Tasmania Riewoldt calls on AFL to give Tassie its own team

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Mar 17, 2009
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and once again, you hide your inability to form a coherent counter argument with personal attacks.

Kinda sad really.

Coherent argument huh.

Ok Tassie Devils were started by AFL Tas. They destroyed the first state league for this reason. When they started their crowds were the best in the VFL at that time, including 11k+ at a semi final. Then AFL Tas (ie the AFL office in Tasmania) decided, without asking paid up members (like me & our group of footy heads), & against some strong advice from Port Melbourne which was printed in our local newspaper, amalgamated with North Melbourne. Clearly the AFLs first effort to counter Hawthorn & get some NM influence here. It caused a breakdown with the community. Let alone appointing a coach with serious gambling & other behavioural issues over his head ( since resolved & thankfully him & his family now doing well I hear).
The AFL powers FKT this thing up. NO ONE ELSE!!! Good crowds & sponsors made it a good going concern, until AFL politics FKT it up.

The public here arent stupid. They could see & smell the AFL rat all over this one.

Maybe you can give us the long list of VFA & VFL clubs who have have rolled over since the AFL started & dominated football?? A lot more than 1 club I'll wager.

This is all been said before, as you well know. But you write your own lies to suit your personal narrative. So your comment is rather pointless re the Tassie Devils & shows you disregard of the facts of the matter.

So your 'coherent' answer is??
 

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Using a semi-professional (at best) team as a reason why Tasmania wouldn't get enough support for professional teams is pathetic.

Last I checked the only really comparable professional sporting team in Tasmania, the Hurricanes, was attracting plenty of support.
They also play half as many games in Tassie as the AFL does. A summer bash for 4 games based around families with kids aged 6-15 during school holidays is hardly a fair comparison for the amount of coterie packages and mid to low level sponsorship packages that the Tassie team will need to sell across 11 games in order to have revenue amounts that are comparable with the Norths and St Kildas of the competition.

I think there's valid arguments for having a Tassie team as a mechanism for the AFL's responsibility in developing the game and its talent in Tassie, but pure weight of numbers argument with the economy and demographics of Tassie doesn't support a Tassie team.
 
May 4, 2009
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They also play half as many games in Tassie as the AFL does. A summer bash for 4 games based around families with kids aged 6-15 during school holidays is hardly a fair comparison for the amount of coterie packages and mid to low level sponsorship packages that the Tassie team will need to sell across 11 games in order to have revenue amounts that are comparable with the Norths and St Kildas of the competition.

I think there's valid arguments for having a Tassie team as a mechanism for the AFL's responsibility in developing the game and its talent in Tassie, but pure weight of numbers argument with the economy and demographics of Tassie doesn't support a Tassie team.
What other examples of Tassie professional sporting teams do u have.....

Heres something. Hobart is the (Edit 2nd. Sunshine Coast 1st) largest city in Australia to not have a professional football team. Thankfully we do have a cricket team at least or else it would get very sad.

Found it interesting that Tassal is the new naming sponsor of the Hurricanes for the next 2 years. So much for not having good corporate support down here.
 
What other examples of Tassie professional sporting teams do u have.....

Heres something. Hobart is the (Edit 2nd. Sunshine Coast 1st) largest city in Australia to not have a professional football team. Thankfully we do have a cricket team at least or else it would get very sad.

Found it interesting that Tassal is the new naming sponsor of the Hurricanes for the next 2 years. So much for not having good corporate support down here.
A) the reason that the NRL can have smaller cities with teams is because the revenue demands of their teams to be competitive are lower than the AFL because it's simply a smaller competition. In theory if Hobart was entering the NRL with AFL-levels of NRL support they'd no doubt have a team

My point is that there isn't the same level of mid-to-low tier corporate support in order to sell the low level sponsorship packages and corporate box/coterie money. A lot was made of the Mars sponsorship for the 2008 bid but nothing on the lower level revenue sources which is a big deal.

For example North Melbourne count 20 different corporate partners and St Kilda count 19 - will Tassie get that close?
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Only way Tasmania will ever get a team is if a Victorian team is willing to relocate = none because it's not economically viable. End thread.

That indeed is an interesting point of view coming from someone who supports teams in a state so strong in Aussie rules, that both its clubs require massive support, just to exist.

Brisbane membership has collapsed. The GC is & will continue as a financial black hole for the AFL. Just like it always has been, as exampled by the litany of failed professional teams that have preceded the GC creation by the AFL.

Yet you write the dribble about what Tasmania cant do. Maybe you can spend some time explaining to us, your views of, the failings in the two QLd AFL clubs, courtesy of the AFL.?

Tasmania could hardly do any worse. It'd be a big effort to fail as badly as Qld has. Especially given the massive massive financial handouts they have had & continue to get. Because they are failing. And failing badly.
 
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That indeed is an interesting point of view coming from someone who supports teams in a state so strong in Aussie rules, that both its clubs require massive support, just to exist.

Brisbane membership has collapsed. The GC is & will continue as a financial black hole for the AFL. Just like it always has been, as exampled by the litany of failed professional teams that have preceded the GC creation by the AFL.

Yet you write the dribble about what Tasmania cant do. Maybe you can spend some time explaining to us, your views of, the failings in the two QLd AFL clubs, courtesy of the AFL.?

Tasmania could hardly do any worse. It'd be a big effort to fail as badly as Qld has. Especially given the massive massive financial handouts they have had & continue to get. Because they are failing. And failing badly.
Tasmania doesn't grow the game, QLD does. Look long term.
 
Two teams have split the support between them that one club had 10 years ago.

How is that growing anything but debt?
Have a look at Queensland participation numbers. Growing.

The TV deals - benefited from Queensland having one home game in the state every week - growing.

I don't understand the arguments sometimes madmug. If a Tassie team is being proposed against the any of the "weaknesses" of any of the other 18 teams, Tassie loses out every time. Similarly to the arguments that the Tassie market itself could generate the revenue comparable to the other teams. The most valid Tassie argument imo, is what a Tassie AFL team would do to serve and benefit the development of footy in Tassie in all levels below the AFL. The fact that there's less and less Tasmanians being drafted in the AFL is a valid argument for an AFL Tasmanian team as a representation for issues with Tassie footy at lower levels and Tassie footy in terms of youth development.
 
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Have a look at Queensland participation numbers. Growing.

The TV deals - benefited from Queensland having one home game in the state every week - growing.

I don't understand the arguments sometimes madmug. If a Tassie team is being proposed against the any of the "weaknesses" of any of the other 18 teams, Tassie loses out every time. Similarly to the arguments that the Tassie market itself could generate the revenue comparable to the other teams. The most valid Tassie argument imo, is what a Tassie AFL team would do to serve and benefit the development of footy in Tassie in all levels below the AFL. The fact that there's less and less Tasmanians being drafted in the AFL is a valid argument for an AFL Tasmanian team as a representation for issues with Tassie footy at lower levels and Tassie footy in terms of youth development.

If the AFL invested a pro rata amount in Qld as they do in Tasmania, Qld development would stop dead in the water, as indeed would NSW if the same applied their. AFL Tasmania gets under $3mill a year. GC alone gets near 10 times that.

The investment in Tasmania slowed substantially well before the slow down in draft picks. The level of AFL standard coaching here is virtually non existent, now & thats due to the non investment in our football.

The results of the AFLs action/inaction here speaks for itself. Very little investment means very little output. Why is that the desire of the AFL?? Who does that help?
 
Coherent argument huh.

Ok Tassie Devils were started by AFL Tas. They destroyed the first state league for this reason. When they started their crowds were the best in the VFL at that time, including 11k+ at a semi final. Then AFL Tas (ie the AFL office in Tasmania) decided, without asking paid up members (like me & our group of footy heads), & against some strong advice from Port Melbourne which was printed in our local newspaper, amalgamated with North Melbourne. Clearly the AFLs first effort to counter Hawthorn & get some NM influence here. It caused a breakdown with the community. Let alone appointing a coach with serious gambling & other behavioural issues over his head ( since resolved & thankfully him & his family now doing well I hear).
The AFL powers FKT this thing up. NO ONE ELSE!!! Good crowds & sponsors made it a good going concern, until AFL politics FKT it up.

The public here arent stupid. They could see & smell the AFL rat all over this one.

Maybe you can give us the long list of VFA & VFL clubs who have have rolled over since the AFL started & dominated football?? A lot more than 1 club I'll wager.

This is all been said before, as you well know. But you write your own lies to suit your personal narrative. So your comment is rather pointless re the Tassie Devils & shows you disregard of the facts of the matter.

So your 'coherent' answer is??


You need to learn the history of football in Tasmania better if you want to be taken seriously.

Like when was AFLTas formed?...because you're blaming them for things that happened long before they even existed.

Football Tasmania "FKT this thing up" long before the AFL took over.
 
If the AFL invested a pro rata amount in Qld as they do in Tasmania, Qld development would stop dead in the water, as indeed would NSW if the same applied their. AFL Tasmania gets under $3mill a year. GC alone gets near 10 times that.
But that's just numbers. Queensland could have a lot more footy fans in the next generation and the generation after that, vs Tassie which is a state whose population are already engaged footy fans and whose population is growing smaller than the mainland.

And of course GC gets more money. They're an AFL team tasked with more expenses running and AFL team that Tasmania doesn't have (yet).

Never mind the fact that the AFL can indirectly generate more revenue, in order to be able to fund GC and by extension Tasmania, by 2 teams in NSWs and Queensland - sponsors are more willing to pay more for guaranteed representation in SEQ and Sydney every single week, both to the AFL directly and indirectly to TV stations which increase the TV rights.
 

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Mar 17, 2009
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You need to learn the history of football in Tasmania better if you want to be taken seriously.

Like when was AFLTas formed?...because you're blaming them for things that happened long before they even existed.

Football Tasmania "FKT this thing up" long before the AFL took over.

The VFL have been draining Tasmanian football for decades before the AFL started on the same process. The struggle to remain relevant has been effectively decimated by the AFLs own behaviours in the place. Not that you'd know or give a rats, Thats the problem.People like you sit at the G & cheer for your club like nothing else matters. Who cares what damage gets done to football elsewhere.
Its just so easy to blame the victims.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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But that's just numbers. Queensland could have a lot more footy fans in the next generation and the generation after that, vs Tassie which is a state whose population are already engaged footy fans and whose population is growing smaller than the mainland.

And of course GC gets more money. They're an AFL team tasked with more expenses running and AFL team that Tasmania doesn't have (yet).

Never mind the fact that the AFL can indirectly generate more revenue, in order to be able to fund GC and by extension Tasmania, by 2 teams in NSWs and Queensland - sponsors are more willing to pay more for guaranteed representation in SEQ and Sydney every single week, both to the AFL directly and indirectly to TV stations which increase the TV rights.

I think we're all fully aware of that theory. I was replying to the trite dismissive & somewhat arrogant comment about Tasmania above. Again coming from a place which has promised growth in other sports & failed time & again. The GC is a sports black hole. Look at the history. People go their for reasons other than sitting in a stadium. Look at the memberships & attendances. They have stagnated in the last decade. Where's the growth? The AFL have just split the footy community in half between the Lions & the GC. The GC had footy before & it failed. Where is the nirvana? So far is a cycle of repeated disappointment & HUGE costs.
GWS is a totally different kettle of fish. It never had a substantial footy culture so anything their is growth. Also at a great cost but it doesn't have the same failed history of clubs associated with the area. Lots of it are working & middle class areas & not holiday & retirees. So scope for genuine growth, hopefully.
 

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If the AFL invested a pro rata amount in Qld as they do in Tasmania, Qld development would stop dead in the water, as indeed would NSW if the same applied their. AFL Tasmania gets under $3mill a year. GC alone gets near 10 times that.

The investment in Tasmania slowed substantially well before the slow down in draft picks. The level of AFL standard coaching here is virtually non existent, now & thats due to the non investment in our football.

The results of the AFLs action/inaction here speaks for itself. Very little investment means very little output. Why is that the desire of the AFL?? Who does that help?

Having a standalone team in the AFL is a pipe dream.
The AFL commission is run by hardheaded top businessmen who dont make decisions on sentiment.

Population of Qld 4.82 Million Tasmania 515,500 and that has hardly shifted for 10 years as a lot of younger Tasmanians drift to the mainland for jobs..
QLD and NSW are the future Tassie is the past!

If people stopped watching and playing the game in Tassie it would hardly cause a ripple at AFL headquarters.

If the Commonwealth Government didint prop Tassmania up with billions of handouts courtesy of other Australian taxpayers they would be in a permanent state of recession.
They are a failed economy and even the two Spirit of Tasmania ferries cop tens of millions of dollars from Canberra every year to keep them afloat.
 
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Having a standalone team in the AFL is a pipe dream.
The AFL commission is run by hardheaded top businessmen who dont make decisions on sentiment.

Population of Qld 4.82 Million Tasmania 515,500 and that has hardly shifted for 10 years as a lot of younger Tasmanians drift to the mainland for jobs..
QLD and NSW are the future Tassie is the past!

If people stopped watching and playing the game in Tassie it would hardly cause a ripple at AFL headquarters.

If the Commonwealth Government didint prop Tassmania up with billions of handouts courtesy of other Australian taxpayers they would be in a permanent state of recession.
They are a failed economy and even the two Spirit of Tasmania ferries cop tens of millions of dollars from Canberra every year to keep them afloat.

Thank you for your analysis. You could say much the same about South Australia's economy, but the passion for the game tends to defy simple, bland & generalised economic comment.

Even in Geelong, which had been an economic basket case for many years & suffered terribly with a sustained loss of industry, then the pyramid building society collapse in 1990. Geelong was devastated by this & a trail of businesses leaving the city. Ford is but a shadow of its former self. Geelong is now just a commuter suburb of Melbourne. However through a long dark period Geelong FC has never faulted. Why???

Its because it has huge community support.

We here are not allowed to have or develop that. We're expected to support Melbourne suburban teams, what a bloody disgrace that is. We get 2 carpetbagger clubs who do NOTHING for our community or for OUR football, they are here to take money back to Melbourne, they are rent takers, SFA else.

Add to that the lack of AFL development investment & it becomes a pattern of chronic degeneration of our game here. Yet thats our fault!!!!

The position of many AFL clubs, especially in the 'established' market in Melbourne shows the passion, footy economics & the political bias in the system. Some clubs would simply not exist in the AFL without huge largesse. They have shown they have no hope of financially sustaining themselves in the professional game by themselves. The competition of the big clubs makes it near impossible for that to ever happen.

Why is Tasmania attacked like it is without any thought as to the reality of how the system works & the politics that drives it.?

Because its easy to generalise about Tasmania & its easy to ignore the reality of how things really work & that economics & football are more than just pure $$$ figures. This is the right size & passionate football community for an AFL club. Being crushed by the vested interests of others in the 'AFL' is a disgrace. To not have a club in an 18 team competition is the disgrace. To say we couldn't support it is to say many other clubs shouldn't exist. To say we already support other clubs is just crap as exampled by the development of clubs & their support in every other AFL state.

The sheer under investment here is the real disgrace. They throw money at every state but not even pro rata here.

It IS called the AFL you know.

They spruik the 'community' values of their organisation. Thats easy to do when you wear blinkers & ignore the reality.
 

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I can understand why crowds in Tasmania have dropped, its getting boring seeing the same old teams, Brisbane, GWS, gold coast, Fremantle ect. Next season i would send either Carlton or Collingwood to Hobart. North position at the moment means crowds in Victoria wont be to much better against those teams, plus a packed Bellerive oval would be fantastic. Would really like to see a Tasmanian team in the future similarly based off the Adelaide model, a team for all Tasmanians, relocating a club wont work and you'll alienate its own fan base.
 
I really hope Tasmania gets its own side in the near future. The island will go ******* mental, you'll have never seen support like it. I hope, I hope, I hope it happens.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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I really hope Tasmania gets its own side in the near future. The island will go ******* mental, you'll have never seen support like it. I hope, I hope, I hope it happens.

Perhaps some of us already are. ;)
Perhaps some of us see the political reality. Its suburban clubs first, northern development second, & a pretence at community development third, mainly in Northern Australia at that.
Tassie is being drained badly, with very little investment being returned. You can see the Vegetable patch analogy. The AFL ( & VFL) are happy to do as little gardening as possible, take what grows any good & plant SFA else to help the next crop.
You can only do do that for so long.
It should be called the MAFL, ie the Mainland Australian Football League.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Can't see the crowd numbers in Tassie going up next year with the 2018 draw, should all get under 10k apart from Haw v Stk and Nth v Carl

I'd have thought that would be in line with the AFL's 'policy' of getting Hawthorn out of Tasmania. Its helped get them back on their financial feet over the last 17 odd years.

Thus making room for another basket case to use the place to improve its financial stocks.
 

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Jeff Kennett also had this to say in an email sent out to all hawthorn members:

My disappointment with the fixture is with regards to the Tassie games.

Apart from the first game against St Kilda, all our Tassie games are against interstate teams.

While I respect those teams, I have long argued that the Tasmanian community would like to see some of the older Melbourne clubs on our schedule. It is very disappointing for Tasmanians who love their football and we believe they should be given better recognition by those who administer the game.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Jeff Kennett also had this to say in an email sent out to all hawthorn members:

My disappointment with the fixture is with regards to the Tassie games.

Apart from the first game against St Kilda, all our Tassie games are against interstate teams.

While I respect those teams, I have long argued that the Tasmanian community would like to see some of the older Melbourne clubs on our schedule. It is very disappointing for Tasmanians who love their football and we believe they should be given better recognition by those who administer the game.

One can't criticise Jeff for protecting 'his turf'. Hawthorn have done well out of the deal & Jeff is the consummate old political hack. You wouldn't expect him to say anything else.

Jeff certainly 'loves' Tassie. As Chairman of CT Management he is up to his ears in their rather 'suspect' dealings with the sacked management of the Glenorchy City Council. This has been noted in the halls of power & in the news. (Peter Hudson played & coached the Glenorchy footy club at one stage.)

So Tassie has been quite lucrative for Jeff & his 'associates' both in & out of sport.

And with all this, Tassie football still rots through neglect.

So anything for a buck Jeff!!!

Thanks for everything 'mate'. :(
 

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