AFL boss Gillon McLachlan unveils Team Tasmania push as he outlines fix-it plan for our footy
THE “building blocks” for a future Tasmanian AFL team have ben laid in Hobart by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan — now the rest is up to us. WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE
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THE “building blocks” for a future Tasmanian AFL team have ben laid in Hobart by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan — now the rest is up to us.
There will be no Tasmanian team in the AFL anytime soon but, now the AFL has set a strong pathway and committed an extra $1.4 million in funding, McLachlan says the foundation will exist for the state to claim a licence when the time comes.
After a three-and-a-half month investigation into the state of the game in Tasmania by a specially formed steering committee, which included Tasmanians Chris Fagan, Nick Riewoldt and Brendon Bolton, the AFL’s chief executive flew to Hobart to announce sweeping changes at Blundstone Arena.
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An extra $1.4 million will be tipped into Tasmanian football from next year to fund an extended development pathway, starting from state under-12s to the under-18 Tassie Mariners entering the TAC Cup full-time next year, a Tasmanian girls’ team in the TAC Cup from 2020, and then a VFL men’s team from 2021.
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The major announcements include:
ADDITIONAL $1.4 million investment in Tasmanian football in 2019, with incremental funding to be committed in 2020 and beyond.
THREE new football administration hubs in the South, North and North-West, including regional advisory committees that will work with local community stakeholders dealing with local issues.
APPOINTMENT of a regional talent manager based and focused on the North-West Coast, which would mean all of the three regions would have such a position.
INTRODUCTION of a Tasmanian boys under-18 team in the TAC cup in 2019, with a full-time coach and regional coaching groups.
PROVISIONAL licence for a Tasmanian VFL team for 2021.
EXTENSION of talent pathway programs to include under-12 to under-18.
INCREASED investment in female talent, including a new full-time resource dedicated to the female talent pathways and establishment of a TAC Cup Girls program in 2020.
RE-BRANDING of all Tasmanian representative teams to sit under one team name. A name to be decided by the Tasmanian public.
McLachlan said a 10-year-old from Glenorchy could aspire to one day play for a Tasmanian team in the AFL.
“I think they can. They can dream to do that,” McLachlan said.
“And what we are trying to do is put the building blocks in place today to deliver on a unified, sustainable Tasmanian future that every boy and girl knows they’ve got a good pathway to the AFL or AFLW.
“Whether that is playing for a Tasmanian team or one of the current 18 teams, that’s a decision for eight or nine years time, for that 10-year-old.”
When asked when Tasmania would enter the AFL, he said: “That depends on the success of the next three, four, five years. Right now, Tasmanian football is fractured, our talent pathways are fragmented, the community football inter-relationships aren’t working, and we’ve dropped the ball on game development.
“This plan deals with all of those issues. But we need to deal with them and build the base and get a united Tasmanian football before Tasmania is really in a position to bid for a licence.
“The challenge is there. We have called them out. And addressing them is a challenge for Tasmania.”
McLachlan said Tasmania’s case for a team was different to the Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney.
“They were built for very different strategic reasons, around growth and huge growing markets,” he said.
“This package delivers more funding, but also requires more co-operation across the state, and delivery of community and participation outcomes,” McLachlan said.
“The committee recognised the need to rebuild the foundations to ensure Tasmanian football prospers.”
The Tasmanian State League will remain the premier competition in the state and will continue to receive AFL funding, with a small boost of $3000 to a $110,000 annual grant.
McLachlan said the seven TSL clubs had committed to working with community football within their zones.
“We will continue to support the seven State League clubs, they are an important part of their local areas. The clubs are committed to deliver the community and participation outcomes required to keep football healthy,” he said.
“In order for footy to grow in one of our founding footy states, we need the help from the Tasmania football community to help create the solutions.
“This needs to be a team effort.”
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