Feud between Tassie Premier and Suns president only brings out 6719 fans

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein called for fans to turn out in force but it’s hard to criticise when all you have is a battle of the cellar dwellers.

Plenty of green still available on the hill at Blundstone Arena.

If Tasmanian AFL fans don’t want to turn out to see the 18th placed North Melbourne play the 16th placed Gold Coast Suns, can you really blame them?

While it’s a big result for the Kangaroos who claimed a second win for the season in the 9.18 (72) to 9.9 (63) win, it was hardly the type of inspirational thriller that has fans on the edge of their seats.

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Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein, who is pushing hard for Tasmania to get the 19th team in the AFL, continued his bitter feud with Sun chairman Tony Cochrane.

Cochrane had been critical of Tasmania’s bid, labelling it “insanity” from a business point of view.

To led to Gutwein calling for Tasmanian footy fans to come out in force for the Kangaroos-Suns match, continuing the momentum after a sold out crowd of just under 15,000 watching Essendon and Hawthorn in Launceston last week.

The crowd tried it best to go wild but it was barely more than a golf clap.

Gutwein called for the pair to have a kicking competition and for Tasmanian fans to boo the Suns chairman.

“When he is here at Blundstone, and I understand he is coming, we as Tasmanians get the opportunity to show him first hand our passion for the game,” Gutwein told state parliament on Thursday.

“Whilst I understand that the Suns aren’t the most successful team... I would make the point that we need to turn up on Saturday.

“There’ll be a chance for all Tasmanians to go along to very politely, but very loudly, boo Tony.”

Cochrane hit back, telling WIN News: “No one should be encouraging booing of anybody. Look what it did in the Adam Goodes situation.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that any person in Australia would encourage booing.”

While it was entertaining theatre and did get a few more fans in the stand, it probably wasn’t anything to change the minds of the detractors.

The AFL reported 6719 fans in the stands, it’s biggest crowd in the four games at Blundstone Arena this season.

This is amid a massive ticket giveaway and non stop battles in the press, including the front page of The Mercury calling for fans to turn out wearing green.

Cochrane didn’t even take Gutwein on in the kicking battle.

Premier Peter Gutwein drills a goal for Tasmania on @BlundstoneArena prior to the @NMFCOfficial v @GoldCoastSUNS clash…

The competition ended up being against some local players, not the Chairman of the Suns Tony Cochrane… pic.twitter.com/pgyRHzIgkb

— Brent Costelloe (@brentcostelloe) June 26, 2021

Then again Tasmania was thrilled by the result with The Mercury reporting that Gutwein was thrilled by the result, having expected just 2000 to 2500 earlier in the week.

Tasmania is desperate to show its primed for an AFL franchise.

While the crowds are more modest in Tasmania with 19,000 capacity at Blundstone Arena and 19,500 at UTAS Stadium, the crowd was hardly able to muster more of a golf clap atmosphere.

Maybe it would be different with two teams that are going somewhere in 2021.

So what’s that, an extra 2400 people compared to the record low recent crowd? Not a great result, considering the free tickets and Gutwein’s call to arms. All the more reason to base the Tassie team at York Park.

— Daniel McCulloch (@dlmcculloch) June 26, 2021

The rebuilding Kangaroos showed plenty of resolve however, bouncing back from an eight-point deficit at halftime and holding the Sun to just two second half goals.

While kicking wasn’t the Kangaroos’ strong point with 18 behinds in the nine-point win, it could prove to be an important result for the young club after they were denied a win against the Giants just two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the Suns have won just one of their last seven and a loss to the last-placed Kangaroos will heap more pressure on the under fire group.

Originally published as Feud between Tassie Premier and Suns president only brings out 6719 fans