Suggestions TSL ready to be canned have ‘no truth’, AFL Tasmania chief declares

AFL Tasmania CEO Trisha Squires has reacted angrily to speculation the TSL is headed for the scrapheap, denying a decision has been made on the future of football in the state.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and AFL Tasmania CEO Trisha Squires. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

AFL Tasmania CEO Trisha Squires has reacted angrily to speculation the TSL is headed for the scrapheap, denying a decision has been made on the future of football in the state.

With the AFL’s steering committee to meet in the coming days to update progress on the issues surrounding the game across the state, it emerged last week the elite competition could be on the way out in favour of the Tassie Mariners joining the TAC Cup full time and a Tasmanian team entering either the NEAFL or VFL.

MORE: CLUBS WARY OF TSL FUTURE

However speaking at today’s launch of the TSLW competition, Squires was adamant the rumours sweeping local circles were completely false.

The speculation in between [steering committee meetings] doesn’t necessarily help what we are trying to do. – Trisha Squires

“We have a steering committee [meeting] this week, and that will be the first time the State League has been tabled, contrary to some of the rumours that came out last week,” Squires said.

“What is being considered by the steering committee is every option, and I’m not too sure where the rumours are coming from.

“What was untrue about last week’s report is there was rumours saying the committee had already made decisions about the future of football in Tasmania – there is no truth in that.

“We don’t have the answer yet, which is why we have set ourselves a deadline.

“We wouldn’t be wasting people’s time like Brendon Bolton, Nick Riewoldt, Chris Fagan, if there was already a decision made.

“We are all really invested in this and this is something we want to do properly. We are going to go through all the options and when we do have the decision, you will all be the first people to know.”

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Chaired by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, the panel includes Tasmanian trio Fagan (Brisbane Lions coach), Riewoldt (former St Kilda captain), and Bolton (Carlton coach), along with AFL head of game development Rob Auld and AFL state league manager Simon Laughton — consulting with the AFL’s strategy team and the State Government.

MORE: LIONS COACH JOINS PANEL

We are all really invested in this and this is something we want to do properly. We are going to go through all the options – Squires

While she can understand why TSL clubs are concerned about the future of the competition, Squires is comfortable with the clarity and communication lines.

“Yes I am, I sent an email to the clubs post the first meeting that was held in Melbourne,” she said.

“I will have a meeting one on one with the TSL presidents post the next meeting that happens this week and then we are meeting as a group with Simon Laughton … he will come to Hobart.

“I am feeding back as much information as I can but what I need is a lot of the information to come from them so I can feed that into the committee.

“There are many options we can take. We are not there yet and haven’t formulated what the best option should be.

“What I can tell you is we have a steering committee that is meeting on a regular basis, we will have an announcement by the 30th of June and the speculation in between doesn’t necessarily help what we are trying to do.”