Tasmanian footy kids will not be headed to School Sport Australia championships this year

There are claims AFL Tasmania has dropped the ball by not supporting the state’s kids getting to the School Sport Australia championships.

Clarence High School footballers (L-R) Blake Harper 14 and Fletcher Richards 13. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

TASMANIA’S budding boys and girls football players will be left out in the cold this winter with no state teams going to the School Sport Australia championships — and AFL Tasmania has copped the blame.

Outraged parents are calling foul over the glaring break in the new-generation talent pathway heralded so strongly by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan when he announced sweeping changes to the structure of Tasmanian football 18 months ago, which included participation for all kids.

There are claims AFL Tasmania has dropped the ball by not supporting the state’s kids getting to the SSA championships.

Tasmania will be the only state or territory not be represented in football this year.

While all other governing bodies produce teams for sports like athletics, basketball, soccer, baseball, cricket, cross country, hockey, netball, golf, diving, swimming, golf, volleyball and touch, AFL Tasmania says this year it has handballed responsibility for organising SSA football teams to the Department of Education under its School Sport Tasmania arm.

The Department of Education will send 356 kids in nine other sports, but it has not registered any football teams for the championships and was unaware of AFL Tasmania’s decision.

“AFL Tasmania have not officially notified DoE of their intention to withdraw from School Sport Australia events,” said a spokesman for the Department of Education.

Disappointed parent Selena Hagan isn’t copping it.

“I want to know why AFL Tasmania would pull out when AFL in Tassie is booming, especially in the women’s roster — shame on them,” she said.

“I have a daughter who absolutely loves her footy and would be keen to give School Sport Australia representation a go, but that seems unlikely if Tasmania has now pulled out.”

Blair Brownless, who coached one of the inaugural state football teams at the SSA championship in Sydney said it was a travesty that no teams would go this year.

Blair Brownless. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“It’s just wrong,” Brownless said.

“The Department of Education could do it easily.

“AFL Tasmania probably did them [Education Department] a favour by running it for the last five years.

“The Education Department could easily take it over and organise it all.

“They have a lot of people with football backgrounds who could get involved and help, they just need to centrally co-ordinate it.”

Brownless said Tassie kids should not miss out.

“The opportunity for our kids should be the same as every other state,” he said.

“Tassie kids are being treated as second class citizens.”

Damian Gill, AFL Tasmania’s manager of public affairs and infrastructure, said handing over was the right move.

“Previously, AFL Tasmania have run programs on behalf of the state’s School Association — School Sport Tasmania,” he said.

“We were the only state governing football body to do so nationwide.

“From 2020, and moving forward, AFL Tasmania will be transferring operations of School Sport Australia programs back into the hands of School Sport Tasmania — communicated to the school sport body in late 2019.

“This brings us back in line with all state football governing bodies nationwide.

“AFL Tasmania will continue to further strengthen its offering within each of these age groups and beyond through its underage Devils Academy, where players 12 to 15-years of age are involved in an extensive skill and match program over the course of the season.

“AFL Tasmania supports, and will continue support, the involvement of Tasmanian teams in the SSA competition, run under the School Sport Tasmania banner.”