United We Stand: Australian Test captain Tim Paine dons Tasmania’s famous Map

A Tasmanian AFL team is not just the talk of local footy circles, with Australia’s Test cricket captain taking the campaign to the other side of the world. WATCH HIS VIDEO

LET’S get Tasmania in footy’s big league is the national cricket captain’s call to arms to all his fellow Tasmanians.

Proud Tasmanian Tim Paine already owns one iconic piece of Australian sport, a baggy green cap, and overnight he donned another — the famous “Map” footy jumper — and he wants to see it in the AFL.

Paine has thrown his support behind the state’s push to join the AFL by wearing the Tasmanian State of Origin jumper at a net session at The Oval ahead of the fifth Ashes Test starting tonight.

In a video message urging all Tasmanians to get behind the campaign, Paine says:

“I’ve got the Tassie footy jumper on here, I think it is time Tassie have their own AFL team.

“I think it is time all Tasmanians got behind the cause at unitedwestand.com.au, get on there and pledge your allegiance to the Tasmanian footy club and lets get them in the big league.”

The Australian Test skipper’s standing couldn’t be higher after he became the first captain to retain the Ashes on English soil since Steven Waugh in 2001 after taking a 2-1 lead with the last match to go.

Picture: RYAN PIERSE/GETTY IMAGES

Paine has long links to Australian rules, with his elder brother Nick a six-time premiership player with Clarence (including two as captain), his uncle Robert Shaw an Adelaide and Fitzroy AFL coach, a Clarence premiership coach who also masterminded one of only two Tasmanian State of Origin wins over Victoria in 1990.

Tim was also a handy junior player himself playing with Clarence, but had to give up the winter code when he signed a rookie contract for the Tigers at just 16.

He is not the only one jumping on board, with the pledge page closing in on 20,000 sign ups.

You can add your name and your family at unitedwestand.com.au.