EADE BLAST

AFL has ‘dropped the ball’ over Tasmania’s football crisis

RODNEY Eade says the AFL has “dropped the ball” on Tasmania as the crisis in the sickest part of football’s heartland intensifies.

The veteran coach, from Glenorchy, was concerned soccer had infiltrated his home state and lashed the AFL for pouring cash into GWS and Eade’s former club, Gold Coast, as football in Tasmania floundered.

Tasmania has produced one draftee in the past two years and 2016 was the state’s first barren year since 1986.

In the past two years TAC Cup clubs Sandringham and Eastern have combined for 32 AFL players, including nine top-15 selections.

It is understood the league spent tens of thousands of dol- lars on last week’s AFLX launch as Burnie was forced to withdraw from the Tasmanian State League because of a lack of numbers.

With Burnie and Devonport failing to field teams, kids from that region might have to travel to Launceston to play.

AFL recruiters yesterday said that was an “outrage” given the rich North-West history as the birthplace of greats Darrel Baldock, Matthew Richardson and Alastair Lynch.

“The AFL’s dropped the ball, no doubt,” Eade said.

“For them to say it’s been OK for numbers the last two years, well it shows it hasn’t been. It’s heartland football and the AFL don’t put [in] enough resources and don’t care enough about it.

“It’s being infiltrated by soc- cer, kids are playing other games. You want to go to new frontiers and markets, well that’s terrific. But get your own backyard right.”

Last week the league promoted AFL Tasmania chief executive Rob Auld after less than two years in the job and Trisha Squires took over.

Eade coached Gold Coast from 2015-17.

It was revealed that the AFL propped up the Suns with $25 million last year after a sponsorship slump.

The league tipped in an extra $5.5 million to help the Suns get close to breaking even.

“It only takes money and resources, but they’re pouring it into Gold Coast and GWS,” Eade said.

“And then you let Tassie go like it is at the moment, I reckon that’s very poor.

“To only have one player drafted in the last two years and two teams now dropping out of the state league shows that the last few years have been very poor.

“It’s probably been coming for a while, but nothing’s been done to arrest it and it seems like it’s on the slide, which is terrible. It needs to have better resources, better academies, better pathways, better coaching.”

Eade said Tasmania had been a “great breeding ground over a long period of time” but the top-end talent is drying up.

Tarryn Thomas (North Melbourne academy) and Chayce Jones are the best draft chances this year. A host of Tasmanian greats attacked the AFL for neglecting their home state last week.

“Where is the pathway for youngsters to chase an AFL dream from the North West Coast?” Matthew Richardson asked.

“Feel like I had more opportunities 25 years ago.”