Tasmanians have no say in their footy destiny, says leading AFL commentator

THE absence of any non-AFL employed, Tasmanian-based representatives on the committee to solve the football crisis was humiliating and infuriating, a leading AFL commentator says.

Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame icon Tim Lane is not happy about the selections for the committee set up to fix Tasmanian football.

THE absence of any non-AFL employed Tasmanian-based representatives on the steering committee to solve the football crisis was humiliating and infuriating, leading AFL commentator Tim Lane says.

Lane, a Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame icon, has expressed his dismay at not only the steering committee, but also AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan’s failure to address Tasmania’s entry into the big league during Wednesday’s flying visit.

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The committee is made up of McLachlan, AFL Tasmania chief executive Trisha Squires, AFL head of game development Rob Auld, Carlton coach Brendon Bolton, AFL state league manager Simon Laughton and former St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt.

All it talked about yesterday was the maintaining of and shoring up of a third-rate football existence for Tasmanians. – Tim Lane

While thrilled with the inclusion of Riewoldt, Lane said the absence of Tasmanian-based members showed what the AFL thought of the foundation state.

“It says it all,” Lane said.

“Tasmania has no say in its destiny now.

“It is humiliating and it should be infuriating to people who care about Tasmanian football that they would be seen in that way. It is insulting.”

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North Launceston president Thane Brady said the recruitment of such big names as Riewoldt and Bolton as well as McLachlan himself was a double-edge sword.

He said it did show the AFL was serious about tackling the issues in Tasmanian football but also “by putting household names like Brendon Bolton and Nick Riewoldt on the committee ... you do that to protect the administrators because it lessens the opportunity to knock the committee if you have household names actively participating.”

While worthy in their own right, Lane said McLachlan’s commitments to the talent pathway and the TSL were to ensure Tasmania’s best young players continued to represent interstate clubs.

Tim Lane says Tasmanian economist Saul Eslake would be a valuable member of the steering committee set up to solve the Tasmania football crisis. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

He said the AFL again failed to roll out a clear pathway for the ultimate goal of a Tasmanian AFL team.

“The local competitions can’t be what they once were,” he said.

“There is no point lamenting all that, it is just reality.

“At the moment, unless you are a Hawthorn supporter in northern Tasmania or a North Melbourne one in southern Tasmania your quality of football life is around about third rate.

“The only way all Tassie footy lovers can be given a proper quality of life is for Tasmania to be included.

“All it talked about yesterday was the maintaining of and shoring up of a third-rate football existence for Tasmanians.”

Lane said he would jump at the chance to present before the committee and challenged the AFL to put a Tasmanian on the commission to represent the state.

“I challenge them to consider someone like (economist) Saul Eslake whose views they know, who would go in and represent Tasmania’s football interests but could also bring some other very significant skills to a big money sporting competition,” Lane said.

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