Chris Fagan joins Tassie footy steering committee as enormity of task hits
EXCLUSIVE: BRISBANE Lions coach and passionate Tasmanian Chris Fagan has been added to the AFL’s steering committee tasked with solving the state’s football crisis.
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BRISBANE Lions coach and passionate Tasmanian Chris Fagan has been added to the AFL’s steering committee tasked with solving the state’s football crisis.
However, the enormity of fixing the state’s talent pathway issues has seen the deadline pushed back.
Originally, AFL chief executive and steering committee chair Gillon McLachlan was to come to Tasmania to announce a range of measures to fix the broken talent pathway on April 14 and a solution for the future of the now seven-team Tasmanian State League following the withdrawal of North-West Coast clubs Burnie and Devonport on June 30.
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But, after meeting this week, the steering committee — Mr McLachlan, AFL Tasmania chief executive Trisha Squires, former St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, Carlton coach Brendon Bolton, AFL head of game development Rob Auld and AFL state league manager Simon Laughton — found the talent pathway and the TSL were interlinked.
Mr McLachlan will still travel to Tasmania in coming weeks, most likely to the North-West Coast, but the committee’s finding and solutions for the talent pathway and the TSL won’t be announced until its self-imposed deadline of June 30.
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Ms Squires said after the meeting it was obvious the two could not be separated.
“After yesterday’s meeting, it was clear the committee has a desire to investigate the presented options in more depth,” she said.
“It’s important the options are interlinked with the TSL and our decision making needs to reflect this.
“The June 30 date allows us to explore the possible outcomes that are best for the talent pathways for boys and girls and the future of the state league in Tasmania.”
Fagan’s inclusion would suggest a return of the Mariners full time to the TAC Cup is on the cards. The former Mariners coach was a strong advocate of the program as an answer to the state’s football woes earlier this year in the Mercury.
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“Chris Fagan is a passionate supporter of Tasmanian football,” Ms Squires said.
“Like Brendon, he has been involved on many levels, and will bring great experience and perspective to the committee.”
The committee, including Fagan, will meet again in the coming fortnight.
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