EAGLE’S VISION

Make it regional or put us in the TSL, says coach

was required, and a return to a six-team southern Tasmanian competition consisting of Glenorchy, Clarence, Lauderdale, Hobart City, the Tigers and New Norfolk was an option.

“The crowds are the biggest issue as well,” Smith said.

“You’ve got to try to get people back to the footy.

“I know if New Norfolk was playing Glenorchy or North Hobart that would happen. You’d have a good game of footy every week and that’s what people want to see.

“They don’t want to pay $8 to watch New Norfolk beat Huonville by 167 points. “It is not even enjoyable to coach. “Coaches want to be challenged, players want to be challenged and it is pretty hard to do that when you know you are going to get the result and basically only playing to 50 per cent of your ability.

“It is a tough decision but they’ve got to make a decision pretty soon.”

He was confident the Eagles would be competitive in the TSL if the com- petition expanded from its current nine-team set-up. “Financially our club is in a really good position,” he said.

“We’ve got the clubrooms, which is a massive asset and … we’ve got the playing personnel, which would be extremely competitive, we’ve got some really good juniors coming through.

“Glenorchy has got about 12 of our players on their list at the minute — [including] Mitch Rainbird, Brayden Webb, James Webb, Connor Salter, Jake Bearman, Jye Bearman, Sam Hall. NEW Norfolk coach Matthew Smith wants a return to regional football or the Eagles elevated to the TSL to bring excitement and equality back to the sport.

The last round of the SFL saw four one-sided blowouts, with the closest result 97 points and Smith’s unbeaten Eagles belting sixth-placed Huonville by 167 points.

Smith, who has coached in both the TSL and the SFL, said urgent action

“If even a handful of those guys were to come back it would make New Norfolk even stronger again.”

TSL general manager Carl Saunder said there were no plans to expand the TSL or revert back to a regional only competition.

“Footy is a game of opinions and that is what makes it great,” Saunder said. “Matt’s enthusiasm around wanting his club to join the TSL is admirable, but the current licence agreements with all clubs currently run to 2023 and there is no southern licence available at this point in time.

“We are extremely committed to the TSL and we are delighted with how the 2017 season is progressing, with many teams right in the mix for the premiership we should see an exciting conclusion.”

Smith said he understood the administrators of the SFL and the TSL were working hard to solve the issues, but action needed to be taken soon.

“At the minute our competition is no good,” he said.

“And I look at the TSL and the results there, and, let’s face it, there are three teams in southern Tasmania, Glenorchy, Clarence and Lauderdale, which are good games of footy, but apart from that you wouldn’t go and watch a game.

“In the north, the only game you would watch is North Launceston v Launceston.

“If it is not working, you’ve got to do something to fix it.

“You just can’t go along and hope something would change.”