1 hour ago, monoccular said:

A précis please. Paywall lock out.

makes you wonder if the MFC's drafting policy shouldn't be based on assuming the Devils will scoop all the talent in the short term.

https://archive.md/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-footy-club-meant-to-unite-tasmanians-is-bitterly-dividing-them-20251024-p5n50t.html

34 minutes ago, sue said:

makes you wonder if the MFC's drafting policy shouldn't be based on assuming the Devils will scoop all the talent in the short term.

https://archive.md/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-footy-club-meant-to-unite-tasmanians-is-bitterly-dividing-them-20251024-p5n50t.html

What makes you think it isn’t?

26 minutes ago, old dee said:

What makes you think it isn’t?

I'm pretty sure it is...

chances of stadium getting through upper house in dec probably less than 50% (assuming no major changes in between)

Tasmania would be absolute morons to acquiesce to the AFL.

13 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Tasmania would be absolute morons to acquiesce to the AFL.

Could the AFL walk away from Tasmania saying they were given their chance?

Maybe that suits the AFL.

1 minute ago, Redleg said:

Could the AFL walk away from Tasmania saying they were given their chance?

Maybe that suits the AFL.

Probably, would be an extremely bad look for the AFL though.

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Probably, would be an extremely bad look for the AFL though.

Would it.

Probably a worse look for a State that is incapable of building a stadium that it has agreed to build, in order to have a team in the AFL.

Tassie agreed to the stadium deal in order to get the AFL licence and is now floundering.

If the AFL pulls the offer, there won’t be another offer for years.

It would have meant a bye for a team each week, so therefore no extra TV revenue, the big AFL earner.

Not sure the AFL will care as much as people might think.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Could the AFL walk away from Tasmania saying they were given their chance?

Maybe that suits the AFL.

My personal theory is the AFL have set such an insane demand so they can walk away. And they don’t care if they look bad, for them antagonising half a million Tasmanians is nothing because it’s a tiny broadcast audience.

We’d all love to see a team down there but not at this crazy cost. It is pure arrogance from a not-for-profit to demand a state government put themselves into such debt to build a stadium.

I recently watched a doco on the death of the MLB Montreal Expos and one of the big factors in their end was that the club couldn’t secure state based funding for a new stadium. And they traded away all their best players, but I tried to block out that part 😂

1 hour ago, deegirl said:

It is pure arrogance from a not-for-profit to demand a state government put themselves into such debt to build a stadium.

Basically that is what the AFL asked of the MCC (State funded) in return for the 30 odd year deal on the finals.

Optus in Perth was State funded.

It's not that unusual save for the unfortunate fact that Tassie can't afford it

5 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Basically that is what the AFL asked of the MCC (State funded) in return for the 30 odd year deal on the finals.

Optus in Perth was State funded.

It's not that unusual save for the unfortunate fact that Tassie can't afford it

That may be true but…

Neither of those stadiums had to have a roof.

Also the stadium in Tas will only have 7 games a season whereas Optus has 22 and MCG has god knows how many.

Would anyone be shattered if it all fell through?

49 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Would anyone be shattered if it all fell through?

Not in the immediate term. It's probably better for us and I don't like the idea of the bye and further uneven and unfair draw.

....but I think for the long term future of the game and the AFL's charter as custodians of the game it is very short sighted and will come back to haunt them.

They really do like to take advantage of the support of the rusted on fan, one day it will be gone and they will be left begging.

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Probably, would be an extremely bad look for the AFL though.

Imagine the bad blood in Tasmania

5 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Would anyone be shattered if it all fell through?

Not me. Hate a bye and a complicated ladder. Taswegians are already rusted on. Any apostates would be low in numbers due to the low state population. Cairns, Canberra and Newcastle are the virgin territory.

NT? Give me a break!

12 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Basically that is what the AFL asked of the MCC (State funded) in return for the 30 odd year deal on the finals.

Optus in Perth was State funded.

It's not that unusual save for the unfortunate fact that Tassie can't afford it

That's the issue with Tassie, a small population and no tax base. They can't afford to run their hospitals themselves. In reality if they want it, they need to get federal / corporate funding. Get some gambling company but the rights to it.

13 hours ago, redandbluemakepurple said:

Not me. Hate a bye and a complicated ladder. Taswegians are already rusted on. Any apostates would be low in numbers due to the low state population. Cairns, Canberra and Newcastle are the virgin territory.

NT? Give me a break!

sunshine coast for team 20, if taswegia come in, for mine

booming in population with a lot of expat vics

there's little value in adding a 19th team; adding a 19th and a 20th, however...

How is the AFLW travelling right now? Be honest…. It’s a mess, how many seasons and we’ve got games with score lines like ones we saw over the weekend where it was 11 to 14. Or we’ve got blowouts like 24 to 81. I don’t personally watch the AFLW but I think there’s a place for it. Problem is it’s been handled poorly from the start, expanded way too quickly now we’re left a less than satisfactory product. I can’t believe anyone thinks this competition is ready for expansion, as I said in a post weeks ago I’m all for Tassie having a team as it rounds out the competition nicely but a Melbourne based team must make way.

On 01/11/2025 at 13:16, Redleg said:

Would it.

Probably a worse look for a State that is incapable of building a stadium that it has agreed to build, in order to have a team in the AFL.

Tassie agreed to the stadium deal in order to get the AFL licence and is now floundering.

If the AFL pulls the offer, there won’t be another offer for years.

It would have meant a bye for a team each week, so therefore no extra TV revenue, the big AFL earner.

Not sure the AFL will care as much as people might think.

Yeah this is the thing.

I always thought it was a tall demand but they did agree to it. Nice little out for the AFL.

Can't help but feel its a house of cards because people will just end up blaming the Tas government which in my opinion would be unfair but when a team is at stake who will side with them?

On 01/11/2025 at 17:47, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Would anyone be shattered if it all fell through?

Look, the Tassie people deserve it but I hate the foundations this proposal is built on. People pretend that this is a ready made concept waiting to take off when in reality it is a tall order to begin with. A lot of things need to go right for it to work

There are some Tassies on here that would know better but I would want to give them the best possible chance for it to succeed and I just dont see that here.

On 01/11/2025 at 14:45, deegirl said:

My personal theory is the AFL have set such an insane demand so they can walk away. And they don’t care if they look bad, for them antagonising half a million Tasmanians is nothing because it’s a tiny broadcast audience.

We’d all love to see a team down there but not at this crazy cost. It is pure arrogance from a not-for-profit to demand a state government put themselves into such debt to build a stadium.

I recently watched a doco on the death of the MLB Montreal Expos and one of the big factors in their end was that the club couldn’t secure state based funding for a new stadium. And they traded away all their best players, but I tried to block out that part 😂

I reckon this is on the money

The AFL don't really want a tassie team and they are setting the bar high which gives them a face saving out 'oh we tried but the State Govt reneged'

Michael Warner's great book The Boys Club lays out in exquisite detail how the AFL run rings around gormless politicians

Their stadium should have to be the same quality as GWS and Gold Coast!

1 hour ago, D4Life said:

Their stadium should have to be the same quality as GWS and Gold Coast!

Well they probably have two of those already and if not, it wouldn’t need a fortune to renovate to that standard.

It’s easy to fix up a stadium where less than 10000 watch around 8 games a year.

The TSL seems to do alright without roofed stadiums.

If the AFL is worried about optics, I point to the way too quickly expanded AFLW in terms of low quality football (yet the AFL seems ok when concerning the women’s league).

This is the AFL Boys Club yet again displaying the attitude of ‘do as I say, not as I do’.

11 hours ago, layzie said:

Look, the Tassie people deserve it but I hate the foundations this proposal is built on. People pretend that this is a ready made concept waiting to take off when in reality it is a tall order to begin with. A lot of things need to go right for it to work

There are some Tassies on here that would know better but I would want to give them the best possible chance for it to succeed and I just dont see that here.

Why?

More so than Fitzroy? If you answer with the Brisbane Lions, you need to review Buffy the Vampie Slayer seasons 1 & 2.