Tassie fires back after Gold Coast Suns’ smack talk on state’s AFL push
Things are getting personal in the war between Tasmania and the Gold Coast Suns over the state’s push for entry into the big league. LATEST >>
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- Gold Coast party pooper Tony Cochrane coming to Hobart to watch Suns play Kangaroos
- Footy great says time to end Gold Coast experiment and open door for Tasmanian team
TASMANIAN Premier Peter Gutwein has hit back at Tony Cochrane after the Gold Coast Suns chairman played the man and not the ball with a cheap shot at AFL Taskforce chairman Brett Godfrey.
Appearing on FoxFooty’s On The Couch on Monday night while defending his massively underachieving expansion franchise, Mr Cochrane had a personal crack at Mr Godfrey.
Mr Godfrey and his Taskforce have completed a comprehensive business case for a Tasmanian team that is currently being reviewed by former AFL commission Colin Carter.
“I read the initial report, written by a bloke I might add who chaired it who three weeks after handing in the report went and joined the board of the Australian Rugby Union,” Mr Cochrane said on FoxFooty
“I’m not sure that’s kind of the dedication we want in AFL circles.”
Mr Godfrey, the co-founder and original chief executive of Virgin Australia, stated from the outset his was not an Australian rules background, but appointed as an independent who can properly assess the emotive push from a business point of view.
Mr Gutwein was not impressed by Mr Cochrane’s drive by.
“It is disappointing Gold Coast Suns’ chair, Tony Cochrane, continues his sustained attack on Tasmania’s bid for an AFL team, including an attempt to discredit chair of the AFL Tasmania Taskforce, Brett Godfrey, on Fox Sports,” told the Mercury exclusively.
“Mr Godfrey is an independent and highly reputable business leader, and has contributed an enormous amount of effort to undertake due diligence and oversee the Taskforce business case, which clearly demonstrates that a Tasmanian AFL team stacks up.”
The Premier said clearly Mr Cochrane had not read the report in depth, as it actually falls in line with the Suns chairman’s call to hold off on expansion for three to five years.
“Tasmania as an AFL heartland does not face the same costly code-battles that Mr Cochrane referred to in Queensland, and with a sold out crowd last weekend at UTAS Stadium, and time frames in place that ensure viability, I would encourage Mr Cochrane to be more positive regarding the growth prospects for the league over the next 5 to 10 years and support Tasmania having its own team,” he said.
It is understood none of the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce sought or were given payment, and in fact Mr Godfrey has funded his own flights and accommodations for more than 25 trips around the country compiling the report and then pushing the state’s case.
He has also previously stated he would not take a position on the board or executive so has nothing to gain by the campaign’s success.
Mr Cochrane has been invited to Saturday’s North Melbourne-Gold Coast game in Hobart, but had yet to confirm his attendance as he waited on border restrictions.
However, Mr Gutwein poured scorn on this delaying tactic.
“I have also had advice that there is no impediment to Mr Cochrane travelling to Tasmania for this weekend’s game between North Melbourne and the Gold Coast at Blundstone Arena, unless he has been to a listed hotspot,” Mr Gutwein said.
“I look forward to welcoming and discussing with him in person the benefits of Tasmania having its own team, and the importance of this for a truly national competition.”
Invitation sent: Will the Sun’s big-mouthed boss Tony Cochrane set south for a Hobart visit?
HAS Tony Cochrane got the backbone to back up his big mouth?
The Gold Coast Suns chairman — who has taken great pleasure in belittling Tasmania and its push for an AFL team while overseeing the most unsuccessful club in the league — has received an official invitation to next Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne in Hobart.
Roos chief executive Ben Amarfio issued the invitation on Sunday to the outspoken president who has become enemy No.1 with Tasmania’s footy-loving fans.
“Tony very kindly hosted us at his Chairman’s function at Metricon earlier this year and we will be reciprocating by inviting him to our match this weekend, so we hope he can make it down,” Mr Amarfio said.
“We congratulate Tony on his recent awarding of an AM for his service to sport and entertainment but we suspect there might not be as many locals queuing up to congratulate him given his comments last week.”
Mr Cochrane has questioned everything about Tasmania’s AFL campaign – from population, fan base, finances and economics and even the state’s weather.
Last week he said on interstate radio he again dismissed the idea of Tasmania finally being granted a licence.
“From a business point of view that would be insanity,” Mr Cochrane said.
“From a pure fanbase point of view it would be nuts.”
It earned a savage rebuke from Premier Peter Gutwein, who said Mr Cochrane talked down the state as it would “flog” the Suns, while Tasmania’s team could live off the average AFL distribution compared to the Gold Coast, which survived only off the largesse of the league and its deep pockets.
Prominent media commentator Caroline Wilson labelled Mr Cochrane a hypocrite over his comments on ABC television, while fellow panellist – and former Tasmanian – Alastair Nicholson said Mr Cochrane should not be allowed to vote on the state’s inclusion given that he had already publicly voiced his opposition despite being yet to see former AFL commissioner Colin Carter review of the state’s business case that is yet to be completed.
The backdrop to this was a sellout crowd of 14,834 at the Hawthorn-Essendon game in Launceston on Sunday – the Bombers’ first game in the state in nearly 30 years – which was the highest attendance for any match this round.
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