Defending AFL premiers Hawthorn will start their campaign against perennial Tasmanian favourites Carlton on Thursday night in fans' first taste of football for nearly five months.

Launceston hosted the largest NAB Challenge crowd last year since the format moved from cup competition to televised practice matches when Hawthorn and Collingwood drew 15,422 spectators.

The City of Launceston and Tourism Tasmania are expecting Blues support throughout the state to boost similar numbers this year amid coach Brendan Bolton's return to Aurora Stadium since a TSL stint at North Launceston.

"What we've been pushing for very much is to get one of the main Victorian clubs to play Hawthorn in this game," Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten said.

"That way we got Collingwood last year and now Carlton, and we're happy with that and we'll continue to push for that."

The previous three NAB Challenge fixtures have drawn 5100 for Greater Western Sydney in 2012, 8601 for Richmond in 2013 and just an estimated crowd of 4000 against North Melbourne in 2014.

The mayor believes Launceston's only preseason AFL game - on top of Hawthorn's four contracted games each season - has to avoid low-drawing, non-traditional teams to make the experience worthwhile.

"I think we'd obviously like to rotate between Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, and also Essendon would be another, as they have a good following in the area - so it would be great to see all those teams here every year," he said. "If we can over the preseason games get some of those teams, it would be great to draw crowds here."

Aurora Stadium is hosting the opening NAB Challenge clash for the second consecutive year.

The mayor said that with all eyes from around Australia on Launceston, locals needed to prove they wanted AFL as a part of their footy fix. "We want to stress that we need the crowds to be coming - otherwise we won't get these games," he said.

"So I encourage people who are Carlton supporters to come and watch the game, and even those who aren't keen on Hawthorn or Carlton to support the game.

"It is really important that we continue to send messages to the AFL that we love our football and we want to see AFL football here."