Martin said that ensuring one of these matches was played in Launceston each year should be a priority when renegotiating the state government's sponsorship of Hawthorn.

The five-year $15 million deal expires at the end of next season, and discussions have begun.

Martin said that last Thursday's crowd of 15,422 for the NAB Challenge match between Hawthorn and Collingwood at Aurora Stadium was a prime example of what the state was missing out on.

"I don't accept the argument that clubs like that shouldn't come to Launceston [in the home-and-away season], when Richmond [have played] a home game in Cairns [from 2011-2013] and Carlton will go to Wellington [in New Zealand]," Martin said.

"The reality is we pay substantially more than any other state or venue for games, and I think with the negotiation with the Hawks, we should ensure we secure a blockbuster each year.

"To guarantee that you are going to get one or two games each year that could draw 19,000 or 20,000 is a must."

Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox said that while the AFL had the final say on the fixture, all clubs mounted a submission.

"The fixture is a complicated beast and there are so many demands across the competition, but we are in discussions with the AFL ... to try to get at least one bigger drawing Melbourne team in the fixture each year," Fox said.

This season the 2013 and 2014 premiers will play the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Gold Coast and Brisbane in Launceston.

The last time a Melbourne-based club – apart from Tasmanian co-tenant North Melbourne or the Western Bulldogs (a traditionally low-drawing team) – featured at Aurora Stadium was St Kilda in round 19, 2009, a game the AFL later said should never have been played in the state.

That was also the last time the venue had a crowd of 20,000.

The current deal states that two Victorian opposition teams must visit, however Sydney and Brisbane qualify as ‘‘Victorian’’ due to their previous incarnations as South Melbourne and Fitzroy.

The Swans haven’t played here since 2012, when they attracted a crowd of 19,217 in a precursor to that season’s grand final.

Martin said the state would benefit from a tourism perspective if Collingwood, Essendon or Carlton played for premiership points.

‘‘That [NAB Challenge] game had two profound impacts, one being the intrastate travel from Collingwood supporters and then potentially 80,000 Collingwood members and fanatics watching.

‘‘The brand exposure for Tasmania against teams such as that is worth every cent.’’

Martin also questioned this year’s fixtures in Launceston when compared to the Kangaroos’ Hobart matches against Richmond and St Kilda.

The Hobart City Council will provide $300,000 a year for the next two years for the three matches at Bellerive Oval.

In addition to $3.3 million financial support per year, Tasmania also provides the AFL with tens of thousands of club memberships and numerous players with 33 currently on AFL lists, including triple premiership-winner Grant Birchall and Coleman medallist Jack Riewoldt.