‘Premiership in five years’: Magpies set lofty premier league goals

They’ve battled on field this season but it hasn’t stopped Scottsdale, who have a heavy hitter in their corner, setting some lofty goals for the fledgling NTFA Premier League from next year.

Scottsdale senior men's coach Joel Hayes with daughter and under-11s player Mila, 8, and recent seniors debutant Lochie Bowerman at the club's grounds on Tuesday. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

Scottsdale’s number one ticket holder Peter Gutwein has made the bold declaration the club can win the NTFA Premier League flag within five years after gaining a license into the fledging competition, despite the Magpies’ on-field battles this year.

The former Tasmania premier also fired a shot at North Launceston after the Bombers held a meeting on Saturday to decide whether they would play in the new league.

Scottsdale’s entry into the six-team top division, which also includes Longford, South Launceston and Deloraine, came as a surprise to many given their battle to be competitive in the past couple of seasons.

North Launceston has been particularly vocal in its opposition to the new league, which replaces the TSL after it wraps up this year, while Launceston also refused to sign affiliation agreements.

The Magpies are winless in this year’s NTFA premier division and their percentage is 24.3 while the under-18s, also winless, forfeited a recent clash with Bridgenorth and have a percentage of 16.92, while the women (percentage 11.55) also haven’t tasted victory.

But Gutwein was bullish at a function at Scottsdale’s clubhouse on Tuesday, confident an aggressive recruitment drive, strong job prospects in the region and attractions like beaches, elite golf courses and mountain bike facilities could attract players.

“This is a proud club with a long tradition of winning premierships and being successful, and we intend for that to continue as we step up into the premier division,” Gutwein said.

“We know we have work to be done, but importantly we’ve met the criteria in terms of having the juniors, a women’s team, under-18s, DL’s and seniors to step up into the new competition.

“The goal we’ve set out is in the first three years we want to get to the point where we are competitive and playing finals.

“Within five years, this proud club will win a premiership, that is our goal.”

Gutwein said he has already reached out to player agents in Melbourne as they look to get the jump on their rivals for talent.

Scottsdale's number one ticket holder and former premier, Peter Gutwein, with Scottsdale legend and AFL Tasmania Hall of Famer Peter Roozendaal at the Magpies’ clubhouse on Tuesday. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

“We know we’ll need to recruit and need to build our playing stocks on the field to be competitive,” he said.

“We’re going out early. Most clubs will start their recruitment in July, August, September, some later - we’re starting today.

“We have a jobs rich area and when we go to market looking for players - and this is right across Tasmania but also reaching into Victoria - our message will be this proud club has set a goal to be competitive in three, to win a premiership in five and there are jobs available in the north east.

“We met a month ago with all the major employees and the major sectors, and they’ve backed our intent 100 per cent.

“We know when we go to market we are going to have opportunities both men and women to play for the Scottsdale Football Club.”

Asked if three years is enough time to be competitive against teams with strong State League level structures in place, Gutwein said: “We’ll need to get fitter, we need a handful of players and we need a coach who can help us attract those players.

“The key thing we’re doing is we’re going into the marketplace right now. We’re going to define our own future.”

North Launceston met with members before its home win over Clarence on Saturday, where they voted they will play in next year’s NTFA Premier League against their will, should no other options arise.

Although The Mercury understands going into recess was never a serious consideration, Gutwein took a dig at one of Scottsdale’s traditional rivals.

“It is disappointing that that club last weekend was prepared to just give up, and pack up,” he said.

“That that club was prepared to go into recess and wan’t prepared to face Scottsdale again in the premier division - our message to them is don’t underestimate Scottsdale.

“We have won before, and we have premierships to demonstrate that. We liked it, we want it and we’re going to get it back. Importantly, North Launceston, we are coming for you.”

Scottsdale coach Joel Hayes said morale was still high despite the on-field struggles this year, and believes they can be competitive again relatively quickly.

“Considering the results we’ve had for the year, club morale’s pretty good,” he said.

“The guys are working hard on the track and keeping positive. We haven’t had a win, but the guys are putting in the work and that’s all we can ask.

“As long as they (potential recruits) see improvement from round one to round 18, they can see we’re on the right track with the young guys playing.

“I don’t see why it would be a problem trying to recruit some players when you can show them the improvement on paper and that we are building from the bottom, but it is going in an upward trajectory.

“(We want to) give the kids the best opportunity to have somewhere in ten or 20 years time and to play at the highest level they can in their region.

“We want to be competitive next year and everyone has to have goals, why not try and achieve things pretty quickly.”