AFL Tas keen for more rep opportunities as Qld rematch looms

The raging success of Saturday’s representative games against Queensland has AFL Tasmania excited to expand its representative program, including a rematch up north next year.

Tasmania celebrates during Saturday’s win over Queensland. Picture: Linda Higginson

AFL Tasmania boss Damian Gill says the raging success of Saturday’s state games has “whet the appetite” to provide more chances for Tasmania’s best talent to play representative football.

After 7189 fans packed North Hobart Oval to watch the first senior fixtures since 2017, Gill confirmed the intention is for Tasmania’s men and women to play in the Sunshine State next year.

Gill added the strong turnout also provided an encouraging sneak peak into what support for VFL and VFLW teams would look like, should Tasmania enter the competitions as planned in 2025.

Tasmania held off Queensland by seven points in the men’s fixture.

“It is a big project bringing it together, but when you have a day like yesterday you wonder why we haven’t done more of it,” he said.

“Leading into a VFL team, we’ll look at opportunities we can bring or our senior men and women and bring them together in a senior representative program.

“I think there’s scope for more representative footy, be it regional and also state, as we move forward into a new era.

“It does speak to if we had a VFL program, where our pointy end best could play their trade on a regular basis, just how good that could be.

“No question yesterday whets the appetite for what (representative) opportunities we can unlock for our senior men and women the next couple of years.”

Gill said they plan to return the favour to Queensland by sending men’s and women’s teams to the Sunshine State for a re-match.

A big crowd packed North Hobart Oval to watch Tasmania’s footballers take on Queensland on Saturday. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“It’s likely we’ll fly up to Qld next year and take them on up there,” he said.

“Beyond that it will be a wait and see because depending on how things unfold, it’s likely we’ll have VFL and VFLW in 2025.

“I think our Queensland counterparts were a bit blown away by the level of support in the venue.

“Their commentary was maybe don’t get our hopes up in expecting a similar crowd we produced, which speaks to the power of what footy means to Tasmanians.

“It’s been a point of frustration for a long time for me that we’ve had a bleed on talent out of the state, and people haven’t been able to strut their stuff at the senior level.

“VFL and VFLW is a crucial ingredient in that and if there’s some rep footy on the way prior to that, it would only be a good thing.”

Gill said the feedback from everyone involved show how important more chances to wear ‘The Map’ should be going forward.

We’ve never had a problem gettingpeople to want to be part of the program, the players spoke glowingly about it afterwards.

“Speaking to the players, they absolutely loved it. It gets lost in the politics but really the players are the ones that matter.

“I know for everyone who pulled on the map yesterday, it meant a great deal to them. “Hopefully we have the opportunity to do more for it in the future.”