1986 draft was SA, Tas & some parts of Country Victoria, and was purely for the rights to those players, not to actually get them to play. Not really comparable to current drafts.
1986 was also when Tas made an abortive attempt at a statewide league...and screwed it up, all without any VFL/AFL interference. Having Commissioned the Ewers report, they largely ignored it to form a 'state' league that was really just an expanded Hobart league with a few others added in. (you know the same thing everyone whinges and bitches about Vics doing...they did exactly the same when put in a similar state...except they ****** it up).
Are the feds going to pay for it? If not, then they don't really get a say.
Every year that passes they get further and further off the pace, because of the REAL problem down there...a stagnant and aging population. While the rest of the country is growing, there are fewer and fewer football aged kids down there every year, meaning fewer quality players (both in relative and absolute terms) and an economy that would struggle to support a team.
If the numbers stood up (population or financial), why do others sports keep ignoring Tas when expansion opportunities arise?
But hey, lets ignore the facts and just spout hyperbole in the hope that nobody notices, right? After all, that's the basis of all Tas team arguments.
Starting the SWL was the attempt to play the best against the best. To present a stronger face for Tassie footy. All admirable aims. 1986 wasn't an 'abortive' attempt. It happened. You should at least try & get some facts into your diatribe.
The 'stuffing it up' as you call it wasn't apparent for the first few years. Indeed the league attracted some AFL experienced coaches & attracted good attendances to games. It was things like the formation & growing force & effect of the AFL as the professional arm of Aussie rules. It took over media attention, more faces watching tv.
That combined with things like the 1990 recession which affected some clubs, the entrance of the Tassie Mariner u18s which attracted media attention & thus public attention away from the TSL. Also the continual changes to the league with clubs coming in & going out.
So when you say 'stuff it up', anyone can have a cheap shot. Actually understanding the times & the effects of the AFL & other social changes will show how things evolved to where they are now. Really when looking at other state leagues, a lot of them aren't much better off. The get supported much more than the TSL ever did. The VFL wouldn't exist but for the AFL, also the NEAFL. It costs a fortune to support.
The population isn't stagnant. It is aging. The Australian population is aging. We still have many young leaving for job opportunities at the bigger companies in Syd/Mel. Their is a flow back, of older people. Again, looking at the facts & not generalising would be better.
But hey, lets just sprout what ever suits your bias.