Work as one on Tassie AFL
SPORT
THANK you Nick Riewoldt and Bob Cheek for your contribution on Tasmania having an AFL team ( Sunday Tasmanian, January 14). I am a Kangaroos member and go to all the games in Hobart and thoroughly enjoy it, as no doubt Hawthorn supporters do in Launceston, but the current situation does not lead to a Tasmanian team. There is no clear vision as the whole process is dictated by one electorate and our politicians are continually caught in that web.
If both major parties did four things this situation would change and while it is the AFL that will make the decision, we can bring the issue to the forefront. 1. Liberal and Labor have a joint policy to offset the political influence and work to achieve this for Tasmania and not one electorate. 2. Listen to Nick Riewoldt and Bob Cheek and others: we must plan now. 3. Set up the committee as suggested by Nick, with Liberal and Labor representation. 4. Have the AFL represented on the proviso they are putting forward a vision and timetable. If our politicians work as one there will be an answer and the pressure is on the AFL to respond. much better under the old system of three competitions, the TFL, NTFA and NWFU. At least they attracted crowds. The statewide league has not. While numbers of spectators at SWL matches number in the tens, you’ll see far more people at the country league matches. I suggest that one reason is that Tasmanians don’t want to travel three or four hours each way to watch a match.
A return to the system of the ’60s would still see the cream rise to the top and place themselves in contention for AFL selection. So why not shoot for a return to the old system while still making a run for our own state team? It would be interesting to see how many of our players playing for mainland AFL clubs would like to come home and play for our state team.
Great talent
I WATCHED Alex de Minaur play in the final of the Sydney International tennis. Unfortunately he did not win, however he showed an outstanding talent and maturity for one so young. It is to be hoped Kyrgios and Tomic watched and realised how Australians expect their sports stars to behave. Congratulations to Daniil Medvedev from Russia on his win. He is another young player with a bright future.
Traffic turn-off
NICK Cummins needs to stop scratching his head wondering why there are low crowds at Blundstone Arena for the BBL. He only needs to go for a walk around the A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. streets match.
Fans and locals are fed up with the traffic and parking debacle. Fans are picking and choosing which match to go to because they’ve had enough.
When the crowd exceeds 14,000 a lot of families don’t get home until after midnight. To develop a ground into an arena that squeezes in just over 18,000 people in the middle of suburbia with no arterial road next to it and a beach running up one side has been madness, and when the much maligned Kangaroo Bay development goes ahead, it will only compound the problem. of Bellerive before and
Spirit of the game
after a ALEX Ross and George Bailey have been misrepresented by the way the appeal for “obstruction of the field” has been handled. The umpire could not clinically say that Alex Ross acted deliberately to protect his wicket or interfere with the ball. This all happened too quickly to be able to determine categorically.
The Hurricanes appealed this and that is within their right given that it all happened so quickly. Appealing for something like that is not outside the spirit of the game. It is merely putting a question to someone whose job is to adjudicate on such matters. The umpire came to the conclusion that the appeal was fair and upheld it. Ross’s actions were not obstructing the field and Bailey’s willingness to appeal was not outside the spirit of the game.
Long wait
ON Friday I collected my mum’s Aurora cheque to take it to the bank. The cheque was dated December 11, so this cheque took one whole month to be delivered. No amount of political spin can explain that delay.
Lovely day
WHAT a lovely day in Bicheno celebrating with locals the Government’s commitment to saving Lenny’s Point from inappropriate development. If only we could expect consistency and see the Liberals do the right thing with Kangaroo Bay rather than hearing it’s not their responsibility.
Coalition comedy
I ENJOY Charles Wooley’s weekly article because of his style of writing on serious topics humorously. But the one on a coalition between Hodgman and White was so funny it brought tears to my eyes ( TasWeekend, January 13). How appropriate is his new word “McQuestionable”? The scenario in the Premier’s office is riveting and hilarious.
Bring back housing commission
IT’S about time the Liberal Government re-established the housing commission to help solve our shortage of affordable housing. The commission employed up to 400 tradesmen, plus 100 apprentices of all trades and you could buy your home from the government on a rental/purchase arrangement. Certainly there is government land around Hobart for these houses to be built.