Tasmanian AFL Legend Royce Hart has sunk the boot into politicians for the “mess” that could sink the Devils’ AFL team

Tasmania’s AFL Hall of Fame Legend Royce Hart has slammed the state’s politicians for threatening to kill the Devils’ team dream. What he said.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Junior Tasmanian players run though a banner during the AFL Tasmanian Team Announcement at North Hobart Oval on May 03, 2023 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

One of Tasmania’s AFL “Fab Four’ Royce Hart has sunk the boot into the state’s politicians for the “political madness” that threatens to kill the Tasmanian team dream.

Hart, 77, a Legend in the AFL Hall of Fame along with Darrel Baldock, Ian Stewart and Peter Hudson, said the political power-play unfolding in state Parliament was a clear and present danger to Tasmania’s AFL licence, which is tied to the development of a 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point.

Hart is passionate about the future of football in his home state, as a four-time Richmond premiership player and two-time Tigers premiership captain, centre half-forward in the AFL Team of the Century, and Icon in the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame.

Royce Hart holds up the Premiership Cup after the 1974 Grand Final win over North Melbourne.

He said the state’s politicians should have a good, hard think about the future of the game in Tasmania and the economic benefits an AFL team and a multi-purpose venue would bring.

“There are a lot of people making decisions who are not qualified to do it,” Hart said.

“Not many of them would know anything about football, apart from Peter Gutwein _ he was the shining light, but he’s gone.”

Hart said Gutwein was “too smart” to make a political comeback.

“I’d say to the politicians get some decent advice, because you’ve buggered it up so far,” he said.

“We’ve been chasing after our own team for so long and now we are about to lose it.

“They need to think about the kids coming through because they need something to aspire to.

“At the moment it’s a shambles.”

Hart was forced to move away from his home state to follow his football dream, at 17-year-old signed by Richmond for the price of a suit and six business shirts.

Royce Hart when he was about to be inducted into the "Legends" category of the AFL Hall of Fame in 2013. Pictured at Bellerive Oval, where he played for Clarence as a teenager.

He said the opportunity now dangling in front of Tasmanian kids and future generations of aspiring players, being able to stay and play in their home state, was hanging in the balance.

“You don’t have to be too smart to work that out,” he said.

A bespoke stadium has been on Hart’s radar for a long time.

“Of course we should have a stadium,” he said.

“I said years ago they should have built something there at Macquarie Point the equivalent of the Sydney Opera House.

“They had all sorts of ‘blues’ about that with the bloke from Denmark who designed [Jorn Utzen] and sent him home, and now it’s one of the architectural icons of the world.

Tasmanian Tigers - Matthew Richardson and Royce Hart

“When I was in Melbourne they built the [Wrest Point] casino down here, and every second person wanted to come to Hobart to see it.

“This is what Macquarie Point would be like.

“Build it and give the kids something to aspire to – they need a goal to aim for and if they got something like Macquarie Point they would have a goal.”

Originally published as Tasmanian AFL Legend Royce Hart has sunk the boot into politicians for the “mess” that could sink the Devils’ AFL team