HOT TOPICS FOR TSL CLUBS, AFL TASMANIA

Clubs, AFL Tasmania to discuss hot topics after turbulent year

AFL Tasmania will debate the North-West Coast zone allocations as the North Launceston dynasty grows with four of the past five TSL premierships.

North Launceston was given Burnie’s zone and Launceston Devonport’s following the withdrawal of the Dockers and the northern Magpies before this season, on top of their own zones in and around Launceston and northern Tasmania.

The Northern Bombers were already a powerhouse before this additional zone allocation, but TSL general manager Carl Saunder said the issue would be addressed when management met the TSL clubs on Friday.

“Certainly we need to be mindful all seven clubs can enter every season feeling like their best can be competition and hopefully, in that, we have the majority of a seven-team comp. So four or five who legitimately think they can win a premiership. I think that is a healthy competition,” Saunder said.

Lauderdale coach Darren Winter, whose Bombers were beaten by 30 points on Saturday in front of a less than hoped for 4423 fans, said while the gap was closing on North Launces- ton, the situation on the Coast needed addressing urgently.

“We need to open up the North-West to the whole seven clubs,” Winter said. “I certainly didn’t agree with the fact they had a [recruiting] embargo on the North-West ... when they have already got the numbers in the North.

“I think AFL Tas will try and fix it this year.”

The final five in a seven-team comp will also be discussed, with the options of continuing as is, reducing to a final four, or introducing a wildcard weekend where fifth would play fourth for the last spot in the finals at the end of the home-and-away season.

Saunder said Lauderdale was a worthy grand finalist this year, even after finishing the roster season in fifth place.

“All three [options] have merit. It is just making sure we get that balance right between the prestige of qualifying for finals and making sure the teams that make finals deserve to be there,” Saunder said.

“You would have to say this year all five teams absolutely deserved their place.”

Winter said while it would appear five out of seven in the finals was the wrong mix, it worked fine in the TSL. “The competition is close enough to have fifth playing still,” Winter said.

“I don’t think it is going to be different next year. I don’t think it is a big drama to have five.”

It has been a turbulent season for the TSL off field, from the withdrawal of Burnie and Devonport to the intervention of the AFL-led steering committee, but on field has been a success, Saunder believes.

But it will face further disruption with the introduction of a full-time Tasmanian under-18s program next year and then a proposed VFL team by 2021.