Shadow Treasurer David O’Byrne backs AFL hubs once deemed safe but says focus should be local

Tasmania’s Shadow Treasurer has backed the proposal for one of the AFL’s hubs to be based in the state when the season reboots — but with an important proviso.

Christian Petracca of the Demons chases Isaac Smith of the Hawks during the AFL Marsh Community Series pre-season match between at UTAS Stadium in Launceston last month. Picture: AAP/MICHAEL DODGE

THE State Government has been urged to channel potentially unused payments to North Melbourne and Hawthorn for playing AFL games in Hobart and Launceston this year to sporting clubs around the state that are struggling in the coronavirus crisis.

Shadow Treasurer David O’Byrne said the finances of community sport organisations had nosedived and they would greatly benefit from government support.

Shadow Treasurer David O'Byrne. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

O’Byrne backed the proposal for one of the AFL’s proposed hubs — teams located in one place to play games in the season reboot — coming to Tasmania, but with an important proviso.

“Public health would have to be the overriding consideration and whether hubs could be done safely to minimise the risk to Tasmania,” he said.

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“On a sport level, if it was deemed safe for wherever the hub would be located in Tasmania, that would create economic opportunities for hotels to host the players and to have some economic activity in that community.

“It’s all well and good for the AFL to ask Tasmania to help out when they need us to play a role.

“My greatest concern in the short to medium term is grassroots and community sport in Tasmania.

“The priority should be grassroots sports rather than elite-level sport.

“The Government should now be focused now, not on AFL, but on grassroots community sports.”

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The AFL season was postponed after round one.

League boss Gillon McLachlan will reveal next week the AFL’s plan to restart the season.

O’Byrne believes that if the Kangaroos and Hawks are unable to play all eight games in Tasmania this year — four games in Hobart by North, and four games in Launceston by Hawthorn — the unused allocation of funds should be channelled to community sports.

“The Government should be focused on a whole range of sports that are struggling in the current circumstances,” he said.