Notman thinking big

TASMANIA’S new football manager hopes to lay a foundation that will one day see players follow a pathway all the way to the AFL without leaving the state.

As revealed by the Mercury on Monday, Oakleigh Chargers talent manager Craig Notman has been appointed by AFL Tasmania to oversee Tasmania’s reintroduction to the TAC Cup next year and the VFL in 2021 — and hopefully eventually into the big league.

“I think it would be something worth working towards and if we can get things right at those lower levels and prove to people we can get them right, I think the natural progression would be to look at our own AFL team,” Notman said.

“I think that would be the ideal outcome.”

The reintroduction of the boys’ TAC Cup next year, the girls’ TAC Cup the year after and then a provisional VFL licence for 2021 were some of the key recommendations handed down by the AFL steering committee in June.

Notman was originally offered the role a year ago, but knocked it back as he did not believe the support was there.

“I was adamant the investment into the talent programs wasn’t at the level it needed to be,” he said. “Now I think with the work the guys have done, the AFL contributing in that sense, it gives me a lot more confidence that we are going to set things up to a level that ultimately gives the best opportunities to the kids to be involved in these programs to get the best out of themselves, which is really exciting.”

The 40-year-old worked as an AFL Tasmania regional development officer in Launceston from 2002-04 under then Mariners coach Hamish Ogilvie, developing the likes of Sam Lonergan and Mitch Thorp.

He said his first priority would be the appointment of a TAC Cup coach as soon as possible. “The challenge of this new role is to build a really sustainable model from the bottom up,” he said.

“Then when the VFL side is reintroduced we’ve got a really healthy crop of players that we keep in the state and compete really well at that level and beyond that at both levels via some AFL talent as well.”

He will be located in Launceston but spend time in all three regions, while the coach will be Hobart-based.

“There has been some lean years in the draft, but it is not that long ago that Tassie was hitting with the best in the nation in terms of producing kids,” Notman said. “I’m going to be really keen to see what’s in place, looking at what I’ve learnt through varying roles, what works, what’s been done before and then trying to capitalise on what’s in place at the moment.”

Jamie Hayward was also announced as North-West talent manager, joining Mathew Armstrong (south) and Darren Travena (north).