Get ready Gill, its time for an AFL club cull, says Tasmanian Premier

Premier Peter Gutwein has gone in strong, urging the AFL to cut a club from the competition to make room for a Tassie team. But what club would go? VOTE IN OUR POLL NOW.

TASMANIAN Premier Peter Gutwein says it is time for ailing AFL clubs to be culled to allow the state into the big league.

And his comments have been endorsed by three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Alastair Lynch and head of the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce Brett Godfrey.

At his daily COVID-19 press conference, Mr Gutwein — completely unprompted — said given the current crisis that had seen the AFL borrow $600 million to survive, it was time to restructure the league.

He said some clubs needed the league to prop them up in the good times, so now was the chance for change.

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“I’d like the AFL … to come back to a blank sheet of paper,” Mr Gutwein said.

“If you are going to call it a national competition, then out of this set up a national competition, and use this as an opportunity — as every business in the country is — to actually review its expenditures and to review where it is achieving its revenues from.

“Here is an opportunity for them to consider whether or not they need all of the current teams they have got, and whether or not Tasmania could be part of the national competition moving forward.”

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The AFL did not respond, but league chief executive Gillon McLachlan has pledged previously all 18 men’s teams and all 14 AFLW teams would come out the other side of this crisis.

But Mr Gutwein’s comments received backing from Tasmanian team of the century player and Fox Footy commentator Alastair Lynch.

Lynch believes the pressure would come on the nine Melbourne-based clubs, not struggling expansion team the Gold Coast Suns.

He said the COVID-19 crisis had most likely killed off the state’s chance of acquiring a 19th licence, but increased the chances of a relocated or merged Melbourne team.

“It is about the stress that is on the Melbourne clubs to be sustainable after these times,” Lynch said.

“They are under enormous pressure now, and they always have been.

“I don’t think there will be a 19th licence. I think it will be a relocation for a team that is under increasing financial stress in a congested market.

“If we go to the Premier’s comments and you are going for a national competition, there is absolutely no way that the Gold Coast is going anywhere. If you have a blank sheet you wouldn’t have that many clubs in Victoria.”

 

Premier Peter Gutwein kicking a football with Errol Stewart at UTAS Stadium in Launceston. Picture: PATRICK GEE

 

Tasmanian AFL legend Alastair Lynch on Hobart's waterfront. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

 

The Premier’s comments appear a change in philosophy as the campaign, led by the AFL Taskforce chief Mr Godfrey, has always been aimed at a 19th licence rather than relocating, merging or killing off current clubs.

Mr Godfrey said Mr Gutwein’s comments were “an expansion of ideas”.

“Our work was done on the basis of how a Tasmanian expansion club could work and add value to the league based on trending projections,” he said. “COVID-19 is an obvious game-changer and all major sports are assessing how these new realities play out.

“Perhaps the 2019 status quo will return, but good leadership, whether it’s sport, business or government, will ensure in this environment, anything and everything is put on the table to survive and benefit from a new normal.”

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