Apple Isle Showdown: Tas Govt threatens to end Hawks, North deals if no plan for 19th side

[Mr Taswegian]

Pretty much, with neither half dominating the high drawing games.

The AFL business case calls for all big games In the North not that I see that as a good idea.

 

[madmug]

They can't just play all the big games up here in the north and play the small games down South,do you honestly think the south would be happy about that?

I think initially yes. In the end they should mix it up to maximise tourism opportunities. Same team in same place each year might get a bit stale. It seamed to with Hawthorn always in Launceston for 15 years or so.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Does that seem like a recipe for success to you?

I think its the only chance of ensuring ongoing support across the state.
I think you know this already : Tas isn't dominated by the capital, population or economy wise (though increasingly the latter is true) like mainland states. It used to be that Tas was the only state with over half the population over 100km from the capital, but not by much. Its probably now just over half in that distance. (Qld is the only other state with half the population outside the capital, but within 100km is well over half - NT isn't a state)

If it became, for example, Hobart dominated the north has nothing more than they currently get with Hawthorn - four mostly low-drawing games a year. A roughly even split of games, and of high drawing games, is a necessity.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Question to Tasmanian's

Would you rather a 6-5 split between Launey/Hobart or Vice-versa

Or would you like a new stadium built around Campbell Town, Ross, Oatlands area.

I could see the benefits in a new stadium centrally located. However, it just takes 1 crash on the road to bring traffic to a stand still and fans are put off it quickly


Plus players would rather live in one of the cities and not have to commute, rather than either live in the middle of no where, or have a major commute.

I would personally redevelop both grounds to have the exact same capacity.
Then let the 2 cities fight off each other.

Whichever gets the highest average crowd, gets the 6th game the following year.
But even out quality of teams. So if Collingwood goes to Launey, Essendon goes to Hobart, if West Coast goes to Hobart, Port Adelaide goes to Launey, if Melbourne goes to Launey, North Melbourne goes to Hobart etc.

 

[GoldenMagpie16]

Simple, 5 at Hobart. 5 at Launceston. 1 at Devonport, Problem Solved!!

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Question to Tasmanian's

Would you rather a 6-5 split between Launey/Hobart or Vice-versa

Or would you like a new stadium built around Campbell Town, Ross, Oatlands area.

If I am gonna drive 1 hour, I might as well drive 2.
Launnie drives don't bother me at all. Happy for a 6-5 split that changes each year.

 

[madmug]

Question to Tasmanian's

Would you rather a 6-5 split between Launey/Hobart or Vice-versa

Or would you like a new stadium built around Campbell Town, Ross, Oatlands area.

I could see the benefits in a new stadium centrally located. However, it just takes 1 crash on the road to bring traffic to a stand still and fans are put off it quickly


Plus players would rather live in one of the cities and not have to commute, rather than either live in the middle of no where, or have a major commute.

I would personally redevelop both grounds to have the exact same capacity.
Then let the 2 cities fight off each other.

Whichever gets the highest average crowd, gets the 6th game the following year.
But even out quality of teams. So if Collingwood goes to Launey, Essendon goes to Hobart, if West Coast goes to Hobart, Port Adelaide goes to Launey, if Melbourne goes to Launey, North Melbourne goes to Hobart etc.

We've had such questions over the journey.

Forget any idea of 1 stadium anywhere, certainly not in the middle. A crazy idea for so many reasons.

Also forget another silly idea people proposed of taking the train to Launceston for games. Narrow gage, winding track, so instead of 2hrs in a car, its about 6hrs by train.

I believe UTas will get the first major upgrade. It'll get most of the bigger games, at least initially. Mixing them up would maximise the inter & intrastate tourism aspects.

Logistics determine Hobart to be the base as its better able to cater for the players, teams support staff & families.

Bellerive is a problem. Its a lovely ground in a stupid place. On a beach with crap access. We're most likely stuck with it.
Most logical (IMO) would be to develop KGV. It is an AFL sized ground & with much better access than anywhere else in Hobart.

 

[Walshawk]

This stadium talk is a joke.
GWS play eight games at a 24k stadium and three with 13.5k.
Tasmania already has the same capacity. Blues and Bombers also have two home grounds.
The planned upgrade to 27.5k at UTAS is all they need for now. Contract between AFL and Tas govt needs to state that a similar size stadium be built in Hobart with in 5 or so years. By then they will have a better idea of what sort of capacity is needed. I would suggest that attendance by locals would be similar at each ground, but that mainlanders are much more likely to travel to Hobart so getting the capacity right will be important.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

We've had such questions over the journey.

Forget any idea of 1 stadium anywhere, certainly not in the middle. A crazy idea for so many reasons.

Also forget another silly idea people proposed of taking the train to Launceston for games. Narrow gage, winding track, so instead of 2hrs in a car, its about 6hrs by train.

I believe UTas will get the first major upgrade. It'll get most of the bigger games, at least initially. Mixing them up would maximise the inter & intrastate tourism aspects.

Logistics determine Hobart to be the base as its better able to cater for the players, teams support staff & families.

Bellerive is a problem. Its a lovely ground in a stupid place. On a beach with crap access. We're most likely stuck with it.
Most logical (IMO) would be to develop KGV. It is an AFL sized ground & with much better access than anywhere else in Hobart.

Giving most big games to Launceston would be very
unpopular with southern fans,it must be mixed up from day one in my opinion.I think KGV would be a great location but obviously we most likely wouldn't get the money for it so are stuck with Blundstone,the problem it is bad enough there with 15 odd thousand so I can imagine it with 20 odd thousand.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

This stadium talk is a joke.
GWS play eight games at a 24k stadium and three with 13.5k.
Tasmania already has the same capacity. Blues and Bombers also have two home grounds.
The planned upgrade to 27.5k at UTAS is all they need for now. Contract between AFL and Tas govt needs to state that a similar size stadium be built in Hobart with in 5 or so years. By then they will have a better idea of what sort of capacity is needed. I would suggest that attendance by locals would be similar at each ground, but that mainlanders are much more likely to travel to Hobart so getting the capacity right will be important.

I really worry about how hard it would be getting to Blundstone if crowds are above 20000.They need to desperately work out more parking for Blundstone because it is the worst place possible for a stadium.

 

[Tassie_Tiger]

Tas crowd drawing teams high to low.
High
Collingwood
Richmond
Essendon
Carlton
Hawthorn
Geelong
Mid
St Kilda
Melbourne
Bulldogs
North Melbourne
Low
West coast
Adelaide
Port
Brisbane
Sydney
Fremantle
Non existent
GWS
GC

Have a 6-5 split with Hobart having more games but higher drawing being in Launceston with an upgraded utas. Have 1 high game in Hobart.
when there is the new stadium in Hobart 7-4 split with high and low attracting games in Hobart and mid with 1 high attracting game in Launceston.

 

[Aussie in exile]

People say a lot of things about weather & climate in various places. I prefer to use the climate records of the Bureau of Meteorology. You should too.

Again, a roofed stadium would be lovely, but they cost a fortune.

And who will pay for it the AFL?

 

[Mr Taswegian]

Tas crowd drawing teams high to low.
High
Collingwood
Richmond
Essendon
Carlton
Hawthorn
Geelong
Mid
St Kilda
Melbourne
Bulldogs
North Melbourne
Low
West coast
Adelaide
Port
Brisbane
Sydney
Fremantle
Non existent
GWS
GC

Have a 6-5 split with Hobart having more games but higher drawing being in Launceston with an upgraded utas. Have 1 high game in Hobart.
when there is the new stadium in Hobart 7-4 split with high and low attracting games in Hobart and mid with 1 high attracting game in Launceston.

Sydney Swans also has a big supporter base in Tasmania.They have got Hobart's third largest AFL crowd of 16400 and the other two times in Hobart have pulled thirteen to fourteen thousand.

 

[madmug]

And who will pay for it the AFL?

If you wish to look through they many posts on this, I've noted reasons why I don't see it happening.

So yes it would be nice, but it won't happen.

So no one is paying for whats not going to happen.

Tas crowd drawing teams high to low.
High
Collingwood
Richmond
Essendon
Carlton
Hawthorn
Geelong
Mid
St Kilda
Melbourne
Bulldogs
North Melbourne
Low
West coast
Adelaide
Port
Brisbane
Sydney
Fremantle
Non existent
GWS
GC

Have a 6-5 split with Hobart having more games but higher drawing being in Launceston with an upgraded utas. Have 1 high game in Hobart.
when there is the new stadium in Hobart 7-4 split with high and low attracting games in Hobart and mid with 1 high attracting game in Launceston.

The split will remain about 50/50. Not 7-4.

I think initially UTas will get most of the bigger games. We'll see how long it takes to get a larger or better venue in Hobart.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Ive never attended Hobart, however looking at Google Earth i can see precisely why locals dont like Bellreive

Seems about 60% of the population lives on the south side of the Derwent. With there only being 3 bridges crossing the river (1 of which is on the outskirts of the city, so realistically, there's only 2 river crossings - Having said that, National Highway 1 sets up for the 3rd bridge, so that would be good for those coming from the north)

Looking at the options on Google Earth and my take

Bellreive Oval - Would have to spend the least amount of money to bring it up to scratch. But location is terrible. Looking at every city in the country. I cant even make a comparison as Hobart simply wouldnt have the infrastructure to deal with a crowd converging and dissipating smoothly from that spot - The closest comparison would be Cronulla in Sydney for any Nrl fans here.

OHA Football Club - If you are to stay on the North side of the river, this is the ideal location imo. (But let me say right now, North side is illogical and stupid either way) - Plenty of room to redevelop from scratch and would probably be able to give the best fan facilities in Hobart if you build here.

Glenorchy Football Club - Probably the best location FOR TASMANIANS. However, taking a trip out there for travelling fans would be s**t. Selecting here wouldn't give as great of return on investment as it'd wear thin on travelling fans and you'd lose out on the tourist dollar eventually.

New Town Cricket Club - IMHO it's the perfect location. smack bang in the middle of the southern bank of Hobart, smack bang in between the 2 main bridges the locals would use (Though, 90% will use the Tasman no matter what). The issue here is it can really have backlash. To build you have to displace netball, bowls, and from what it looks like, cycling (is that a velodrome track around the perimiter?). Perfect location, but might put more voters off than it wins over.

TCA Oval - Yeah, North Hobart Oval is developed. But where do you grow that ground? TCA is walking distance from the CBD. Nothing around it, so you can build to your hearts content. Probably the best ground to call home for Tasmania when taking everything into account. However, would the government have the money to start from scratch. I think it'd be worth it.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

The state budget has allocated 65 million to the Stadiums Tasmania fund,it will be interesting to see what they do with this money.

 

[madmug]

Ive never attended Hobart, however looking at Google Earth i can see precisely why locals dont like Bellreive

Seems about 60% of the population lives on the south side of the Derwent. With there only being 3 bridges crossing the river (1 of which is on the outskirts of the city, so realistically, there's only 2 river crossings - Having said that, National Highway 1 sets up for the 3rd bridge, so that would be good for those coming from the north)

Looking at the options on Google Earth and my take

Bellreive Oval - Would have to spend the least amount of money to bring it up to scratch. But location is terrible. Looking at every city in the country. I cant even make a comparison as Hobart simply wouldnt have the infrastructure to deal with a crowd converging and dissipating smoothly from that spot - The closest comparison would be Cronulla in Sydney for any Nrl fans here.

OHA Football Club - If you are to stay on the North side of the river, this is the ideal location imo. (But let me say right now, North side is illogical and stupid either way) - Plenty of room to redevelop from scratch and would probably be able to give the best fan facilities in Hobart if you build here.

Glenorchy Football Club - Probably the best location FOR TASMANIANS. However, taking a trip out there for travelling fans would be sh*t. Selecting here wouldn't give as great of return on investment as it'd wear thin on travelling fans and you'd lose out on the tourist dollar eventually.

New Town Cricket Club - IMHO it's the perfect location. smack bang in the middle of the southern bank of Hobart, smack bang in between the 2 main bridges the locals would use (Though, 90% will use the Tasman no matter what). The issue here is it can really have backlash. To build you have to displace netball, bowls, and from what it looks like, cycling (is that a velodrome track around the perimiter?). Perfect location, but might put more voters off than it wins over.

TCA Oval - Yeah, North Hobart Oval is developed. But where do you grow that ground? TCA is walking distance from the CBD. Nothing around it, so you can build to your hearts content. Probably the best ground to call home for Tasmania when taking everything into account. However, would the government have the money to start from scratch. I think it'd be worth it.

Yes well, you can make a lot of reasonable assumptions from Google Earth. Still their is nothing like actually being there.

Bellerive is a nice spot, just a silly place for a stadium.
OHA (Geilston Bay) has limited (one road beside the ground) access & nowhere to park. Being next to the river its got similar problems to Bellerive. So Forget that one.

Glenorchy is close to the main Highway, right on the proposed light rail line, short walk to the Bus Mall. Parking at Elwick Race track, Show grounds & Wilkinsons point ( where the Jack Jumpers NBL team will be playing. All a short walk to KGV.
Sure you don't go there for a tourist experience (except for Mona!!) but visitors would stay in Hobart city, only 8km away.

Newtown is a developed area, NO parking. Its always busy with traffic so a stadium would be just as bad as Bellerive as far as access goes.

TCA. Its on top of a steep hill called The Queens Domain. limited road access & very limited parking & a bugger to walk to & from unless you're reasonably fit. When it was the main cricket ground we'd walk up & down ok. Beers in the Red Lion or the Brunswick (just burned down a month ago, sad loss of an historic, ripper pub. ) after the days play. That was over 30yrs ago!!! It'd be a bloody hard walk now with or without beers on board

Greater Hobart is squished in between the River & Mountain. Great for views & bush walks & sailing. Just a bugger to build a stadium.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

Yes well, you can make a lot of reasonable assumptions from Google Earth. Still their is nothing like actually being there.

Bellerive is a nice spot, just a silly place for a stadium.
OHA (Geilston Bay) has limited (one road beside the ground) access & nowhere to park. Being next to the river its got similar problems to Bellerive. So Forget that one.

Glenorchy is close to the main Highway, right on the proposed light rail line, short walk to the Bus Mall. Parking at Elwick Race track, Show grounds & Wilkinsons point ( where the Jack Jumpers NBL team will be playing. All a short walk to KGV.
Sure you don't go there for a tourist experience (except for Mona!!) but visitors would stay in Hobart city, only 8km away.

Newtown is a developed area, NO parking. Its always busy with traffic so a stadium would be just as bad as Bellerive as far as access goes.

TCA. Its on top of a steep hill called The Queens Domain. limited road access & very limited parking & a bugger to walk to & from unless you're reasonably fit. When it was the main cricket ground we'd walk up & down ok. Beers in the Red Lion or the Brunswick (just burned down a month ago, sad loss of an historic, ripper pub. ) after the days play. That was over 30yrs ago!!! It'd be a bloody hard walk now with or without beers on board

Greater Hobart is squished in between the River & Mountain. Great for views & bush walks & sailing. Just a bugger to build a stadium.

How do you think they will cope with 20000 plus at Blundstone considering its location,do you believe that could potentially mean that the AFL decides to move all games to the north because it doesn't work there?

 

[madmug]

How do you think they will cope with 20000 plus at Blundstone considering its location,do you believe that could potentially mean that the AFL decides to move all games to the north because it doesn't work there?

People will go & put up with it.

I've no doubt the ground discourages a lot of people from going.

However, seeing your own team will make a difference.

Going forward, do they build more seating at the ground that's a bugger to get to, or move?

I don't know how that'll play out. I suspect Utas will end up with the bulk of the bigger games at least for a few years yet. The ground already badly need improvement anyway. Most of it is just tin shed. Also its politically easier to spend money in a close electorate like Bass.

 

[nick1408]

Is Macquarie Point off the table? I thought that was the preferred location in the Tasmanian Government report?

 

[Foreverdon]

Is Macquarie Point off the table? I thought that was the preferred location in the Tasmanian Government report?

it looked pretty cool but doubt it will go ahead seems to be a new plan for the area

 

[Engimal v3]

Question to Tasmanian's

Would you rather a 6-5 split between Launey/Hobart or Vice-versa

Or would you like a new stadium built around Campbell Town, Ross, Oatlands area.

It's time for a 60,000 seat stadium in Cressy, in my opinion.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I really worry about how hard it would be getting to Blundstone if crowds are above 20000.They need to desperately work out more parking for Blundstone because it is the worst place possible for a stadium.

More parking and/or other transport options. I'm not sure what they can do for parking at Bellerive, without compulsorily acquiring a fair slice of a suburb anyway.
I also don't see what other options they could use. They run buses, which helps if people catch them - but to get to a bus that goes over is hassle, so its easier to drive. There is no suburban train network, its 200k people spread over an areas three times the size of a small nation. I can't imagine anyone driving to a ferry terminal and then taking a ferry over, they will just keep driving. (A rapid rivercat type service could be quite a picturesque way to get there for interstate visitors, at least the first time. But that would be a lot of investment for half a dozen uses a year.)

 

[sherb]

It's time for a 60,000 seat stadium in Cressy, in my opinion.

Why do that when Longford is just begging for an upgrade?

Saw a bloke square cut a six on that ground when I was a young fella!

 

[The Devils Advocate]

TCA Oval - Yeah, North Hobart Oval is developed. But where do you grow that ground? TCA is walking distance from the CBD. Nothing around it, so you can build to your hearts content. Probably the best ground to call home for Tasmania when taking everything into account. However, would the government have the money to start from scratch. I think it'd be worth it.

TCA is by far the best option. Heaps of parking up there, half of Hobart parks there during the work day. Easy to get to if you walk, and only a 2 Min shuttle from town.