AFL 2025: Tasmania Devils appoint Todd Patterson as list boss

The Tasmania Devils have made their most significant football appointment to date by snaring the services of an ex-Pies recruiting guru who helped lead a massive Melbourne club to premiership success.

Tasmania Football Club CEO Brendon Gale. Picture: Tasmania Football Club

The Tasmania Devils have appointed two of the best recruiters in the business to build the team that will debut in the AFL in 2028 and club CEO Brendon Gale is confident he has got the right men for the job.

Gale appointed highly-respected AFL recruiter Derek Hine, who is starting as Tasmania Football Club’s inaugural head of recruiting, and Melbourne recruiter, Tasmanian Todd Patterson, into the role of head of list management and strategy.

Hine joins the Devils after more than two decades at Collingwood, where he played a pivotal role in building premiership-winning teams and finals-contending lists through astute drafting and talent identification.

Widely regarded as one of the most experienced and accomplished recruiting managers in the AFL industry, Hine’s appointment marks a major milestone as the Devils continue to build a strong foundation ahead of its AFL and AFLW entries.

Gale described Hine as a “significant addition” to the rapidly evolving club, which has almost 210,000 members.

“Derek brings a wealth of experience, insight and credibility to our club,” Gale said.

“He has a proven track record, and his passion for talent identification and team building aligns perfectly with our vision for the Tasmania Devils.

“We are committed to establishing a strong and sustainable football system, and to attract someone of Derek’s calibre at this formative stage speaks volumes about what we’re creating. It’s a really exciting time for football in this state.”

Derek Hine will be the club’s head of recruiting.

Hine said he was “energised” by the opportunity to help shape a new era of Tasmanian football.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help build a club from the ground up and to be part of something truly historic,” he said.

“Tasmania has always been a proud football state, and the chance to contribute to the development of its own AFL club is incredibly special.

“In my discussions with Brendon and [board member] Alastair Lynch, I have been truly inspired by the culture of excellence, teamwork and community that the Tasmania Devils Football Club already embodies.

“I look forward to working closely with our football leaders to establish a list and culture that Tasmanians can be proud of for generations to come.”

Patterson joins the Devils from the Melbourne Football Club, where he played a pivotal role in the club’s AFLW program and its premiership in 2022, and contributed strongly to the men’s list management and recruiting strategy as the Dees won the AFL flag in 2021.

As Demons’ AFLW List Manager, Patterson was instrumental in building and sustaining a list that delivered the club’s first AFLW Premiership in 2022, and consistently contended at the top end of the competition.

“As a proud Tasmanian the opportunity to help build the teams that will represent our state in the AFL and AFLW is something that stirs immense pride and determination inside of me,” he said

“The hard work has started well before today, but from a football sense it is time now to roll our sleeves up and leave no stone unturned to build the most competitive teams that we can.

“The opportunity to play with the Devils is a unique career opportunity for our potential players. The facilities and lifestyle that Tasmania offers help athletes maximise their potential.”

The pair will spend most of their time in Melbourne conducting a significant portion of their talent-search and negotiate with player managers.

Originally published as AFL 2025: Tasmania Devils appoint Todd Patterson as list boss