Tassie Kangaroos bound into AFL women’s competition

HERE come the Tasmanian Kangaroos after the AFL granted North Melbourne a licence to compete in the women’s league in partnership with Tasmania.

Tassie footballer Jasmine Tate Turvey, 17, is excited about Tasmania being made a part of the AFL Women’s competition. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

HERE come the Tasmanian Kangaroos after the AFL granted North Melbourne a licence to compete in the women’s league in partnership with Tasmania.

North Melbourne’s top brass will be in Hobart on Thursday morning to reveal the details of the Kangaroos’ AFLW licence and its partnership with the state.

The plan is for half the team to be locals, to have a permanent training base in the state, play half of their games in Tasmania and wear a special Tassie Kangaroos guernsey when they do.

The State Government will invest $500,000 a year for five seasons to make it happen.

MORE: HERE COME THE TASSIE KANGAS!

Jessica Wuetschner celebrates a goal during the 2017 AFLW Grand Final. Picture: GETTY

The Tasmanian Kangaroos deal was music to the ears of homegrown AFLW star Jess Wuetschner, who was over the moon at the announcement that North Melbourne, as well as Geelong, had been granted licences for the next expansion in 2019.

Wuetschner, 25, of Hobart, played for the Brisbane Lions in the inaugural AFLW grand final earlier this year and for the Allies against Victoria in the all-stars game on the bye weekend before the AFL finals series.

She said there was more Tassie talent where she came from.

“Numbers have already gone through the roof in Tasmania and this will make even more girls choose AFL now there’s a clear pathway,” Wuetschner said.

She is contracted to Brisbane for 2018, but would she consider switching to the Kangaroos?

“That really hasn’t crossed my mind. I’m really happy at Brisbane,” she said.

The AFLW licence is the biggest precursor to an AFL men’s team Tasmania has ever had and strengthens the state’s relationship with North Melbourne.

“It’s very exciting for women’s football in Tasmania and it’s great we’ve been able to get a women’s team when the men have been unable to do so,” Wuetschner said.

Gillon McLachlan with Simone Wilkie announces that North Melbourne and Geelong will join the NAB AFL Women's competition in 2019. #AFLW pic.twitter.com/89GvuCTrV5

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 27, 2017

North Melbourne’s managing director and CEO Carl Dilena said the women’s licence augured for a bright future.

“This is a landmark day for our great club,” Dilena said.

“We take our role with respect to the growth of women’s football very seriously and have been influencers in this space since 2010 when we formed a partnership with the Melbourne University Women’s Football Club — an initiative no other club had undertaken at that point.

“We are excited to have been accepted into the AFLW competition and have already begun planning and working toward our introduction.”

Geelong and North Melbourne will join the existing eight teams, expanding the league to a 10-team competition in its third season.

The Kangas and Cats pipped strong bids from West Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and Gold Coast for expansion licences.

Those clubs must now wait until 2020 to join the AFLW, with the AFL electing to stagger entries into the women’s league.

A special message from our North stars after hearing the news we've been granted an AFL Women's licence #BeAShinboner pic.twitter.com/L7m3xH7nNo

— North Melbourne (@NMFCOfficial) September 27, 2017

“Our submission focused on participation and player development at a grassroots level and involved the state of Tasmania in a meaningful way, while also maintaining an equally strong connection to our home in North Melbourne,” Dilena said.

“Now that we have the go ahead to form a team in the AFLW, we will finalise the exact details of our partnership with the Tasmanian Government and ensure maximum benefit to both North Melbourne and Tasmania.”

North has led the way already with its Next Generation Academies in Tasmania.

“For our members and fans it means a new level of inclusion and growth,” Dilena said.

“We will launch our stand-alone VFL team next year and continue to work on the proposed multimillion-dollar development of the Arden precinct.

“Our facilities, resources and location are set to become among the most desirable assets of any club in the competition.

“Our time is now. It is without a doubt a new era for the club.”