Derek Hine, Scott Patterson reveal how they will build Devils list

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos might be top of Derek Hine’s “wishlist” but the newly-appointed Tasmania Devils recruiter has given an insight into the type of players he will target.

New appointees of the Tasmania Football Club, Todd Patterson and Derek Hine in Hobart on Monday 5th May 2025. Picture: Linda Higginson

The Tasmania Devils’ newly-appointed recruiter Derek Hine is already compiling his player “wishlist” for the AFL’s 19th team and in the number one slot is Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos.

Hine, a Collingwood recruiter for the past two decades, and Melbourne’s former list manager Todd Patterson, were anointed on Monday as the men to build the team to debut for Tasmania in the AFL’s opening in round in 2028.

Even before they start to identify players to wear a Tassie guernsey, Hine, who parted company with the Magpies in December, has been approached by some of the biggest player managers in the industry spruiking their player talent.

There is one player automatically at the top of Hine’s wish-list.

“I’ve already got Nick Daicos on the top,” he said.

Collingwood star Nick Daicos is at the top of the wish-list for Tasmania Devils new recruiter Derek Hine. Picture: Michael Klein

Hine and Patterson will look for the best players for the Devils with a particular preference for excitement machines.

“The ability to enhance your brand by excitement, and not a dour-type brand, is incredibly important,” Hine said.

“We want to bring players in who can draw the crowd and can draw people through the gates.

“We can look at the profile of the list — shorts, talls and mediums — but it’s also looking at the type of player that is going to assimilate into the state and develop the brand.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff in train with that now, and given that my name was out there for a little bit, I have been inundated with player managers representing boys who want to come and be involved, which his hugely gratifying.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a hard sell.”

Patterson, originally from Launceston, is determined to put together a playing list capable of getting Tasmania off to a flyer.

“We want to hit the ground running and obviously it’s going to take some time to form but we are not here to participate, we’re here to compete,” Patterson said.

Derek Hine and Todd Patterson have joined the Tasmania Devils as their key recruiters. Picture James Bresnehan

Hine and Patterson will be based in Melbourne.

“We will be spending a lot of time here in Tasmania because there’s a key amount of talent we want to get across and help develop,” Patterson said.

“But ultimately, the player managers and the majority of games are played in Victoria.

“So from an efficiency point of view, that will be where we will spend most of our time, especially initially, and to make sure we get out to as many games as we can and getting to know the players back to front.”

Devils’ CEO Brendon Gale said his next appointment would be a commercial manager, while he is no rush to appoint a senior AFL coach.