ROOS STAND FIRM

‘No need, no great desire’ to play more games in Tassie

NORTH Melbourne’s hierarchy has ruled out a partial relocation to Tasmania and says it has no plans to increase the number of home games it plays in Hobart.

North Melbourne’s chairman Ben Buckley, who took over as head of the club this year, was unequivocal that the club would remain based at Arden St while he was chairman and indicated the club did not wish to increase the number of Hobart games from the current three.

“I think we’re very comfortable with the number of games that we’re playing at the moment,’’ Buckley told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.

“I can firmly say that under my leadership, North Melbourne will always be headquartered at Arden St.’’

Buckley was responding to a question about whether there were plans to increase the Hobart presence, but was also clearly keen to douse speculation that the club would entertain a shift to become a team primarily based in Tasmania.

“We’re committed to our heritage in North Melbourne,” Buckley said.

“It’s a very strong and successful partnership we’ve had with the community for many, many years.’

“We’re comfortable with playing three games in Hobart, we’re very supportive of growing football in Tasmania in partnership with the Tassie government and Football Tasmania and the AFL.

“But at this point in time we don’t see any need or have any great desire to play any more games.’’

AFL Tasmania declined to comment on Buckley’s stance.

North is making a Tasmanian presence a key plank of its bid for a women’s team and Buckley said the Roos intended to play some games in Tasmania if they were granted a an AFLW side.

Buckley also revealed that late last year the North Melbourne board had “challenged’’ the football department to be bold in pursuing elite players from other clubs — a directive that has seen North’s huge money offers to out-of-contract stars Josh Kelly and Dustin Martin.

“[We encouraged] the football department to think boldly and aggressively about the way they go about putting a competitive team on the field,” he said.

“They came back to the board with a clear very strategy and a very clear agenda about what they wanted to achieve over the next three to five years.”