Colin Carter visit has Tasmanian AFL Taskforce’s confidence on the rise
One of the authors of the report pushing for a Tasmanian AFL team has been left brimming with confidence following the visit of the man reviewing the state’s business case.
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FORMER St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt is more confident than ever that his home state Tasmania will be joining the AFL following this week’s visit by ex-AFL commissioner Colin Carter.
Riewoldt, a member of the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce, spent two days escorting Carter around the state as he spoke to stakeholders and reviewed the Taskforce’s business case.
Asked if he was now more or less confident of the state securing a spot in Australia’s biggest domestic sport, Riewoldt said on FoxFooty: “Based on the questions asked by Colin, more confident.”
Riewoldt said he was extensively interviewed by Carter during the week on a range of topics, but particularly player retention.
“Some of the questions that were being asked us led us to believe that he’s going to leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of all the detail, all of the commercial ramifications, all of the economic ramifications, player retention,” Riewoldt said.
“That was some of the conversations I had with Colin around what your lifestyle might look like if you’re an AFL player in Hobart.
“It was a really positive couple of days. I walk away really confident in the direction of the conversation and it is going to be a huge couple of months for football in Tasmania.”
The Taskforce business case is centred around a stand-alone 19th licence, but Brisbane’s Tasmanian coach Chris Fagan. a long-time supporter of the push, believes a new team might not be the best fit for the competition.
“For me it seems it is probably more practical if it is a relocated team,” Fagan told ABC Grandstand.
“I know people wouldn’t like to hear that, but for the financial health of our competition I think that needs to be considered fairly seriously.
“I know people in Tasmania would embrace their own AFL team without a doubt.
“They love their footy down there and it seems to me if you look back in history at the four original footy states – WA, SA, Victoria and Tasmania – it doesn’t sit quite right [that] Tassie doesn’t have a team in the AFL.
“The day that that happens I think it will be a great day for footy.”
Riewoldt was confident the state would finally receive answers to the debate that has raged for decades.
“I think it is going to be a definitive answer one way or another,” Riewoldt said.
“I don’t think the can is going to be kicked down the road any further and that’s the recommendation Colin will make to the AFL.
“From there it is up to the AFL on how they pull that lever and what it looks like.
“The purpose of our report was a stand-alone Tasmanian licence.
“Exactly what that looks like if it is an affirmative answer from Colin will be up to the AFL.”
Carter’s report will be submitted to the AFL next month, but won’t be reviewed by the AFL commission until after this season.
Tasmanian AFL Taskforce report gets ultimate stress test
COLIN Carter will leave Tasmania with a “pretty clear understanding” of why locals are desperate for the state to finally emerge from the AFL wilderness.
The former AFL commissioner and Geelong president, who was appointed to review the state’s business model for a team in March, has been in the Apple Isle this week meeting with key stakeholders.
He will use the intel to complete his report to hand to the AFL by mid next month, before the current 18 club presidents sit down at the end of the year to discuss whether a Tasmanian team is viable.
Carter has been impressed by the passion for a team, but said his job is to “test the assumptions” contained in the Tasmanian taskforce’s 268-page document.
“I understand people down here are frustrated they haven’t had a team for a long time,” Mr Carter said in Launceston.
“This trip has met every expectation I have had, I have been down here to listen and learn, people have been very generous with their time and I leave with a pretty clear understanding of what the local views are about why they think a case for a team is important.
“My assurance is I will be taking it very seriously.
“The level of passion for it and level of combined commitment doesn’t make it easier necessarily, but this is a traditional football state and so it is not a question of going somewhere to try and convert people to our game at all.
“It [the taskforce’s report] was a very good piece of work, it doesn’t mean to say there were a lot of assumptions in it and one of my tasks is to try and test the assumptions.
“I haven’t finished that work yet.”
Taskforce chairman Brett Godfrey has been unwavering in his belief the report covered all bases, but welcomed Mr Carter’s review as he puts it through the ultimate stress test.
“Our role has largely been support for Colin and as he said business cases do contain assumptions, we felt we stress tested them pretty well but that’s I guess now Colin’s role.
“I am just grateful that a piece of work that was meant to be a couple of months and has dragged on for nearly a couple of years now is actually getting the attention.
“We just need a decision … let’s not kick this can down the road any more.
“Our thinking is it is probably incumbent on the AFL to give some guidance now as to what the future holds for this state in terms of its aspirations for a team.”
Premier Peter Gutwein said he has told AFL chief Gillon McLachlan the review from Mr Carter should be made public when it is completed.
And until he has his own copy, negotiations with current Tasmanian tenants Hawthorn and North Melbourne remain on hold.
“This is an AFL report, being provided by Colin to the AFL, but I have certainly impressed upon Gill my view that the report should be made public when it is finished,” Mr Gutwein said.
“I made it perfectly clear to Gill I will need to have that copy available to me … the report will provide us with a proposed pathway or not, and that will provide us with the clarity in terms of the discussions we have with Hawthorn and North Melbourne.”
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