AFL draft 2024: Tasmania’s dry years before draft flood

Tasmania’s talented trio of high end draftees and the looming advent of the state’s own team is tipped to help football return to its glory days.

Launceston director of football Scott Stephens is confident arguably Tasmania’s greatest draft ever can be the catalyst for the sport to wrest back its dominance in the state.

The Blues community gathered in their club rooms on Monday night to witness two of their juniors – Colby McKercher (pick two, North Melbourne) and James Leake (17, GWS) be snapped up in the first round of the draft.

North Launceston’s Ryley Sanders (pick six, Western Bulldogs) capped a memorable night for Tasmanian football.

With Tasmania’s own AFL team on the horizon, Stephens said the investment in academies and developing coaches and players can ensure the state is a more consistent presence in the draft.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: (L-R) Colby McKercher of the Kangaroos, James Leake of the Giants and Ryley Sanders of the Giants pose during the AFL Draft Media Opportunity at Marvel Stadium on November 21, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Tasmania had endured some lean years before Monday’s historic moment, and more players were expected to be picked up on night two on Tuesday.

We’re super proud of the club and everyone who pushes the club in the right direction, it’s good reward for them,” he said.

“The people that are left behind like the kids, it gives them some hopes and dreams and aspirations they want to be the next Colby McKercher or James Leake.

“It’s the pillars that are put in place (that help us develop AFL players). It’s obviously been a great night for Launceston and the football community, a great night for Tassie.”

Launceston director of football Scott Stephens. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

Stephens pointed to the success that Gold Coast, GWS and Sydney have enjoyed in nurturing their own talent through their academies as the blueprint for Tasmania.

“With the team being announced that has pushed the envelope for more jobs, more talent academies down here. Once the money starts coming into the state there’ll be positions up for grabs for people to nurture this young talent, that’s what we’ve got to do,” he said.

“We’ve got to have these academies like the Swans, GWS and Gold Coast have been doing since their inceptions.

“For Tassie to have additional funding to upskill our talented kids, it’s just what we needed.”

Stephens was frank in his assessment of the ground he felt the game had lost to other sports through their schools programs.

“You look at how the JackJumpers have captured the imagination. They’ve got into schools and targeted kids at that young age, and that’s what this AFL team is going to do,” he said. “Once the boys are in town, it’s really going to invigorate our kids at those young ages.

“There’s no doubt it’s been a failure the last ten years, the footy in schools program at that primary school age.

“The other sports have picked up on it. You look at cricket with the shorter formats that capture the imagination of the kids, and now the JackJumpers.

“Footy’s got a bit of work to do to wrestle some control back, because we are the number one sport and we’ve got to claim it back with our kids.

“We’re a football state and always have been. We were governed and administered by head office (AFL), and their focus probably wasn’t on Tasmania as much as what us locals would have liked.”