Editorial: Time for Tassie AFL team

A footy team is far from the most critical thing our state needs at the moment. But there is no reason why we cannot walk and chew gum at the same time — and Tasmania deserves its own AFL side.

CARTOONIST Jon Kudelka has nailed it again. Supermarket giant Aldi — the hugely popular chain famous for its mix of groceries and weekly specials that include everything from ski boots to barbecues — has confirmed that despite filming its Christmas television ad in Tasmania, it has no plans to set up a store here (despite it having a footprint already in every mainland state). Enter Kudelka, and his cartoon of two Tasmanians walking on the beach at the Stanley Nut — where the ad was filmed. “And now,” one of the characters announces while looking at his phone, “Aldi are running a special on AFL licences — but you have to pick up in-store”.

It rings true doesn’t it. Tasmania again shunned, just like the AFL has done to us now for decades. Meanwhile, the unitedwestand.com.au website set up by the State Government taskforce that is building the latest case for a Tassie AFL team crept over 60,000 pledges of support early this week. If those numbers were converted into paid-up memberships for a future Tassie team, that team would have more members than half of the existing AFL clubs. Add another 5000 to that number and we would be sixth — behind the super-clubs of Richmond (103,000), West Coast (90,000), Collingwood (85,000), Essendon (84,000), and Hawthorn (81,000). The Gold Coast Suns, meanwhile, have just 13,649 members at last count. Sixty thousand pledges is a powerful statement. Yes, these are just free pledges, not paid-up memberships. But on the flipside they are also pledges to support a club that doesn’t yet exist. It’s also a seriously valuable database of email addresses that the taskforce has promised to hand over to the future Tasmanian Football Club. There is no doubt the pledge campaign will be a cornerstone of the pitch the taskforce will be making in its assessment, which is still on track to be delivered to the government before the end of the year.

But as important as it is, fan support is only one piece of the puzzle. To be successful, the AFL will also need to be convinced there is corporate support. And on this, the taskforce will have good news as well. It is understood some “powerful” brands have already committed to sponsorship arrangements should Tasmania be granted a licence. Add to this good news the fact that a growing list of former players are giving their input in the attractiveness of the culture that could be created at a club not based in one of the big cities and this is looking like the best pitch we have ever made to the spivs at AFL House who have — perhaps until now — dismissed our shared dream as just that.

Yes, a footy team is far from the most critical thing our state needs at the moment. A functioning hospital would be a good start. A better plan for inclusive growth should be another priority. The delivery of the infrastructure we need in our rapidly growing capital would be another. But there is no reason why we cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. Tasmania deserves its own AFL team. Putting an end to this long-running joke might make life a bit harder for our cartoonists, but surely it’s time this happened.