Cats back Tassie for AFL

GEELONG has planted its flag of support for an AFL team in Tasmania, saying “Tassie should get a team as soon as possible”.

Momentum continues to build for a 19th AFL club on the Apple Isle after new NBL team the Tasmania JackJumpers captured the hearts and minds of the state in a stunning run to the basketball league’s grand final series.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has said that the clubs would make the call on whether Tasmania was granted a licence to join the competition.

The current clubs will be asked after an August report into the new club’s viability.

A core group of club presidents have reservations about the financial model for a Tasmanian team and a 19th team would only be brought into the competition with the blessing of the clubs.

Geelong will be voting “yes” to that question. Coach Chris Scott said the club was unified in its support.

“Our club position is that Tassie should get a team as soon as possible,” he said.

“(Former Geelong chief executive) Brian Cook had the same view, (current chief executive) Steve Hocking has this view, (football boss) Simon Lloyd has this view and (club president) Craig Drummond has this view.

“And when they explain it to me, it makes a lot of sense.

“Tasmania has been a fundamental part of the VFL/AFL (and) football landscape for a long time and they have contributed a lot to the game. And in my opinion and our (club) opinion, based on that alone they deserve to have a presence in the competition.

“I think probably the better question is ‘why not?’ I haven’t heard one reason why it wouldn’t work. It seems to come down to money a little bit and all the smart people I know tend to think that those hurdles can be overcome.”

Former Geelong president Colin Carter tabled a report last year that indicated a stand-alone team could work in Tasmania and the state’s premier Jeremy Rockliff said this week he was “determined to finish what this government started and deliver Tasmania its own team, once and for all”.