Do you really want a Tassie team?

[Over The Post]

With the TSL in disarray, a lot of the mainland comment seems to be focused on the lack of a Tasmanian state team as opposed to a state league. What are your thoughts?

Here's the latest from the ABC:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-...ore-tasmania-local-footy-suffers-most/9409820

 

[Kingpin]

With regard to the case of Devonport and now Burnie, they haven't collapsed and gone out of business as that article seems to suggest, it's more of a case of niether club being able to attract enough players in a region which has been struggling for a number of years with societal issues such as extremely high unemployment, lack of big businesses, financial problems, quite a large drug problem and population decline.
This has meant that the numbers of young men in that region remaining would prefer, if playing football at all, to remain playing locally in local north western leagues because they can earn just as much, if not more, by playing in their region rather than by committing to the quite significant demands of being involved in the Tasmanian State League.
So, with that, both Burnie and Devonport have had to bite the bullet and return their clubs to playing in the local north western competitions.
I believe that if the TSL was funded properly, and you didn't have a loss of so many young adult men out of the region as has occurred in recent years then Burnie and Devonport would still be strong and viable members in TSL football.
The carrot to entice players from up there simply isn't there for TSL footy especially seeing as most of the local leagues up and down the state have develeoped a habit of overspending on players which is why we're seeing so many lopsided competitions now.
Both clubs, especially Devonport, have had a history of financial problems as well so they have to be mindful of what they spend especially given how poor the attendances are at TSL matches now.
In 1989, 1990 and 1991 the TFL Statewide League's salary cap was at $200,000 per club per annum (equates to between $390,000 and $416,000 for a 2018 salary cap) but it's currently at around $80,000 to $90,000.
It just won't work with that lack of funding.

I think trying to get an AFL team in Tasmania is pie-in-the-sky when we can't even get our local or state football right.
We've managed to have the grand total of ONE player drafted in two years.
I think we need to fix our own setup first and require better funding to increase our playing standards before we look too far ahead.
Just my opinion.

 

[callmebob]

"...rather than by committing to the quite significant demands of being involved in the Tasmanian State League."


This says it all.
If you aren't enjoying your football and the flow-on social activities then it becomes stale very quickly. Unless AFL is the main aim then most would prefer to have a kick and the odd ale with their mates and family around them. Back in the day we played footy and cricket, and time for social activities has not increased but these days there is so much more on offer...people fly to Melbourne for the weekend more often than I got to Bunnings. And there is hardly any engagement from the community into these teams. Grass roots footy is disappearing and people are not interested in supporting a team they have no connection to that is based in a city up the road.

The same principle might apply to a Tassie AFL team...who is going to give up their allegiance to their old VFL/AFL club to follow a new one. Yep it will be good to have AFL games to watch but the supporter base is not there and would have to be manufactured. How many people grab a Nth Melbourne state membership just to go and watch a game of AFL? Heaps do.

 

[Over The Post]

Gil wants a Tassie team. He says so:

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan will meet some of his unhappiest constituents later this month when he visits Tasmania.

The league chief executive said he intentionally delayed the visit until after last weekend's state election.

McLachlan on Wednesday confirmed the trip and added he would meet Premier Will Hodgman.

"I committed to wait until the election was over to go to Tasmania - I think everyone understands that's fair and appropriate," McLachlan said.

"I'm sure when I'm there, I will catch up with Will."

Tasmania is a hot issue for the league, with ongoing local discontent that they do not have their own AFL team.

Instead, Hawthorn play some home games in Launceston and North Melbourne do the same in Hobart.

More recently, AFL Tasmania chief executive Rob Auld was promoted to a job at league headquarters after less than two years in the role.

The Tasmanian State League has been in crisis, with Burnie and Devonport saying they cannot field teams because of a lack of numbers.

But McLachlan said the AFL had significantly increased its investment in Tasmanian community football, adding there had been growth in Auskick and community numbers.

"That is our focus at the moment - getting youth and community football working in Tasmania again," he said.

"We think there should be one team representing all Tasmanians, but acknowledge the challenges in that, with Hawthorn in the north and North Melbourne in the south."

McLachlan said disquiet over Auld's promotion, with Trish Squires taking his place, was misguided.

"He's done a hell of a job, the numbers speak for themselves and then (he) had an internal promotion," McLachlan said.

"I just don't think people understood what happened.

"I acknowledge there are challenges down there."

 

[fumbler]

The local leagues down there are losing out big time, while I was in Cairns I knew of at least 20 young fellas playing there that were from Tassie, doesn't seem like that much but imagine if five of them were from the same club. Also I have seen quite a few clearances in the NFNL from Tassie and the same down in Geelong.

Can only steal these players for a certain amount of time until it's tapped out.