All eyes focus on off-field players

TASMANIA’S long weekend footy-fest kicked off last night under the University of Tasmania Stadium lights.

But it is the state’s push for its own team that is the talk in the corridors of power.

Hawthorn and Melbourne slugged it out in Launceston in their last hit- out before the season proper begins in two weeks, with the Demons winning by 32 points.

It is the first of three big league games across the weekend with the North Melbourne-Tasmanian Kangaroos hosting AFLW premier Adelaide at North Hobart today and North Melbourne’s men’s team taking on the Sydney Swans at Kingston’s Twin Ovals on Monday.

The footy spotlight is on Tasmania with the state’s business case for a team currently before the AFL.

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said it was the state’s strongest case for AFL inclusion.

“Once it all stacks up and we know exactly what we are talking about of course I’m sure all my Tasmanian colleagues would like to see a partnering at all levels of government and business and the community to assist in its establishment,” he said.

MELBOURNE’S midfield enforcer Jack Viney may be in hot water for a sling tackle that saw Hawthorn skipper Ben Stratton bang his head on the turf on UTas Stadium last night in the Dees’ 32-point preseason win over the Hawks. In their final Marsh Community Series hit-out before the start of the AFL season in 12 days, Stratton’s arms were pinned by Viney in the potentially dangerous tackle and his head hit the turf in the firstquarter incident.

With concussion and headhigh impact the hottest topic in the AFL over the past week, it will be a nervous wait for Viney and Melbourne ahead of its opening game of the 2020 season against West Coast at Optus Stadium on March 22. Former Melbourne great Gary Lyon said the Viney incident was bound to be investigated, despite causing no damage to Stratton. “Last year there would have been no case to answer but this year there may be,” Lyon said. Hawthorn has its own concerns from the lowscoring, low efficiency, high-turnover game, with young forward Mitch Lewis carried off after rolling his left ankle. Everyone’s favourite garage barista, Max Gawn made a cautious return from a knee injury.In his first game as Melbourne’s new captain, Gawn had a cautious return from a knee injury.

“Maxy” had seven disposals, four marks and 14 hit-outs in the first half, and sat out the second. “It felt good. It was really important to get this game under my belt and I put myself aggressively to get up for this game,” Gawn said.

Also returning from a knee problem, Steven May was outstanding as Melbourne’s backline general, gathering 21 disposals, eight marks and seeing Hawks recruit Jonathon Patton “retired” from the game late with six touches, two marks for 1.1.

“There were a few little kinks out there today, like spoiling each other and that kind of thing, but that’s the reason we have these Marsh games to iron those out,” May said.

Dees’ fans will like what trade recruits Ed Langdon (25 possessions) and Adam Tomlinson (32 possessions) will bring this season on the wings.

Langdon worked into the back 50m to add rebound to the Dees’ defence, and the height and workrate of Tomlinson provided an important aerial asset and a reliable link in the midfield. Tomlinson was so productive that Hawthorn sent Isaac Smith to quell the damage.

Bayley Fritsch’s first official game of the year, after recovering from a knee infection, yielded a game-high 5.3 while Jake Melksham kicked 4.1.

It was a humbling night for Hawthorn, which showed no signs of the form that saw it surge home with six wins from its last eight games in 2019, including wins over grand finalist GWS, preliminary finalists Collingwood and Geelong, and 2018 premier West Coast.