A plea for a crowd boost for SFL grand final gets a cold shoulder from the Premier

He was a hard-nosed football player in his day and Premier Peter Gutwein has reluctantly “shirt-fronted” a plea for more people to attend the SFL’s big day. READ HIS RESPONSE >>

• TSL’s game at North Hobart Oval will be a coronavirus trial on easing crowd restriction
• TSL club North Hobart has called for the crowd limit at outdoor events to be lifted

A “FAILED” trial of increased football crowds at North Hobart Oval last month has been blamed for the SFL grand final attendance being capped at 1000 people.

Former SFL president Madeleine Ogilvie asked Premier Peter Gutwein to intervene and boost the crowd limit to 1250 ticketed fans for the community competition’s big day between Cygnet and Huonville Lions at North Hobart Oval on Saturday.

The TSL grand final will be allowed an attendance of about 3750 at the larger, AFL venue UTas Stadium.

Jacob Steele of North Hobart and Jackson Callow of North Launceston in action. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

However, the answer was an emphatic no.

“It has been a long hard year, and people just want to enjoy a day out watching the local footy grand finals,” Ms Ogilvie said.

“There is ample room at North Hobart Oval for an increase in the cap of 1000. It might require some additional management but this is achievable.

Fans in the crowd watch the North Hobart V North Launceston game. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“I support the SFL, and always will. I want to see the Tasmanian community football family be able to come together for the great clash of an all-Huon SFL grand final.”

Independent MP Madeleine Ogilvie during question time in State Parliament. Picture: Zak Simmonds

SFL president Russell Young said the game was a sell-out and a few hundred more bums on seats would be manna from heaven.

For Mr Gutwein, there was no wiggle room.

“The TSL grand final at UTAS Stadium falls under the national stadia policy on the basis it has individual seating — and that is 25 per cent of the roughly 13,500 seats there,” he said.

“For North Hobart, a trial was conducted that I think allowed for 25 per cent — about 1200 to 1250 people — to attend.

“That was not as successful as it could have been, and I believe that was a point made by the president of one of the clubs on that day.

“I would like to find a way. As a member of parliament, as a politician, it gives me no pleasure to deliver a message like that, because at the end of the day I am potentially annoying the other 3000 to 4000 people who might like to attend a game like that.”