The Scarecrow
21 Aug 2004, 16:38
From The Mercury Reported By: BRETT STUBBS
THE Hobart Football Club will suffer a slow, agonising death unless it can sort out its identity crisis, says captain Daniel Gray.
Gray, 26, who will lead the club into the elimination final against the Kingborough Tigers on Saturday at North Hobart, said yesterday Hobart did not necessarily have to revert to its traditional Tigers jumper and mascot but must find an identity -- and fast.
``We are concerned if something is not done very soon, the future doesn't look bright,'' Gray said.
``As everybody knows, corporate sponsorship is not readily available. Sponsors are not jumping out of trees to get on local footy clubs.''
He said aligning with an AFL club would be ideal because it could attract new people to Hobart.
``Brisbane seems to be a pretty good example,'' Gray said.
``[Brisbane full-forward] Alastair Lynch played with Hobart. He would be a pretty good ambassador for the footy club.
``There are numerous options but I would be happy with whatever secures the future of the club.
``We just need to choose one and act on it now so this is finalised and next year we run out in a different strip with a different name.''
Gray, the son of 1980 Hobart premiership player Peter, and his vice-captain Brent Dickson, the son of 1973 premiership player and former captain Murray, said they had worried about going public with their concerns.
``We are sitting on our hands not being proactive,'' Gray said.
``I know our identity is a very controversial topic.
``But if we don't sit down and sort it out with the necessary bodies, whether it be Kingborough or the SFL executive, we are just going to continue down the same path and that path is a very precarious one.
``We don't even have a secure junior development program in place.
``We need some strong leadership at the head because this has been an issue for five or six years.''
Gray, a cousin of Kingborough's Andrew and Tim Lamprill, said Hobart's relationship with Kingborough has been strained since Hobart entered the SFL in 1998 and was forced to give up its Tigers identity.
``They [Kingborough] are well within their rights to be upset because some factions in our footy club still claim to be the Tigers and officially we are not,'' he said. * Kingborough forward Tim Lamprill has been cleared at the tribunal of a striking charge arising from last week's game against Lauderdale and will be free to play in Saturday's elimination final against Hobart.
THE Hobart Football Club will suffer a slow, agonising death unless it can sort out its identity crisis, says captain Daniel Gray.
Gray, 26, who will lead the club into the elimination final against the Kingborough Tigers on Saturday at North Hobart, said yesterday Hobart did not necessarily have to revert to its traditional Tigers jumper and mascot but must find an identity -- and fast.
``We are concerned if something is not done very soon, the future doesn't look bright,'' Gray said.
``As everybody knows, corporate sponsorship is not readily available. Sponsors are not jumping out of trees to get on local footy clubs.''
He said aligning with an AFL club would be ideal because it could attract new people to Hobart.
``Brisbane seems to be a pretty good example,'' Gray said.
``[Brisbane full-forward] Alastair Lynch played with Hobart. He would be a pretty good ambassador for the footy club.
``There are numerous options but I would be happy with whatever secures the future of the club.
``We just need to choose one and act on it now so this is finalised and next year we run out in a different strip with a different name.''
Gray, the son of 1980 Hobart premiership player Peter, and his vice-captain Brent Dickson, the son of 1973 premiership player and former captain Murray, said they had worried about going public with their concerns.
``We are sitting on our hands not being proactive,'' Gray said.
``I know our identity is a very controversial topic.
``But if we don't sit down and sort it out with the necessary bodies, whether it be Kingborough or the SFL executive, we are just going to continue down the same path and that path is a very precarious one.
``We don't even have a secure junior development program in place.
``We need some strong leadership at the head because this has been an issue for five or six years.''
Gray, a cousin of Kingborough's Andrew and Tim Lamprill, said Hobart's relationship with Kingborough has been strained since Hobart entered the SFL in 1998 and was forced to give up its Tigers identity.
``They [Kingborough] are well within their rights to be upset because some factions in our footy club still claim to be the Tigers and officially we are not,'' he said. * Kingborough forward Tim Lamprill has been cleared at the tribunal of a striking charge arising from last week's game against Lauderdale and will be free to play in Saturday's elimination final against Hobart.