AFL Tasmania and the State League’s seven surviving clubs will hold crisis talks in Campbell Town on Thursday in a bid to ensure the embattled competition’s future.
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The TSL is without North-West representation following the embarrassing demise of Devonport and Burnie and the existing stakeholders will be seeking reassurances from new AFL Tasmania chief executive Trisha Squires.
Tasmania’s bleak football situation has caught the attention of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, who will visit Hobart in coming weeks.
However, discussions on Thursday will cover plans for this season and a long-term pathway to ensure the State League remains viable.
All clubs were asked to submit pre-meeting documents with North Launceston’s submission, obtained by The Examiner, putting forward three scenarios based on TSL clubs’ operational requirements.
For this season only, the Northern Bombers, who have won three out of the past four flags, suggest that the TSL comprises of senior, unrestricted-age development league and under-18 competitions with clubs to receive the full $100,000 AFL grant.
North said clubs should also have access to two fully-funded buses for away matches and receive allowances for game-day administrators, officials and umpires, plus cash bonuses for teams that play finals and win September deciders.
From 2019 and beyond, for it to remain an eight or nine team competition, the Thane Brady-led club believes funding from AFL house should increase fourfold to $6 million per year with each TSL licensee to receive $400,000.
With increased funding, free buses and no match-day costs, North suggests eight or nine team senior and development league competitions with an additional Launceston-based club and a combined North-West club.
“The $400,000 could be divided into four even parts – club management, club marquee player-coach, player payments and player development programs-equipment,” the club document said.
“The AFL would need to remove levies and all other current deductions to provide TSL clubs with the full $100,000 club management grant and to recognise the travel involved, and provide host clubs with $500 per game to adequately feed players and support staff after game.”
North recommends a balance of three clubs from Launceston, four or five from the South and one from the North-West, that the Tasmanian Football Council be disbanded and competitions such as the Northern Tasmanian Football Association change to allow under-18s to play in the region.
North said 2013 TSL premiers South Launceston would be the “most suitable” Launceston-based club to re-join with established junior development programs and reasonable facilities, while Penguin could be home to a new North-West venture and a football high-performance centre.
“If necessary, a three-year reintroduction plan could consist of a development league team in 2019, a TSL team in 2020 and both in 2021 with start-up funding of $50,000 increasing to $200,000, $300,000 and the full $400,000 with full admission,” the document said.
“Create a high-performance centre on the North-West, redirect TFC and North-West development people to program and talent managers roles for a period of up to three years and identify and recruit the best regional talent aged 15 to 18.”
Should funding remain as is, North said for the competition to last it must be reduced to six teams with two in Launceston and four down South – removing a Hobart-based side to counterbalance the strength of the Launceston clubs from picking up North-West players.
“An agreed fact is the TSL competition operates on a fraction of other state league budgets,” North said.
“The TSL has and continues to suffer from constant change and uncertainty with many in the football community actively working against it.
“Since inception in 2009 the TSL has steadily lost appeal to players.
“Loss of TV coverage, removal of reserve teams, splitting of clubs with the one-team model, below expected player payments compared to those available in lower levels, the removal of state transfers and evidence that grows year-on-year pertaining to the difficulty of being drafted to the AFL from the TSL.”
Launceston president Sandra Boland wholeheartedly agreed with their crosstown rivals that the AFL must get serious in properly funding the TSL.
Boland said without more cash and a clear plan, the competition is untenable.
“I’ve seen the agendas all clubs have sent in with funding and competition fairness a high priority so we don’t see anyone else fall out,” she said.
“The competition will fall over if we don’t get serious.
“There has been a lot of talk in the media that has been not so positive and we need something positive moving forward that suits everybody.”
Four hours have been set aside for the meeting in Campbell Town with all club presidents and AFL Tasmania executives expected to be in attendance.
A final TSL roster is yet to be released after two failed attempts, despite the season set to start on Good Friday in five weeks’ time.