Having recently played a game back home in Tassie, and on the eve of next Wednesday's 'Celebration of Tasmanian Football' event at Crown Casino, I've been thinking about how much the state has been taken for granted in recent years.
For a small island of just over half a million people, Tassie has produced an incredible galaxy of footy stars - legends like Darrel Baldock, Ian Stewart, Royce Hart and Peter Hudson and more modern greats such as Alastair Lynch, Matthew Richardson, Grant Birchall and my cousin Jack (I had to mention him, otherwise I'd be off his Christmas list).
I was born in Tassie, most of my family are still nearly all down there, and I've always maintained my connection to the state. In fact, each summer for the past few years, I've hosted St Kilda's first-year players at our family beach house (or 'shack' as us Tasmanians call them) on the magnificent east coast. It's evolved into something really special - it's a chance to get away together outside of the Melbourne bubble, and I can show off the best of my home state. Pretty much to a man, every player who has spent time down there has loved it, and the chance for me to combine my two worlds -- my footy world and where I grew up -- is really special.
But the way the state has been neglected by head office causes me immense frustration. In fact, I've become more and more disillusioned about the island state's treatment at the hands of the governing body. This was never more apparent than when ex-AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick stepped down earlier this year and offered his reasons as to why a standalone Tassie team has never been supported by head office.
"In many ways the difficulty is the north-south issue in Tasmania and that has to be resolved before Tasmania can be resolved," he said. To say that the north-south divide is a greater roadblock than what the league faced in setting up the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney is as illogical as it is insulting. It's a slap in the face to footy-loving Tasmanians. Yes, the north-south divide in Tassie is a genuine issue (it used to be so fierce that southerners would dare not drink Boag's, with its brewery in Launceston, and vice-versa for northerners when it came to Cascade, based in Hobart). But to use that as an excuse as to why the AFL has continually denied Tasmania its own team? That doesn't sit well with me.
Compare that to how the AFL established its 17th and 18th franchises not so long ago. The league made a commitment to grow the game in western Sydney and Queensland and the concessions and financial backing the Giants and Suns were given shows the league would not let them fail. I understand the business case behind the decision to establish those two teams. But I also have no doubt that if Tassie got the same kind of backing, it just wouldn't fail - the AFL wouldn't let it. But the league doesn't want to go down that path, which is terribly disappointing.
One of the other main arguments I've heard against the establishment of a Tasmanian team is the fact it's a captive audience; footy is already the No.1 game down there, so why invest in the game? But there's a big risk of allowing the sport to wither on the vine. There are already signs that the game is weakening down south; there are myriad issues affecting the state's premier local league, and just last year there was no Tasmanian drafted for the first since 1986. That's appalling, and a legitimate concern for anyone passionate about football in Tassie, especially considering the amazing contribution the state has made to our brilliant sport.
Just imagine if a team was set up down there and it got the same zoning concessions that the teams in Queensland and NSW have received. More talent coming through would only ensure the game itself became stronger - just look at the increase of players drafted from NSW and Queensland in recent years after the AFL's increased focus on junior development from those regions.
So, how would it work?
I'm from the south, so I may be biased, but I think the team would have to be based in Hobart, especially when you consider almost half of the state's population resides in the capital city. And believe me, Hobart is a GREAT city. Yes, it gets cold in winter, but so does Melbourne; but it's a wonderful place to raise a family, it's incredibly affordable, there's so many natural and cultural attractions and from a culinary point of view, it's really taken off in recent years.
While I believe a Tasmanian club would have to be based in the south, I can absolutely see a situation where it would split games 7-4 or 6-5 with the north. Hawthorn at the moment play seven home games in Melbourne per year and four in Launceston, so what's the difference if something similar was set up for a Hobart-Launceston split for a Tassie team? That dynamic has worked pretty well for the Hawks in recent years... And as a bonus, if a Tasmanian team played games in the north and south, it would actually help unite the state, rather than allowing the north-south divide to continue bubbling away.
And don't forget, the stadiums at York Park and Bellerive Oval are first-class, boutique stadiums that regularly sell out for AFL matches. So the AFL wouldn't need to pour funds into building new stadiums - Geelong have proven that a mid-sized model can work beautifully. As the appetite and game grows, the infrastructure down there can grow with it if needed.
Tasmania is football heartland but it has been kicked to the kerb during the AFL's march to the modern era. A change is long overdue, and most certainly warranted.
Again, let me be clear: If the AFL wanted a team in Tasmania to work, it would work. All it needs is a shift of mindset from the league. Until it happens, there's no way the AFL can call itself a truly national competition. And we're all the worse off for it.