Kingpin
7 Mar 2005, 15:00
The Mercury - Monday 7th March 2005
Gain was worth the pain, says Hodgman
After six years at the helm of Tasmanian Football, Peter Hodgman stepped down as AFL Tasmania chairman at the annual general meeting on Saturday night.
Hodgman, 58, is retiring as part of the organistion's constitution which requires no board member to serve longer than two three-year terms.
Here he talks to Brett Stubbs on his reign in arguably the sport's most tumultuous era through the collapse of the Statewide League and the bumps, bruises and glory of running football from the top.
How was Tasmanian football when you took over?
It was dying the death of a thousand cuts. There was no unity, sponsorship was walking away, crowds were leaving and the clubs were in financial strife. The collective debt of the Statewide League clubs was over $3 million.
There was a lack of interest and administration squabbles.
It was in an appalling mess. It was a great challenge to take on.
Through the AFL and the Ed Biggs report, we had 32 tough recommendations to implement. That provided a blueprint for a vibrant game for the future.
But there was huge pain to have today's gain. There was blood on the carpet. We had three major legal actions against us, death threats: a really tough time. But, we knew if we got through that, we had a bright future.
Did you ever think "this is too much"?
Very much so. I had 27 years in politics and 12 as a cabinet minister, I don't think I ever experienced anything as tough as being chairman of AFL Tasmania. We had 21 leagues, 200 clubs, over 20,000 football followers and a football public of over 100,000 - all of whom had thier own individual views on how football should run.
We knew we wouldn't please everyone and we had to make some tough decisions.
When the going was tough, my fantastic board locked in behind me and we saw it through. But to get home one night and find a letter on my door telling me I was being sued by the remaining Statewide clubs for $780,000 was a heck of a shock.
We saw that through the courts and we knew our decision was correct and it was proven so.
It was a worrying time.
There were no-confidence motions and, through all of that, I am just so delighted to see we have now got sponsorship back and it has trebled, we have got the public back, the Devils are functioning remarkably well and we have three regional competitions.
We are now running with balanced budgets, we insist on clubs trading within their limits. Football is now affordable, vibrant, financially viable and it has got the corporate sponsorship, public and media support.
How bad was it for some of the old statewide clubs?
The Mercury did a story in New Norfolk after it dropped out of the Statewide League. One lady said that if I ever went to New Norfolk she would take to me with her carving knife, and apparently she meant it.
But that club was over $500,000 in debt. It was struggling and had little community support in the Statewide League.
Now it is just great to see the club reducing its debt, functioning with the community support and quite frankly I feel quite pleased I saved New Norfolk. I don't think I will get bouqets in New Norfolk for it but the realisation is that club is functioning today.
Had it remained statewide it would have gone out of existence.
Terminating statewide football was the best thing for football in this state.
How did Tasmania end up in the VFL?
The VFL had an opening for a team and we met with the VFL board and argued our case.
There wasn't overwhelming support. It is a Victorian competition. Why have a Tasmanian team? We argued that we were in need of a pathway for young players.
The AFL was not all that keen on us going into the VFL. It believed only the AFL should be flying around the nation, not second-tier competitions. But once again we argued the case with them.
I was really honoured after difficult discussions to sign the license on behalf of Tasmania for our team to go into the VFL.
That was a major, major accomplishment for me.
Any regrets?
I always feel upset by the anger I caused across the community.
There were petitions in the North of over 12,000 against me and I am sorry I caused people anguish.
But I hope they would reflect on my period and look at football today, and say "despite our annoyance at Peter Hodgman we have got a better situation today than we had six years ago".
Even my most ardent critics would concede that, or I hope they would.
Are there any areas that still need fixing?
It is right now. We have got the pathway through the Devils to the AFL, we have got three regional competitions. We need to firm up on youth development.
It is the most popular sport in Tasmania but you can't rest on your laurels.
Because we don't have AFL games in the South, we have to double our efforts and really maximise keeping young people in the game.
The north of the state is doing well. We have to keep working at it to make sure things continue.
Getting AFL games in the South was something AFL Tasmania was very strident about and it created a North and South divide and animosity between the State Government and AFL Tasmania, how do you look back on that?
We fought the battle as hard and vigorously as we could.
Our policy was to maximise AFL presence across the state but at the end of the day a decision was taken.
While we don't agree with it, we accept it and have to move on and games will be played at York Park.
I don't like it but the reality is that is it. The government has made it very clear and the AFL has supported them.
However, our case wasn't a total loss because we are now getting $200,000 a year towards youth development in southern Tasmania. It is not a bad fall-out from when we argued our case.
[Late Premier] Jim Bacon and I were friends for many years and it was unfortunate this created a problem at the tail end of his life. It is one regret that I have.
Was there a lot of animosity between the two of you over this issue?
You would have to say yes, and that is unfortunate.
Despite the fact we came from opposite sides of politics, we always had a very good working relationship.
I respected Jim and am very fond of [Mr Bacon's widow] Honey and I would hope the hiccup of that animosity is simply that.
Is the issue of AFL games in the South dead and buried?
Unfortunately yes. The government has made it very clear and unless there is a change in government policy, all games will be played at York Park.
How is the relationship between AFL Tasmania and the State Government?
Terrific. I have a good relationship with Paul Lennon. The hatchet is buried.
How hard has it been with you to work closely with your enemy from 27 years in politics?
In politics people think you are enemies but Paul Lennon and I shared the same electorate in Franklin.
Out of the cut and thrust of politics we have had a good friendship.
You have got to try to keep the politics out of football but, mind you, there is probably a lot more politics in football than there is in Parliament.
Will we ever see a Tasmanian side in the AFL?
Yes, I would like to think the VFL team will be that foundation stone for that. You can never sit idle. To look at the situation at football in Tasmania now and say "it is fantastic" is great but you have to set goals.
When it will happen heaven only knows. It will cost this state an absolute fortune to have a team in the AFL.
The Devils cost about $1 million a year, an AFL team will cost about $24 million a year.
But I would like to think it will be a truly national competition with our team in the AFL.
Is parochialism still the biggest issue in Tasmanian football?
We have done our best to try to appease it. But the reality is that the AFL Tasmania board has been made of up of directors from around the state. We have always tried to look at Tasmania as a total package.
That is why we believed AFL games should be North and South, the Devils play in the North-West, North and South, our funding is across the state.
We have done our very best to try to remove the parochialism. You can never totally remove it and in a lot of ways it is not such a bad thing.
That sense of local loyalty provides that bit of an injection of larrikinism into the game of football and that is good.
You don't want to make it sterile and boring.
It must have been frustrating trying to be an administrator for a state organistion?
Very much so. It is just part of the package. I was once told at a fairly fiery meeting at the NTFL that I was just a bureaucratic fatcat from Hobart.
I had to remind the person that person the job I had was voluntary and I was trying to do the best for the state.
But there was that sense of a Southerner and an immediate dislike.
Is that why someone from Burnie, David Templeton, has been appointed chairman?
David was one of the originals and he justifies the position regardless of where he lives in the State.
I think it is very fortuitous he happens to live on the North-West Coast and proves people from around the state can take the job.
He will be a terrific chairman. He took a particularly tough time over his support for playing AFL games at Bellerive being a Northerner.
That was a gutsy, courageous effort, but he has courage of his convictions.
Are there any personal highlights from your six years?
The team in the VFL, the regional competitions really creating public, media and corporate support and the Tasmanian Team Of The Century was the finale I wanted.
That was a huge effort but an absolute reflection of a magnificant 100 years of football in this state.
It was a huge risk, but a huge satisfaction.
What does the future hold now for Peter Hodgman?
Back to square one. I just want to be a person who goes along and enjoys watching the football.
I have had a long association with the Kingborough Football Club and I have spoken to them about my role and I am pretty good at cooking chips.
So I will work in the kitchen on the occasional day. Just be a local bloke enjoying the football.
I have finished on a high. I don't think six years ago I could have envisaged the result we are now achieving.
____________________________________________________________ ____
Good riddance to bad rubbish. One of the people responsible for killing football in Tasmania. He ruined the Huon Football Association and did the same to local football. A longtime Kingborough supporter - geez I'm really surprised at that one :rolleyes:
I take it he won't be going to many away games, or he'll get thumped.
Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. :mad:
Gain was worth the pain, says Hodgman
After six years at the helm of Tasmanian Football, Peter Hodgman stepped down as AFL Tasmania chairman at the annual general meeting on Saturday night.
Hodgman, 58, is retiring as part of the organistion's constitution which requires no board member to serve longer than two three-year terms.
Here he talks to Brett Stubbs on his reign in arguably the sport's most tumultuous era through the collapse of the Statewide League and the bumps, bruises and glory of running football from the top.
How was Tasmanian football when you took over?
It was dying the death of a thousand cuts. There was no unity, sponsorship was walking away, crowds were leaving and the clubs were in financial strife. The collective debt of the Statewide League clubs was over $3 million.
There was a lack of interest and administration squabbles.
It was in an appalling mess. It was a great challenge to take on.
Through the AFL and the Ed Biggs report, we had 32 tough recommendations to implement. That provided a blueprint for a vibrant game for the future.
But there was huge pain to have today's gain. There was blood on the carpet. We had three major legal actions against us, death threats: a really tough time. But, we knew if we got through that, we had a bright future.
Did you ever think "this is too much"?
Very much so. I had 27 years in politics and 12 as a cabinet minister, I don't think I ever experienced anything as tough as being chairman of AFL Tasmania. We had 21 leagues, 200 clubs, over 20,000 football followers and a football public of over 100,000 - all of whom had thier own individual views on how football should run.
We knew we wouldn't please everyone and we had to make some tough decisions.
When the going was tough, my fantastic board locked in behind me and we saw it through. But to get home one night and find a letter on my door telling me I was being sued by the remaining Statewide clubs for $780,000 was a heck of a shock.
We saw that through the courts and we knew our decision was correct and it was proven so.
It was a worrying time.
There were no-confidence motions and, through all of that, I am just so delighted to see we have now got sponsorship back and it has trebled, we have got the public back, the Devils are functioning remarkably well and we have three regional competitions.
We are now running with balanced budgets, we insist on clubs trading within their limits. Football is now affordable, vibrant, financially viable and it has got the corporate sponsorship, public and media support.
How bad was it for some of the old statewide clubs?
The Mercury did a story in New Norfolk after it dropped out of the Statewide League. One lady said that if I ever went to New Norfolk she would take to me with her carving knife, and apparently she meant it.
But that club was over $500,000 in debt. It was struggling and had little community support in the Statewide League.
Now it is just great to see the club reducing its debt, functioning with the community support and quite frankly I feel quite pleased I saved New Norfolk. I don't think I will get bouqets in New Norfolk for it but the realisation is that club is functioning today.
Had it remained statewide it would have gone out of existence.
Terminating statewide football was the best thing for football in this state.
How did Tasmania end up in the VFL?
The VFL had an opening for a team and we met with the VFL board and argued our case.
There wasn't overwhelming support. It is a Victorian competition. Why have a Tasmanian team? We argued that we were in need of a pathway for young players.
The AFL was not all that keen on us going into the VFL. It believed only the AFL should be flying around the nation, not second-tier competitions. But once again we argued the case with them.
I was really honoured after difficult discussions to sign the license on behalf of Tasmania for our team to go into the VFL.
That was a major, major accomplishment for me.
Any regrets?
I always feel upset by the anger I caused across the community.
There were petitions in the North of over 12,000 against me and I am sorry I caused people anguish.
But I hope they would reflect on my period and look at football today, and say "despite our annoyance at Peter Hodgman we have got a better situation today than we had six years ago".
Even my most ardent critics would concede that, or I hope they would.
Are there any areas that still need fixing?
It is right now. We have got the pathway through the Devils to the AFL, we have got three regional competitions. We need to firm up on youth development.
It is the most popular sport in Tasmania but you can't rest on your laurels.
Because we don't have AFL games in the South, we have to double our efforts and really maximise keeping young people in the game.
The north of the state is doing well. We have to keep working at it to make sure things continue.
Getting AFL games in the South was something AFL Tasmania was very strident about and it created a North and South divide and animosity between the State Government and AFL Tasmania, how do you look back on that?
We fought the battle as hard and vigorously as we could.
Our policy was to maximise AFL presence across the state but at the end of the day a decision was taken.
While we don't agree with it, we accept it and have to move on and games will be played at York Park.
I don't like it but the reality is that is it. The government has made it very clear and the AFL has supported them.
However, our case wasn't a total loss because we are now getting $200,000 a year towards youth development in southern Tasmania. It is not a bad fall-out from when we argued our case.
[Late Premier] Jim Bacon and I were friends for many years and it was unfortunate this created a problem at the tail end of his life. It is one regret that I have.
Was there a lot of animosity between the two of you over this issue?
You would have to say yes, and that is unfortunate.
Despite the fact we came from opposite sides of politics, we always had a very good working relationship.
I respected Jim and am very fond of [Mr Bacon's widow] Honey and I would hope the hiccup of that animosity is simply that.
Is the issue of AFL games in the South dead and buried?
Unfortunately yes. The government has made it very clear and unless there is a change in government policy, all games will be played at York Park.
How is the relationship between AFL Tasmania and the State Government?
Terrific. I have a good relationship with Paul Lennon. The hatchet is buried.
How hard has it been with you to work closely with your enemy from 27 years in politics?
In politics people think you are enemies but Paul Lennon and I shared the same electorate in Franklin.
Out of the cut and thrust of politics we have had a good friendship.
You have got to try to keep the politics out of football but, mind you, there is probably a lot more politics in football than there is in Parliament.
Will we ever see a Tasmanian side in the AFL?
Yes, I would like to think the VFL team will be that foundation stone for that. You can never sit idle. To look at the situation at football in Tasmania now and say "it is fantastic" is great but you have to set goals.
When it will happen heaven only knows. It will cost this state an absolute fortune to have a team in the AFL.
The Devils cost about $1 million a year, an AFL team will cost about $24 million a year.
But I would like to think it will be a truly national competition with our team in the AFL.
Is parochialism still the biggest issue in Tasmanian football?
We have done our best to try to appease it. But the reality is that the AFL Tasmania board has been made of up of directors from around the state. We have always tried to look at Tasmania as a total package.
That is why we believed AFL games should be North and South, the Devils play in the North-West, North and South, our funding is across the state.
We have done our very best to try to remove the parochialism. You can never totally remove it and in a lot of ways it is not such a bad thing.
That sense of local loyalty provides that bit of an injection of larrikinism into the game of football and that is good.
You don't want to make it sterile and boring.
It must have been frustrating trying to be an administrator for a state organistion?
Very much so. It is just part of the package. I was once told at a fairly fiery meeting at the NTFL that I was just a bureaucratic fatcat from Hobart.
I had to remind the person that person the job I had was voluntary and I was trying to do the best for the state.
But there was that sense of a Southerner and an immediate dislike.
Is that why someone from Burnie, David Templeton, has been appointed chairman?
David was one of the originals and he justifies the position regardless of where he lives in the State.
I think it is very fortuitous he happens to live on the North-West Coast and proves people from around the state can take the job.
He will be a terrific chairman. He took a particularly tough time over his support for playing AFL games at Bellerive being a Northerner.
That was a gutsy, courageous effort, but he has courage of his convictions.
Are there any personal highlights from your six years?
The team in the VFL, the regional competitions really creating public, media and corporate support and the Tasmanian Team Of The Century was the finale I wanted.
That was a huge effort but an absolute reflection of a magnificant 100 years of football in this state.
It was a huge risk, but a huge satisfaction.
What does the future hold now for Peter Hodgman?
Back to square one. I just want to be a person who goes along and enjoys watching the football.
I have had a long association with the Kingborough Football Club and I have spoken to them about my role and I am pretty good at cooking chips.
So I will work in the kitchen on the occasional day. Just be a local bloke enjoying the football.
I have finished on a high. I don't think six years ago I could have envisaged the result we are now achieving.
____________________________________________________________ ____
Good riddance to bad rubbish. One of the people responsible for killing football in Tasmania. He ruined the Huon Football Association and did the same to local football. A longtime Kingborough supporter - geez I'm really surprised at that one :rolleyes:
I take it he won't be going to many away games, or he'll get thumped.
Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. :mad: