Tassie team stacks up

TASMANIA is a proud footy state. We’ve been playing the game since 1864 and it feels like a lifetime that we’ve been campaigning for our very own AFL team.

It’s been a long road to get to where we are today – and there are many miles still to travel.

But the AFL Taskforce’s business case, which was officially released yesterday, should give us all the proof we need to continue to push for our dream.

Tasmanian AFL team Taskforce chairman Brett Godfrey challenged any potential critics to try to tear apart the business case. An initial $11 million investment by the State Government could lead to a return of $110 million per year and 360 new jobs. The numbers stack up.

When it comes to parochialism in Tasmania, we can argue over North or South, or East or West, but the one thing we can all agree on is that Tasmania deserves a footy team.

In 2017, departing AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick told our state that we had to solve the North-South divide.

We proved we could last year in August when the state’s three daily mastheads (from competing news organisations) banded together to barrack together for Tasmanian teams in the AFL and AFLW.

Then, more than 64,000 Tasmanians pledged to support state teams.

WE HAVE PROVED WE CAN STAND AS ONE TO MAKE THE DREAM BECOME A REALITY

There are few things that unite politicians for warring parties but the push for a Tasmanian side has bipartisan support.

The business case says that while a new state team would be based in Hobart, clashes against the big name sides would initially be in Launceston and the University of Tasmania Stadium would receive the first infrastructure spend to take capacity from 20,000 to 30,000.

There should be no doubt that this plan is to ensure this team is a winner for the whole state.

As far as the powerbrokers in Melbourne are concerned, as well as this move making financial sense, we have proved we can stand as one to make the dream become a reality.

The Tasmanian passion for footy cannot be understated, particularly given 91,000 Tasmanians are financial members of current AFL teams.

To give that number context, the Gold Coast Suns have about 12,200 paying members and North Melbourne has 41,000.

The push for a state team has arguably been one of Tasmania’s longest-running campaigns but it’s unfair to still think of it as a pipedream.

Of course, we’re not going to get there overnight. We know realistically we need to be looking beyond 2025 before a Tasmanian team takes to the national stage in the AFL or AFLW.

But just because there is a long way to go in the process doesn’t mean we should lose site of the big prize or lose faith in the process. We need to continue to support the code, look after the grassroots while building our capability and credibility.

We can only hope the AFL will give us a fair hearing and recognise that while the code tries to grow the sport across Australia, it looks after its loyal fans and players in its home states too.

Responsibility for all editorial comment is taken by the Editor, Jenna Cairney, Level 1, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS, 7000