Expansion Tasmania Officially Granted 19th Licence

[SM]

Tasmania set to enter AFL after decades of campaigning

The AFL club presidents have voted unanimously to grant Tasmania the game's 19th licence, fulfilling decades of dreams for a team from the island state.

www.abc.net.au

Long overdue.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Only 20 years too late

 

[The 747]

Good.

 

[Shane Heard]

No one in their right mind will want to live and train there.

Doomed to failure this ridiculous decision

 

[Gaspard]

This should have happened 30 years or more ago. It is too late now. Terrible administration by the AFL of the Tasmanian leagues, coupled with the destruction of school sport by Tasmania's education department in the late eighties have left a desert in an area that was once a stronghold of local football.
The insane demand for a new stadium for the team, when there exist two already, at a time of urgent need in housing and health has alienated the non football population, and left many football followers with a negative view on the new team. McLaughlin has set this up for failure.

 

[faible]

No one in their right mind will want to live and train there.

Doomed to failure this ridiculous decision

What a sad sack.

 

[TassieSaint]

Honestly a bit emotional at the news. Should have happened before GC and GWS but better late than never. Time to celebrate.

 

[BF Tiger]

Is 2027 too far away? It’s basically four years away. Could it have been sooner?

The AFL have pretty recent history of introducing two new sides. I think we the lessons learned there the Tassie side could possibly have been introduced at least a season sooner.

 

[Cleavy]

Is 2027 too far away? It’s basically four years away. Could it have been sooner?

The AFL have pretty recent history of introducing two new sides. I think we the lessons learned there the Tassie side could possibly have been introduced at least a season sooner.

I think they want to ensure the pathway (VFL) level is in place before the senior side is up and going

 

[faible]

Is 2027 too far away? It’s basically four years away. Could it have been sooner?

The AFL have pretty recent history of introducing two new sides. I think we the lessons learned there the Tassie side could possibly have been introduced at least a season sooner.

Doubtful, they need time to get the infrastructure in place for lower levels in Tassie, get the admin and coaching staff, facilities lined up etc.. etc..

There's a lot that goes in to it all, and they wouldn't want to bring a team in a year too soon and have it blow up like GCS did with their initial list build.

 

[Colonial]

Honestly a bit emotional at the news. Should have happened before GC and GWS but better late than never. Time to celebrate.

The club is formed no need to drag other peoples clubs into it.

 

[Colonial]

Congrats and welcome to the comp Tassie!

 

[Jack_1870]

Should of happened in 1998.
Hopefully their stadium has a roof, TV audiences don't want wet weather footy week after week. IMO.

 

[scott_the_man]

No one in their right mind will want to live and train there.

Doomed to failure this ridiculous decision

What makes you say that?

The climate isn't much different to Melbourne. The main difference is how much quieter of a place it is, which for some people may be great.

Also Melbourne is only a short 1 hour flight away.

 

[faible]

Hopefully their stadium has a roof, TV audiences don't want wet weather footy week after week. IMO.

Hobart has less annual rainfall and less annual rainy days than Melbourne, and only marginally more than Adelaide or Perth

 

[Freomaniac]

Is 2027 too far away? It’s basically four years away. Could it have been sooner?

The AFL have pretty recent history of introducing two new sides. I think we the lessons learned there the Tassie side could possibly have been introduced at least a season sooner.

Its 2023 now. And the Tassie side comes in 2027. So there's 2024, 2025 and 2026 to plan this.

Good time to fund the Tassie state league. Start from 2024. Build up and develop the next generation of Tassie kids.

Develop some 16-18 year Olds from 2024. By the end of 2026 those 16-18 year Olds will be 18-20 year Olds. Perfect time for Tassie to draft some kids in the 2026 draft to get ready for the 2027 season.

Doubtful, they need time to get the infrastructure in place for lower levels in Tassie, get the admin and coaching staff, facilities lined up etc.. etc..

There's a lot that goes in to it all, and they wouldn't want to bring a team in a year too soon and have it blow up like GCS did with their initial list build.

Agreed. Dockers struggled as they only had 2-3 months to build up the squad. Dockers were competitive despite lack of time and money put in the team.

Gold coast and GWS had a solid 12-18 months to build up the squad and had scouts all over the country.

I don't think Tassie needs 9 of the 1st 15 picks. I don't think they need a massive 50 player squad.

Each AFL side has 42-44 players. 38 on the main squad and 4-6 rookies.

I'm sure you could find a way for Tassie to get 34 players on the main squad.

Let Tassie get 8-12 free agents from other clubs.

Then access to 8-12 delisted list cloggers from other clubs.

Then the 2 earliest picks of each round. So that's 14 picks.

Then 8-10 rookie picks.

 

[justlookingaround]

Thought I'd never see the day.
Congrats Tassie. Wonderful place. If you think no one would want to live there you're probably the sort that hasn't touched grass in 6+ months.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Hobart has less annual rainfall and less annual rainy days than Melbourne, and only marginally more than Adelaide or Perth

It’s quiet funny people talk about Tasmania like it is Antarctica

 

[chiwigi]

Thought I'd never see the day.
Congrats Tassie. Wonderful place. If you think no one would want to live there you're probably the sort that hasn't touched grass in 6+ months.

Or have never been.
Amazing place on so many levels.

 

[Freomaniac]

This should have happened 30 years or more ago. It is too late now. Terrible administration by the AFL of the Tasmanian leagues, coupled with the destruction of school sport by Tasmania's education department in the late eighties have left a desert in an area that was once a stronghold of local football.
The insane demand for a new stadium for the team, when there exist two already, at a time of urgent need in housing and health has alienated the non football population, and left many football followers with a negative view on the new team. McLaughlin has set this up for failure.

Had it happened 20-30 years ago, would it made a difference?

There's only 250,000 in Hobart. So had Tassie got an AFL side in 2000-2005, would there be 3-500,000 people living in Hobart?

I am sure 1 billion dollars investment in housing would help

 

[projectv]

Great decision! Long overdue. Can't wait to visit Tassie again love the place.

No one in their right mind will want to live and train there.

Doomed to failure this ridiculous decision

Honestly could you be more of a dickhead?

 

[Feraligatr]

Yes!
It's about time.

Congrats Tassie, you deserved this.

 

[LoBu]

Is the plan to relocate a Melbourne team down?

Seriously though, if we are to sustain AFL football clubs across Australia, the AFL will have to keep lifting the wages and salary cap. It will need to get to a point where players are being paid so much that they lose all enterprise bargaining power such as where they want to live.

Then the AFL will have to look at the money it pays back to clubs, and won't like clubs that can't sustain themselves. There will be protected clubs, but some Vic clubs might be worried.

Players will win, clubs will win, but only the strong ones.

 

[Feraligatr]

It’s quiet funny people talk about Tasmania like it is Antarctica

I went to tassie in December of 2018 to get a tassie devil tattoo of all things.

I absolutely fell in love with Hobart. It was a gorgeous city and somewhere I could see myself living.

I love Tasmania.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Can't wait for the stink with Warner Brothers if they want to be called the Devils.