AFL reaches in-principle agreement with Tasmania for 19th team

[bornadog]

And this is the thing Bornadog. I live in Launceston and I could not be bothered driving 2.5 hours to Hobart to watch Tassie vs Freo with 12,000 others in a stadium that?s half full. I?ve spoken to friends about this and they all agree with me. It?s a complete waste of money. And the last thing the AFL needs is another team to thin the talent pool out even more, where very mediocre VFL/league players are going to be on AFL lists just to fill them. I?m expecting Tassie draft concessions to be that of GWS where they get 7 of the top 10 picks for their first 3 years or so.

Yes, people have got onboard the Jack jumpers and crowds have been good, but it?s a basketball court?bit different to an AFL stadium.

The AFL are being pricks in insisting a new stadium be built before they would allow a Tassie team.

Why not upgrade Hobart and Launceston and play 5, 6 games in each. It would be cheaper, and satisfy the North/South divide.

[DOG GOD]

The AFL are being pricks in insisting a new stadium be built before they would allow a Tassie team.

Why not upgrade Hobart and Launceston and play 5, 6 games in each. It would be cheaper, and satisfy the North/South divide.

Absolutely. The new Perth stadium didn’t have to have a roof.
The Launceston ground has one of the best surfaces in the AFL.
Part of me thought Gil’s demand for a new stadium was a way of killing off the Tassie bid.

[Grantysghost]

That's interesting DG.

How do you think it could work?

I'm not sure why they're insisting on a new stadium either.

[azabob]

Absolutely. The new Perth stadium didn?t have to have a roof.
The Launceston ground has one of the best surfaces in the AFL.
Part of me thought Gil?s demand for a new stadium was a way of killing off the Tassie bid.

Doesn't Tassie have some of the best soil and growing conditions in the country?

PS, DG; would you drive 2.5 hours to watch the dogs v tassie?

[bornadog]

I wonder if a lot of players would think like this

[Grantysghost]

I wonder if a lot of players would think like this

Makes sense the afl is trying to give clubs more facility to trade players against their wishes.

[GVGjr]

Tasmania at least is a full state, not some isolated regional marginal electorate, and being a brand new stadium it will at least provide an incremental asset to the entire community that didn't previously exist, and not be just some plaything for AFEL. But gee there are incredible amounts of tax-payer funds every year by all 'shades' of politics (they are all the same shade of turd IMO) thrown at organisations that are already filthy rich. Begs the question why we all bother paying tax when we don't get any say as to where our money is spent. Kerry Packer might have been a ruthless, greedy businessman but he was bang-on the money when he told Senate Estimates all those years ago that every Australian should tax-minimise as much as possible because the money is only wasted by those in charge.

I hate the way money is wasted in this country on Government projects that you can almost guarantee will blow by 30 to 40%.
You absolutely need to build things but until Governments learn how to deliver them close to being on time and on budget they shouldn't be flippant with tax payers money.
Tassie deserve a a team and a stadium but the costs being projected are excessive to say the least.

I don't agree it's as simple of splitting games between Hobart and Launceston as BAD and BG suggest either as no team should have two home bases so far apart.

[DOG GOD]

Doesn't Tassie have some of the best soil and growing conditions in the country?

PS, DG; would you drive 2.5 hours to watch the dogs v tassie?

Yes I would Azabob. I’ve flown to Melb to see the dogs, so would certainly drive to Hobart to see the dogs. I’m sure every Tassie AFL fan would hug a Tassie team as their 2nd team, but when push comes to shove, what % of those would actually support the team with their feet and not just their mouths.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Team would start 2027 apparently. We don't want to be bottoming out between then and 2030.

[Sedat]

I hate the way money is wasted in this country on Government projects that you can almost guarantee will blow by 30 to 40%.
You absolutely need to build things but until Governments learn how to deliver them close to being on time and on budget they shouldn't be flippant with tax payers money.
Tassie deserve a a team and a stadium but the costs being projected are excessive to say the least.

I don't agree it's as simple of splitting games between Hobart and Launceston as BAD and BG suggest either as no team should have two home bases so far apart.

Hence why I despise and have utter contempt for all politicians without exception - it's all too easy spending other people's hard-earned money.

[lemmon]

And this is the thing Bornadog. I live in Launceston and I could not be bothered driving 2.5 hours to Hobart to watch Tassie vs Freo with 12,000 others in a stadium that?s half full. I?ve spoken to friends about this and they all agree with me. It?s a complete waste of money, and the last thing the AFL needs is another team to thin the talent pool out even more, where very mediocre VFL/league players are going to be on AFL lists just to fill them. I?m expecting Tassie draft concessions to be that of GWS where they get 7 of the top 10 picks for their first 3 years or so.

Yes, people have got onboard the Jack jumpers and crowds have been good, but it?s a basketball court. A bit different to an AFL stadium.

I live in Launnie as well and feel the same way about the stadium.

I'm excited for the state to have a side, but the better outcome would've been improving and using what's already there, not wasting money on another stadium.

The state's hospitals and schools could desperately use a chunk of that funding.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Yes I would Azabob. I’ve flown to Melb to see the dogs, so would certainly drive to Hobart to see the dogs. I’m sure every Tassie AFL fan would hug a Tassie team as their 2nd team, but when push comes to shove, what % of those would actually support the team with their feet and not just their mouths.

That's what intrigues be most DG. How many serious AFL fans in Tassie already have a team they support and how many of them would switch to a new Tassie team? I can't imagine you'd switch from the dogs.

[SquirrelGrip]

That's what intrigues be most DG. How many serious AFL fans in Tassie already have a team they support and how many of them would switch to a new Tassie team? I can't imagine you'd switch from the dogs.

That's what they said in every other non-Victorian state before they had AFL teams too. It won't be an issue and supporters will still have a "second" team.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That's what they said in every other non-Victorian state before they had AFL teams too. It won't be an issue and supporters will still have a "second" team.

But which team will be the "second" team for most people? I don't think a Tasmanian team can survive if most fans have it as their "second" team.

[bornadog]

But which team will be the "second" team for most people? I don't think a Tasmanian team can survive if most fans have it as their "second" team.

I think you will find the Tassie team will be well supported