Green: TSL path vital to game
FORMER Brisbane and Essendon goal shark Josh Green fears for the future of the TSL – a competition he labelled as vital in helping him realise his AFL dream.
Green, who was taken by Brisbane with pick 32 in the 2010 national draft, played 105 AFL games from 2011-2018, kicked 132 goals and was twice the Lions top goalkicker, returned to Clarence last season.
A two-time State League premiership Roo, Green said the survival of the premier competition was paramount.
He said funding must be increased to make it more viable than lower-tier leagues to attract the state’s best players.
AFL Tasmania recently launched its Football Futures Project, which includes a survey on the future of the code in the state.
“For me, it was so, so important,” Green said of the TSL.
“Recruiters used to say to me ‘we know you can play against kids your age’, but they also knew I had been playing seniors, against men in a comp they considered a reasonable standard, against guys who used to play VFL and AFL.
“They used to tick the box of ‘yep, he can play against men’.
“I am so thankful for the TSL for that and it is a bit sad it is headed this way. I just hope for the young guys coming through it holds up and we get the funding and support it needs.
“It needs more funding and the salary cap needs to increase, because in the SFL it is less training and blokes are getting more money.
“Expecting guys to train three times a week, recovery, play, and travel, I don’t think it
is a viable situation, so unless the salary cap is increased, I think it will fall away and go back to the old SFL model.”
Green is one of three former AFL players in Clarence’s squad – alongside Colin Garland and coach Jeromey Webberley – with the Roos confirming their premiership credentials with a stirring road win against North Launceston last Saturday.
A late Garland goal gave the visitors a dramatic twopoint upset win, firmly suggesting the flag is far from a two-horse race.
“It is massive, especially with finals only five weeks away,” Green said.
“We knew if we could do that at Blundstone earlier in the year against the Bombers we could do it up there, we were quietly confident if we brought pressure that we could beat them.
“We were really happy with our ability to keep chipping away all day. To walk away with a two-point win up there with only four games to go is great timing.”
Clarence can solidify its spot in the top three when it travels to KGV to take on arch rival Glenorchy.
In other games this round, Lauderdale is at home to the Tigers while North Hobart hosts North Launceston at North Hobart Oval. adam.j.smith@news.com.au