in round 22 having a combined winning margin of 220 points from the previous two encounters for the year and extended that to 271.

The team made its second trip to Noarlunga with a focus to take winning form into the long pre-season ahead, the two points were achieved, but the game wouldn't be remembered as any great spectacle by either club.

The season can best be described as one of "missed opportunities", consider the following games:

-->Round 3 - South at Noarlunga, ahead by 4 goals midway through the third quarter, lost by 32 points
--> Round 5 - North at Coopers Stadium, 1 point down at 3 quarter time, lost by 15 points
--> Round 6 - Centrals at Coopers Stadium, 4 points down at 3 quarter time, lost by 62 points
--> Round15 - Glenelg at Glenelg, 4 points down at 3 quarter time, lost by 13 points
--> Round 21 - Port at Alberton, 3 points up at 3 quarter time, lost by 11 points

All were games for the taking, the uneducated eye would scream "fitness" at these final quarter efforts, however reality is our decision making and execution of skills when the game was at stake were simply not good enough and this is ultimately why Norwood is absent from finals in 2007.

We won just 3 games from 10 at Coopers Stadium. We won 5 of or first 9 and just 3 of our last 11. Our average winning margin was 42. Our average losing margin was 45. Our conversion rate in front of goal was just 52%. The statistics are damning.

In all we played 40 players at senior level this year, 12 playing their first game of SANFL league football, of those 7 were recruits and 5 from the clubs junior program. Jamie Vlatko was the clubs leading goal scorer with 60, the first Norwood player to pass 50 since James West in 1997, he was followed by Jesse Aish with 19 and Stuart Bown and James Gallagher with 18.

This space will not be used for any public dissection of what went wrong, who should stay, who should go, that will be left to Jamie Mason, Trevor Hill and co, suffice to say, to move forward there must always be change, we must embrace and support the changes these very capable men feel is the way forward to the prosperity we all crave.

The strength of any organisation whether it sporting club or company is the quality of people it has on its books:

--> At 20, Matthew Thomas maintains the highest standard of personal and professional behaviour of any person I know. He makes personal sacrifice to prepare himself for maximum performance and once across the white line plays for keeps.

--> Austin Wonaeamirri lit up suburban ovals with his pace, skill and brilliance; he also lit up the hearts of those who shared his company. He probably wouldn't have planned the later that way; it was just Aussie being Aussie. Trevor Hill summed him up beautifully in The Sunday Mail on August 19, "He's a special young man. It's amazing what you can achieve if you haven't got an ego. Aussie just loves playing and he just loves the Norwood Footy Club. When you just go back to the true essence of playing, it brings out the best in anyone."

--> Ben Speight, a 17 year old year 12 student at Modbury High School, has an ability to communicate at all levels with all people, a maturity and understanding beyond his years and a willingness to listen, learn and carry out instructions to the best his developing body allows.

--> James Gallagher's personal qualities and commitment to return his club to the top of the premiership table make him the epitome of the Norwood brand.

--> The club worked hard to secure the services of Gary Goudge, who bought with him an AFL standard of professionalism along with a fresh spirit of co-operation. His team, often short in numbers, are never short in care and support for the playing group. Marc Robinson and Neil Havers share that spirit of co-operation, most weeks working well outside their job descriptions to get the job done. Others are to numerous to name, their spirit and commitment to the Norwood brand is no less than James Gallagher.

The Norwood Football Club means many things to many people, for gentleman like Bob Hammond, the community and friendship his football club provides him is priceless. Bob was forced to resign as League Timekeeper midway through the season due to ill health, was not able to attend games and in the next week will enter hospital for an operation. Bob's reaction when Luke McLean and Austin Wonaeamirri knocked on his door to deliver a signed Norwood jumper organised by James Gallagher and Brett Zorzi and a message of support was one of genuine love and appreciation for the playing group. It was a small but significant statement from the playing group, that they understood the responsibility that goes with wearing the Red and Blue jumper.

Norwood Football club. To Dream. To Live. To Live the Dream.

David J Bean
League Team Manager