WRONG FOOTED

Rumours on Tassie footy future false, says Squires

AFL Tasmania chief executive Trisha Squires has reacted angrily to speculation the TSL is headed for the scrapheap, denying a decision on the future of football in the state has been made.

With the AFL’s steering committee to meet soon to update progress on issues besetting the game across the state, it emerged last week the elite competit- ion could be on the way out in favour of the Tassie Mariners joining the TAC Cup full time and a Tasmanian team entering either the NEAFL or VFL.

It comes as TSL clubs have organised a meeting this week without AFL Tasmania representation to discuss the competition’s future.

However, speaking at yesterday’s launch of the TSLW competition, Squires was adamant the rumours sweeping local circles were false.

“We have a steering committee this week, and that will be the first time the State League has been tabled, contrary to some of the rumours that came out last week,” Squires (pictured) said.

“What is being considered by the steering committee is every option, and I’m not too sure where the rumours are coming from.

“What was untrue about last week’s report is there were rumours saying the committee had already made decisions about the future of football in Tasmania. There is no truth in that.

“We don’t have the answer yet, which is why we have set ourselves a deadline. We wouldn’t be wasting people’s time like Brendon Bolton, Nick Riewoldt, Chris Fagan, if there was already a decision made.

“We are all really invested in this and this is something we want to do properly. We are going to go through all the options and when we do have the decision, you will all be the first people to know.”

Chaired by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, the panel includes Tasmanian trio Fagan (coach of Brisbane Lions), Riewoldt (former St Kilda captain), and Bolton (Carlton coach), along with AFL head of game development Rob Auld and AFL state league manager Simon Laughton — consulting with the AFL’s strategy team and the State Government.

While she can understand why TSL clubs are edgy with the future of the competition in the air, Squires is comfortable with the clarity and communication lines.

“Yes, I am. I sent an email to the clubs post the first meeting that was held in Melbourne,” she said.

“I will have a meeting oneon-one with the TSL presidents post the next meeting that happens this week and then we are meeting as a group with Simon Laughton. He will come to Hobart.

“I am feeding back as much information as I can but what I need is a lot of the information to come from them so I can feed that into the committee.

“There are many options we can take. We are not there yet and haven’t formulated what the best option should be.

“We will have an announcement by the 30th of June and the speculation in between doesn’t necessarily help.”