With the State League in crisis, AFL treats Tasmanians as imbeciles

COMMENT: FOR an organisation so image conscious, how does the AFL get it so wrong, so often?

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan, centre, during the launch of the AFLX. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

FOR an organisation so image-conscious, how does the AFL get it so wrong, so often?

Tasmanian football is on life support.

The Tasmanian State League has dwindled from 10 teams to seven.

The North-West Coast — a nursery for some of Tasman­ian football greats that has produced the likes of Darrel Baldock, Matthew Richardson and Alastair Lynch to name but a few — will not field a team in the state’s top-tier competition.

In the middle of this, AFL Tasmania’s chief executive Rob Auld announces he has been promoted to AFL House in Melbourne, where his brother, Travis, is pretty much second in charge to AFL boss Gillon McLachlan. The position as AFL Tasmania CEO was not advertised, with Trisha Squires immediately appointed as his replacement from within the organisation.

And McLachlan comes out and says nothing to see here?

Are you serious Gil?

It is treating Tasmanians as imbeciles and the outrage felt by all footy fans is palpable.

Richmond star Matthew Richardson in his early playing days.

One of Tasmania’s finest footballers Darrel Baldock.

There are no allegations of nepotism in either the Auld or Squires appointments, but the “optics” to use one of the AFL’s favourite words are awful.

To promote the code’s top administrator in its biggest crisis since the reintroduction of the state league in 2009 shows how little attention the AFL gives or cares about Tasman­ian football.

It is appalling timing.

Yesterday he was launching AFLX with acrobats and other attractions while Tasmanian football burned. It was only earlier this week it was revealed the AFL pumped almost $25 million into the Gold Coast last year and $21 million into the Brisbane Lions.

That’s $46 million into the two Queensland clubs before you even start on funding to AFL Queensland and the NEAFL competition.

The TSL gets $1 million a season of AFL funding to support originally 10 clubs.

TSL clubs ask players to train three times a week, do recovery and an extra weights session on a salary cap of about $80,000 a year.

Players can get the same amount or more to train two nights a week for their local regional team and not have to travel anywhere near as far.

There are already calls for the scrapping of the TSL and a return to regional comp­etitions.

But this does nothing to keep the best young talent in the state after their under-18 Mariners stints.

The best players will leave in droves to the NEAFL, VFL, WAFL or SANFL chasing a second bite at top-level footy.

It is time the AFL took the situation seriously.

Double the funding would hardly be a blip on the AFL’s bank balance but would be an instant tonic for TSL clubs surviving­ on goodwill and loyalty­.

McLachlan says he cares about Tasmania. Now, after years of neglect, it is time to show it.