Just enjoyed a spot of lunch in the sunshine and read "the little paper".

Noticed the snippet on page 104 "Lane Lectures AFL". At the annual Bob Rose lecture Lane stated " The crying shame is that the AFL wants a couple of plastic teams in places where there is little support for them, when it could have a team with red blood and a genuine heartbeat, not to mention a soul".

Personally I support Tim Lane's stance on a Tassie side, I think they would generate a supporter base that would be there through thick and thin, I doubt you could say the same about a 2nd Sydney side who were in a "rebuilding phase".

I like his choice of the word "plastic" - artificial, lacking in substance, texture and warmth, pretty much sums up the fundamental attitude flaw the AFL has when it comes to the rank and file supporters.

So what's so plastic about the AFL? In no particular order:

1/ White "away strip" jumpers being imposed on us that hardly anyone wants and many openly are hostile about [me included] is a good start.

2/ Rule changes that are designed to "speed up the game" at the expense of reducing the contest. Example: the arm chop, if its an deliberate arm chop than by all means pay it...if a defender knocks a forward's arm in the process of making a legitimate spoil, then FFS call play on. We go to the game to see a contest, not to hear a whistle!

3/ Rigging the fixturing to make the strong clubs stronger, the weak club's weaker and then making them grovel for handouts...kindergarten bully boy tactics.

4/ Creating Sh1te teams in Sh1te locations - see West Sydney, although I'd recommend you don't.

What is the structure of the AFL management anyway, who are these people accountable to? It doesn't seem to be the clubs and it certainly isn't the supporters.

Just enjoyed a spot of lunch in the sunshine and read "the little paper".

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What is the structure of the AFL management anyway, who are these people accountable to? It doesn't seem to be the clubs and it certainly isn't the supporters.

You would struggle to disagreee with any of that !!

Unfortunatley Vlad and Co ,as is there want to create regimes and empires like that of old..ought to look very closely at some stories of old.. that little tale of ICARUS springs to mind !! alas.. Vlad and boy-blunder Andy pandy..just DONT GET IT !!

Ought to be very intersting as Tassies Gov calls forth the Imbecilical Brothers for a "please explain "

Batman & Robin are looking and hoping for a Victorian Team to fall to Tassie.

Tim Lane is a living national treasure.

I understand Tassie are going to start a 10 team state comp and drop Tassie Devils out of the VFL. Not sure when this is to begin though.

Anyway, I believe a successful state comp will enhance Tassies push into AFL. I hope they succeed but I'm not sure how strong a 10 team state comp will be with their small population.

I would like to see Tassie in the AFL rather than those plastic sides mentioned by Lane.

Then again, I wouldn't care if Jeff Kennett relocated Hawthorn permanently to Tassie either.

If Tassie form their own side and it leaves Hawthorn out in the cold, then perhaps Jeff can relocate as the "West Sydney Plastic Ducks". That should float!

I understand Tassie are going to start a 10 team state comp and drop Tassie Devils out of the VFL. Not sure when this is to begin though.

Anyway, I believe a successful state comp will enhance Tassies push into AFL. I hope they succeed but I'm not sure how strong a 10 team state comp will be with their small population.

State Comp is starting next year. They aren't definitely dropping out of the VFL, but they are prioritising funding towards the state league which will almost certainly mean that they cannot afford to keep the VFL side afloat.

Backwards step from them IMO. There's no way in hell this league is going to be anywhere near the strength of the VFL, SANFL & WAFL and if it's not it all seems a bit inconsequential towards gaining an AFL team.

2/ Rule changes that are designed to "speed up the game" at the expense of reducing the contest. Example: the arm chop, if its an deliberate arm chop than by all means pay it...if a defender knocks a forward's arm in the process of making a legitimate spoil, then FFS call play on. We go to the game to see a contest, not to hear a whistle!

I for one support the chopping of the arms rule. Nothing used to annoy me more, thna watching the like of a Dustin Fletcher or Ashley McIntosh be nowhere near Neita on a lead, but get bailed out by just chopping his arms.

I for one support the chopping of the arms rule. Nothing used to annoy me more, thna watching the like of a Dustin Fletcher or Ashley McIntosh be nowhere near Neita on a lead, but get bailed out by just chopping his arms.

The rule's fine, the edict in regards to the umpires interpretation of the rule sucks! <_<

I for one support the chopping of the arms rule. Nothing used to annoy me more, thna watching the like of a Dustin Fletcher or Ashley McIntosh be nowhere near Neita on a lead, but get bailed out by just chopping his arms.

I agree, but sometimes we're getting similar to basketball shooting fouls where the arm might be touched in a legitimate attempted spoil. Unless it is an 'arm take away' I think it should be play-on in the interests of having less umpire shootouts. I'm not interested in games decided by attention seeking umpires.

I guess it's like most rules, it comes down to whether the umpire interperets it the right way.

eg.

- His hands were in his back, but did he actually push him

- He chopped his arms, but was it a legitimate attempt to spoil

- He dragged the ball in, but did the other player jump on top him and hold it to him.

etc...

If I were the Tasmanian government I'd be pulling out of the Sponsorship deal with Hawthorn as quick as possible within contracts.

They're shooting themselves in the foot by allowing the half-measure to take the sting out of the demand for the real thing.

Keep inviting teams to play in Tassie, definately. That actually gets more people wanting a team of their own. But don't go pretending that the Hawks are in any way Tasmania's club - Jeff Kennett Sure as %$^ doesn't think they are. Hawks are laughing all the way to the bank with no further thoughts than bringing in the dollars.

Should look at it like Gold coast looked at Kangaroos - 'if your not coming all the way, don't come at all'.

The money would be better off going into Tassie's own leagues, establishing a quality primary stadium, marketing and lobbying for a Tassie club, and establishing a slush-fund to build up a financial base ready for a new club to kick start with.