Premier’s message to AFL: ‘Not everything’s running beautifully in Tasmania’

TASMANIAN Premier Will Hodgman says the state’s football crisis was a “wake up call for the AFL” but has washed his hands of Government intervention.

Former Melbourne star Russell Robertson during his days playing for the Burnie Dockers.

TASMANIAN Premier Will Hodgman says the State’s football crisis was a “wake up call for the AFL” but has washed his hands of Government intervention.

Burnie has followed Devonport in pulling out of the top tier Tasmanian State League, leaving no representation on the North-West Coast and direct pathway for talented junior through to the AFL.

COMMENT: ARE YOU SERIOUS GIL?

BURNIE PULLS PIN ON TSL

‘NOTHING TO SEE HERE’, SAYS AFL CHIEF

ROB AULD QUITS AS AFL TAS CHIEF

The Dockers departure due to lack of players came just a day after AFL Tasmania’s chief executive Rob Auld quit to take up a job with the AFL in Melbourne.

Mr Hodgman, who is also the Sports Minister, said despite sinking millions of taxpayers’ dollars into the AFL, it was not the Government’s job to run the code.

“Our peak body AFL, including AFL Tasmania, are in charge of running the sport here,” Mr Hodgman said.

Premier Will Hodgman. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

“It’s not Government’s role to do that but we do invest significantly into grassroots football, facilities upgrades, into supporting more women into the sport.

“Tasmania is a footy heartland and we’ve got a strong and proud footy history but also we need a strong future, so this is a wake up call to the AFL that not everything’s running beautifully in Tasmania.

“We need to perhaps approach things differently and our commitment as a Government is to work with the AFL, with the leagues, with grassroots footy to make sure it’s got a much stronger future.”

Former Melbourne star forward Russell Robertson grew up playing football for Burnie in the old statewide competition and made a comeback for the Dockers after his AFL days were over.

“Obviously I’m shocked because of the success Burnie has had over the years,” Robertson said.

“To not have them in the state league is a just sad really.

“As a former player and someone who was exposed to the statewide competition as a 16-year-old, it was tough, it was hard.

“It wasn’t easy to get around obviously — getting up at 5.30am on a bus to travel down to play the Hobart teams and not getting home till 10pm.

“For me as a 16-year-old you take it in your stride but as a 25-year-old trying to raise a family, I can see how for some of the players it would be a real struggle.”

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said from where he sat football in Tasmania was going to plan, comments that staggered the local football community, and even baffled Mr Hodgman.

“I think it’s is unthinkable and untenable that the North-West Coast will not be represented in our statewide league so to suggest that everything is running beautifully here doesn’t add up,” Mr Hodgman said.