Old TFL, How good it was.

[WCL]

This is something I have had saved on my computer for a while, it is a snippet from the old TFL website, which was also published in the record I believe and now on Footy Dags website, but without the crowds (I got them from the Record). It shows what a promising year 98 turned out to be, if this trend continued I have no doubt that we would still be seeing a state-wide league.

1998

ROUND 1:
@ York Park
Northern 1.3 8.8 12.11 20.16(136)
New Norfolk 2.1 5.2 9.5 11.10( 76)
Crowd: 2,263
A good crowd turned up at York Park, with many Norfolk fans making the trip up via buses, the saw a New Norfolk side with many lpayers missing from last year and with some of this year's best injured were always going to struggle against the flag favourites. Rod Grinter and Adrian Burdon served them well early, actually having the Eagles in front early on. It did not take long, however, for the Bombers to get on top; and while New Norfolk were hanging in through doing the basics well, and cutting the flow for the Bombers it only took a few small lapses for them to cut the Eagles to pieces. Neither side would be happy with the way they played in this game.

@ North Hobart Oval
Southern Districts 4.3 5.10 8.13 9.19( 73)
North Hobart 2.2 6.4 10.5 12.6 ( 78)
Crowd: 1,797
Many Cats and Demons fans travelled to North Hobart to see a great game. The Districts were heavily favoured coming in to this one, after their strong showing in the pre-season comp, and with North Hobart's lack of quality players known to all. The Cats, however, squandered their moves forward with Mick McGregor well held the Districts lacked other forward options. In the end a one dimensional forward line cost the Cats a first up win, and the Demons have one more win than they really deserve.
@ Devonport Oval
Devonport 3.3 3.7 9.10 12.13( 85)
Burnie 3.0 8.3 11.7 13.10( 88)
Crowd: 3,286
As expected a fabulous crowd watched the coastal derby, and they got their money's worth with two of last year's finalsts playing out a tight match. The Dockers ability to convert in the second term proving the real difference. The result may show how tight it could be at the top this season, Burnie may have fallen to the pack a little and Devonport seem to have covered their losses with a number of recruits. The Power certainly should have a more reliable avenue to goal this season with Ken Rainsford to bolster the forward set up.

@ Bellerive Oval
Clarence 8.0 11.0 14.4 18.4 (112)
Glenorchy 3.6 8.7 11.8 16.10(106)
Crowd: 3,890
Another good crowd turned up to see Glenorchy and Clarence play, the day started with Clarence losing Jeremy Sharpen, the roos looked likely to struggle for big men in the middle of the ground and Jordan looked set to dominate the ruck for Glenorchy. In the end Brereton played well on Jordan, but Jordan still won that duel.
The game began with some of the quickest, free flowing football seen for some time at TFL level. Clarence, in particular, were prepared to send the ball forward quickly, and got some early goals on the board as a result. Recruit Scott Allen, from the Western Bulldogs, showed his vaersatility in scoring three first quarter goals for the Roos. Accurate kicking by the Roos saw them get away from Gelnorchy, but never by much as the magpies continually fought back. Early in the last quarter Glenorchy took the lead, thanks largely to Michael Styles, who along with Ben Atkin played a top game for the Magpies. It was then Clarence's turn to respond to the pressure, of a sort they have not been used to in recent years. They did so splendidly, levelling the scores with minutes remaining despite some very good work from the Glenorchy defence. A pack mark in the middle of the goal square by Probert for the Roos at around the 29 minute mark sealed a Clarence win in one of the best TFL games for some time. It also means that three of the four games in round one were decided by a goal or less.

[bsg7]

Yeah that really shows how quickly football in tassie has declined. WCL do u think we will ever see a statewide league in tassie again?

[WCL]

Unfortunatly No. The Ideal situation was the origional concept, with 10 teams:

From the South:
Glenorchy Magpies
Clarence Roos
North Hobart Demons
New Norfolk Eagles
Sandy Bay Seagulls (cover entire southern districts)
Hobart Tigers

From the North:
North Launceston Bombers (formerly Robins)
South Launceston Bulldogs
Burnie Dockers (Formerly Hawks)
Devonport (Blues, Swans or Power)

If this concept was developed and all clubs had good financial backing, but of course he big problem is travel, but with this concept, each club has to travel once maybe twice (rare) a month, so it wouldn't be that bad.

[Captain Charisma]

Devonport (Blues, Swans or Power)

.
HOW DARE YOU, Devonport will never ever be the swans EVER. They will be maggots and always maggots how ever much they change there name

[Copernicus]

Interesting to see that they have declined so much now. From what I read it seems like they're usually lucky to get a few hundred show up, and the leagues seem to be pretty one-sided - the scores I've seen lately are a bit of a worry when most games are decided by 100 points or more. What's the story?

[The Majestic]

Interesting to see that they have declined so much now. From what I read it seems like they're usually lucky to get a few hundred show up, and the leagues seem to be pretty one-sided - the scores I've seen lately are a bit of a worry when most games are decided by 100 points or more. What's the story?
There has been a few reasonable crowds, not enough to get excited about, a lot of the time they are lucky to over 400.

[bsg7]

If this concept was developed and all clubs had good financial backing, but of course he big problem is travel, but with this concept, each club has to travel once maybe twice (rare) a month, so it wouldn't be that bad.

Why is travel such a problem??? the statwide netball seems to manage just fine???Did clubs used to hire out buses all the time???

[WCL]

I don't think it was so much the teams travelling, but supporters, by the end, next to no supporters followed their team all over the state, this came as soon as clubs stopped booking buses for supporters. I think the main financial reason was that every club tried to buy a premiership and ended up in massive debts.

[Kingpin]

Why is travel such a problem??? the statwide netball seems to manage just fine???Did clubs used to hire out buses all the time???
Around 1996/97 every single club in the Statewide League was paying a "Home Game Levy" to the TFL which consisted of $4850 to be payed by the Friday preceding the home game of the said club.

That entailed fees such as paying for umpires, buses for opposition clubs to transport the opposition players, council fees for hiring the ground out etc etc etc, and I know in Hobart's case - that some of the crowds they were getting wouldn't have even cleared that at the gate, let alone over the bar or kiosk.
Sandy Bay would've been the same as were South Launceston and Launceston and it was getting to the stage that the crowds were getting so small because of the lopsided nature of the competition, the clubs were living beyond thier means by paying out too much on greedy players and dollars weren't coming in, that clubs were going broke.

The supporters bus issue that WCL talks of is right too, I remember distinctly Hobart taking two & three busloads of supporters up North in the late 80's and early 90's to roster matches. I remember five busloads of supporters went to Devonport for the 1991 Elimination Final against Burnie Hawks, as well as the three for the teams (all three sides played up there that day - all lost btw).
By 1993/94 we'd be lucky to half-fill one bus, and in our last few years in the league, the supporters used to either drive themselves, or bunk in with Colts on the same bus.
Hobart's entire supporter base as of now, would not fill up one of those buses.
All the other clubs would have a similar story, if you talked to thier long-time fans.

[steady_eddie]

Unfortunatly No. The Ideal situation was the origional concept, with 10 teams:

From the South:
Glenorchy Magpies
Clarence Roos
North Hobart Demons
New Norfolk Eagles
Sandy Bay Seagulls (cover entire southern districts)
Hobart Tigers

From the North:
North Launceston Bombers (formerly Robins)
South Launceston Bulldogs
Burnie Dockers (Formerly Hawks)
Devonport (Blues, Swans or Power)

If this concept was developed and all clubs had good financial backing, but of course he big problem is travel, but with this concept, each club has to travel once maybe twice (rare) a month, so it wouldn't be that bad.

If this was to happen i would very much doubt that hobart football club
would field a competitive team in this kind of competition, an alternative
club from the north would be a better option. Maybe another team from the
north west coast such as ulverstone or latrobe?? i believe that this would be
great to see the old TFL up and running again.. but i suppose it is unlikely
especially with the devils now

[Kingpin]

If this was to happen i would very much doubt that hobart football club would field a competitive team in this kind of competition, an alternative club from the north would be a better option. Maybe another team from the north west coast such as ulverstone or latrobe?? i believe that this would be great to see the old TFL up and running again.. but i suppose it is unlikely especially with the devils now

Hobart would go well on the ground.
Hobart's biggest problem is lack of support, membership and money.
If Hobart were to be involved in something like that, it would have to have a full reinstatement of its colours, jumper and emblem or else it would be a total waste of time even bothering as most of the club's supporter base has walked out on it over that issue.
Playing under its old strip, with most of the "gunna's" and other deadwood kicked out of the club, and seeing a lot of the "can-do" people from the past returning as well as having a good playing list, the Tigers would be very successful.

At the moment they could make a final under the Lions and fit thier entire supporter base in a garden shed.

[steady_eddie]

Hobart would go well on the ground.
Hobart's biggest problem is lack of support, membership and money.
If Hobart were to be involved in something like that, it would have to have a full reinstatement of its colours, jumper and emblem or else it would be a total waste of time even bothering as most of the club's supporter base has walked out on it over that issue.
Playing under its old strip, with most of the "gunna's" and other deadwood kicked out of the club, and seeing a lot of the "can-do" people from the past returning as well as having a good playing list, the Tigers would be very successful.

At the moment they could make a final under the Lions and fit thier entire supporter base in a garden shed.

im sorry hobart are sruggling on and off the ground.. they didnt even make the sfl finals so i would doubt they would beat even the lesser tfl teams

[Kingpin]

im sorry hobart are sruggling on and off the ground.. they didnt even make the sfl finals so i would doubt they would beat even the lesser tfl teams
Not at this point in time they wouldn't, no.
Down the track with their youth policy they'll be a better side.
They do need to be more professional up there though, they've gone way backwards in that regard since Gilbee left.
Not much spirit in the club up there either, the club is still split down the middle and playing in front of empty stands every week with 90% of the "crowd" barracking against them wouldn't help.

Bring back the Tigers http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

[Bee]

Interesting to see that they have declined so much now. From what I read it seems like they're usually lucky to get a few hundred show up, and the leagues seem to be pretty one-sided - the scores I've seen lately are a bit of a worry when most games are decided by 100 points or more. What's the story?

The story is, with people like Scott Wade and politicians in charge they sold out to the AFL and consequently ********ed Tassie football.
Whilst the VFL Devils may be a good side, all they really do is take good players away from local clubs for the benefit of AFL sides to draft. The local Tassie clubs, and the competition, are struggling as a consequence.
You have sides like Brighton, who get belted week after week, in a major Tassie league. It's just a bloody joke. Bring back Statewide football! And ******** off people like Scott Wade and Co.!!!

[Kingpin]

The story is, with people like Scott Wade and politicians in charge they sold out to the AFL and consequently ********ed Tassie football.
Whilst the VFL Devils may be a good side, all they really do is take good players away from local clubs for the benefit of AFL sides to draft. The local Tassie clubs, and the competition, are struggling as a consequence.
You have sides like Brighton, who get belted week after week, in a major Tassie league. It's just a bloody joke. Bring back Statewide football! And ******** off people like Scott Wade and Co.!!!

Sadly enough - that's exactly right. :(
It's just an absolute dog's breakfast, but I wouldn't bring back the Statewide format without massive funding for the league and its member clubs, and it might be a little difficult to get supporters to travel now with the ever increasing price of petrol.
I would like to see them properly set up the old TANFL, NTFA & NWFU as the three main leagues in each of the major population areas, and confine it to a limited, exclusive number of teams and work with those clubs as the major clubs under-pinning the Devils (which as much as I hate them and thier take-take-take approach to football here, they won't be going away anytime soon), and remove the rest of these clubs that have never been professional, and never will be back to good quality regional leagues.
But AFL Tasmania don't want to do that - it's all too hard - not only that, but they wouldn't be getting thier mugs on the telly often enough to warrant it.

[Bee]

Sadly enough - that's exactly right. :(
It's just an absolute dog's breakfast, but I wouldn't bring back the Statewide format without massive funding for the league and its member clubs, and it might be a little difficult to get supporters to travel now with the ever increasing price of petrol.



Although I wasn't living in Tassie at the the time the Statewide league was at its peak, I do vividly remember coming here and attending a few matches with relatives. Also have very fond memories of being at the 91 and 92 grand finals that North Hobart won. At that time it was a very, very good competition. I was used to matches in Melbourne and I can remember thinking just how much of a comparison in terms of supporter passion and support, it was just as good and exciting as attending an AFL match. But how things have changed in such a short period of time.
My rellies are all mad North Hobart supporters, and have been for generations. But they now are drifting away from attending games and are getting more and more peeved with Football Tasmania and its attitude.
Seriously, who would have ever thought a team like Brighton would be a major competitor in a Tasmanian Football league? That really proves just how low things have gone here.
Not to mention that Brighton run around every week in the proud strip of the North Hobart Football Club. What a bloody insult!

[MadRyan]

Has there ever been a petition to get the TFL back? Both my father and uncle played in it and I’d love to see it back.

If it did get back up and running there should be a salary cap with the same amount for each side. Maybe even a points system with a limited number that rewards teams who blood their own players. This would eliminate teams trying to buy a premiership and then in the end going bankrupt. Here is an idea that may be far fetched but could be popular and decease money needed …

Eight team league under the name of the Tasmanian Football League with two separate divisions, Northern Division and Southern Division.

Each team from their respective division plays the three other teams within their division twice and those in the other division once. This would lead to 21 rounds, only one more then the current NTFL. Doing this set up would decrease the traveling needed and increase the crowds due to more local games.

Northern Division –

North Launceston
South Launceston
Burnie Dockers
Devonport

Southern Division –

Glenorchy
North Hobart
New Norfolk
Hobart

In later years when it’s settled of course, new teams would be added and the competition expanded.

Come finals time, the top two teams of their respective divisions are put into a top four ladder which is placed in order by points and percentage.

Example - North Launceston (64pts – 114%) and South Launceston (56pts – 93%) finish first and second respectively in the Northern Division. Hobart (60pts – 100%) and North Hobart (60pts – 91%) finish first and second respectively in the Southern Division.

North Launceston
Hobart
North Hobart
South Launceston

Week One – 1st and 2nd play for a spot in the TFL grand final, both earn double chances. 3rd and 4th play an elimination final with the winner going on the next week to play the loser of 1st and 2nd for a spot in the grand final.

Hobart defeat North Launceston
North Hobart defeat South Launceston

Week Two – Loser of 1st and 2nd plays winner of 3rd and 4th for a spot in the grand final.

North Hobart defeats North Launceston.

I'd like peoples opinions on this idea?

Week Three – Grand Final between North Hobart and Hobart.

[Kingpin]

Although I wasn't living in Tassie at the the time the Statewide league was at its peak, I do vividly remember coming here and attending a few matches with relatives. Also have very fond memories of being at the 91 and 92 grand finals that North Hobart won. At that time it was a very, very good competition. I was used to matches in Melbourne and I can remember thinking just how much of a comparison in terms of supporter passion and support, it was just as good and exciting as attending an AFL match. But how things have changed in such a short period of time.
My rellies are all mad North Hobart supporters, and have been for generations. But they now are drifting away from attending games and are getting more and more peeved with Football Tasmania and its attitude.
Seriously, who would have ever thought a team like Brighton would be a major competitor in a Tasmanian Football league? That really proves just how low things have gone here.
Not to mention that Brighton run around every week in the proud strip of the North Hobart Football Club. What a bloody insult!

Yes Bee I'm hearing that everywhere now, people who've spent thier whole lives following the sport here walking away.
The Statewide League in its heyday was awesome, greatly passionate and was worth going to.
The Grand Finals of the 80's were just enormous - the one where Devonport beat Glenorchy in '88 - I think the whole of Devonport came down that day.
I remember the '91 & '92 Grand Finals (especially '92 :( ) - I remember getting totally off my guts back at the TCA with about 800 or so others on grand final night 1992 after we lost.
I followed Hobart all my life up until 2003, I think I've been to three games in the last two years and have lost interest in the club and footy here completely. And I know I'm not the only one.

Footy's been so dumbed down in Hobart that it's not even worth watching at the moment.
I won't be going back until Hobart Tigers make a return and are running around in thier black guernsey with gold sash at the back and front and white numbers. Even then I'd have to really bust a nut to get interested in it again.

[Kingpin]

Mad Ryan :)

I haven't heard of any petitions for a return to the TFL per se.
I remember some years ago, a group of influential businessmen registered the name TANFL as a corperate entity in a bid to form a breakaway from the SWL but that never went anywhere.
That was mainly Southern-based businessmen who were concerned about what was happening to the old TFL clubs and the decayed nature of the league itself.
A relative of mine spoke to one of those men a little while back, and he said he saw no hope of fixing football here and doesn't even attend footy now, after he went to matches for over 45 years.

I have heard rumours from up North over last summer that they were keen to reinstate the NTFA & NWFU. Wether that happens or not - who knows.
I like the idea of having a TFL North & TFL South and they could probably have a 6-6 comp (you missed Clarence in the TFL South Division ;) )

I'd like to see something done to increase the standard of footy and the profile beneath the Devils in any case.

[MadRyan]

I'd like to see something done to increase the standard of footy and the profile beneath the Devils in any case.

I have many TFL tapes and I enjoy going back and watching them. The standard was great and the atmosphere was healthy too.

[Kingpin]

I have many TFL tapes and I enjoy going back and watching them. The standard was great and the atmosphere was healthy too.
Yep same, it was a great comp back then.
Absolutely light years ahead of what's there now - sometimes you have to scratch the eyes, take a second, third and fourth look at it all now and really wonder just what happened to it all.

PS: What games do you have?

[WCL]

I wish I had more Statewide league tapes, I only have the 1999 GF Glenorchy V Northern Bombers, great game, was there as well. I have tried to get some tapes but the ABC wants $50 a game for them. Joke.

[Barge]

Have countless old Glenorchy games (approx 1993-1999 at a guess) which provide many a name for "Where are they now?"

Woudl list some now, but give me a chance to browse over them and I will have heaps more names.

Here's a couple from 1993 to get you started ...... Wes Pyle, Mark Spilsbury..

[The Majestic]

Have countless old Glenorchy games (approx 1993-1999 at a guess) which provide many a name for "Where are they now?"

Woudl list some now, but give me a chance to browse over them and I will have heaps more names.

Here's a couple from 1993 to get you started ...... Wes Pyle, Mark Spilsbury..
Mark Spilsbury got home sick and either quit or was released and went back to the WAFL, I am not sure who he ended up playing for I just rememeber him going home.

[The Majestic]

The story is, with people like Scott Wade and politicians in charge they sold out to the AFL and consequently ********ed Tassie football.
Whilst the VFL Devils may be a good side, all they really do is take good players away from local clubs for the benefit of AFL sides to draft. The local Tassie clubs, and the competition, are struggling as a consequence.
You have sides like Brighton, who get belted week after week, in a major Tassie league. It's just a bloody joke. Bring back Statewide football! And ******** off people like Scott Wade and Co.!!!
And here's me thinking people liked Scott Wade :D

I agree with your post.

[Lovett-Murray]

Has there ever been a petition to get the TFL back? Both my father and uncle played in it and I’d love to see it back.

If it did get back up and running there should be a salary cap with the same amount for each side. Maybe even a points system with a limited number that rewards teams who blood their own players. This would eliminate teams trying to buy a premiership and then in the end going bankrupt. Here is an idea that may be far fetched but could be popular and decease money needed …

Eight team league under the name of the Tasmanian Football League with two separate divisions, Northern Division and Southern Division.

Each team from their respective division plays the three other teams within their division twice and those in the other division once. This would lead to 21 rounds, only one more then the current NTFL. Doing this set up would decrease the traveling needed and increase the crowds due to more local games.

Northern Division –

North Launceston
South Launceston
Burnie Dockers
Devonport

Southern Division –

Glenorchy
North Hobart
New Norfolk
Hobart

In later years when it’s settled of course, new teams would be added and the competition expanded.

Come finals time, the top two teams of their respective divisions are put into a top four ladder which is placed in order by points and percentage.

Example - North Launceston (64pts – 114%) and South Launceston (56pts – 93%) finish first and second respectively in the Northern Division. Hobart (60pts – 100%) and North Hobart (60pts – 91%) finish first and second respectively in the Southern Division.

North Launceston
Hobart
North Hobart
South Launceston

Week One – 1st and 2nd play for a spot in the TFL grand final, both earn double chances. 3rd and 4th play an elimination final with the winner going on the next week to play the loser of 1st and 2nd for a spot in the grand final.

Hobart defeat North Launceston
North Hobart defeat South Launceston

Week Two – Loser of 1st and 2nd plays winner of 3rd and 4th for a spot in the grand final.

North Hobart defeats North Launceston.

I'd like peoples opinions on this idea?

Week Three – Grand Final between North Hobart and Hobart.


My god. A serious and non-sadistic post by MadRyan. What's the world coming to?

[MadRyan]

My god. A serious and non-sadistic post by MadRyan. What's the world coming to?

I loved the TFL. ='(

Kingpin, I have countless North Launceston games, including all their grand finals apperances.

[The Majestic]

im sorry hobart are sruggling on and off the ground.. they didnt even make the sfl finals so i would doubt they would beat even the lesser tfl teams
In the seniors maybe, but their reserves and colts were decent this year, they have some fairly decent kids coming through if they can keep them. Off field is their major problem and has been getting worse.

I'd hope for Hobarts sake things pick up, I'd hate to see another Sandy Bay.