THE state government remains fully committed to keeping Hawthorn playing home games in Launceston, Premier Will Hodgman says. Mr Hodgman was yesterday pushed to outline his vision for AFL football in the state during a budget estimates hearing. Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage said she was concerned contracts with both Hawthorn and North Melbourne were set to expire next year. But Mr Hodgman said the timing was pure coincidence, and the government’s primary focus was re-negotiating a deal with Hawthorn. Ms Armitage said she had real doubts whether Tasmania could hold onto both teams, and said it appeared the AFL wanted to pull Hawthorn out of the state. ‘‘Hypothetically, what if you can’t renegotiate a deal with Hawthorn?’’ she asked. ‘‘Does that mean Hobart will have North Melbourne and Launceston will be lucky to get one or two games?’’ Mr Hodgman said his government was committed to Hawthorn and wanted to see the relationship continue. ‘‘The priority now is to keep the Hawthorn arrangement and not see it diminish,’’ he said. ‘‘We need to make sure we keep the bird in the hand.’’ The hearing heard Hawthorn now had close to 10,000 Tasmanian members, and that interstate visitors at Launceston home games accounted for 30per cent of attendees. Ms Armitage said the Hawks deal had been an incredible boost for the North. ‘‘Launceston doesn’t have MONA, we don’t have 163,000 people coming in on cruise ships, we don’t have a full university, we have a university that’s looking at sub-degrees,’’ she said. ‘‘There is certainly a lot less in the City of Launceston, and the last thing we need to do is lose four games.’’ Mr Hodgman said he did not want to see that happen either. ‘‘Hawthorn based in Launceston has been an exceptional product for the sport in Tasmania and they are an extremely valued partner of the state,’’ he said.
THE state government remains fully committed to keeping Hawthorn playing home games in Launceston, Premier Will Hodgman says.
Mr Hodgman was yesterday pushed to outline his vision for AFL football in the state during a budget estimates hearing.
Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage said she was concerned contracts with both Hawthorn and North Melbourne were set to expire next year.
But Mr Hodgman said the timing was pure coincidence, and the government’s primary focus was re-negotiating a deal with Hawthorn.
Ms Armitage said she had real doubts whether Tasmania could hold onto both teams, and said it appeared the AFL wanted to pull Hawthorn out of the state.
‘‘Hypothetically, what if you can’t renegotiate a deal with Hawthorn?’’ she asked.
‘‘Does that mean Hobart will have North Melbourne and Launceston will be lucky to get one or two games?’’
Mr Hodgman said his government was committed to Hawthorn and wanted to see the relationship continue.
‘‘The priority now is to keep the Hawthorn arrangement and not see it diminish,’’ he said.
‘‘We need to make sure we keep the bird in the hand.’’
The hearing heard Hawthorn now had close to 10,000 Tasmanian members, and that interstate visitors at Launceston home games accounted for 30per cent of attendees.
Ms Armitage said the Hawks deal had been an incredible boost for the North.
‘‘Launceston doesn’t have MONA, we don’t have 163,000 people coming in on cruise ships, we don’t have a full university, we have a university that’s looking at sub-degrees,’’ she said.
‘‘There is certainly a lot less in the City of Launceston, and the last thing we need to do is lose four games.’’
Mr Hodgman said he did not want to see that happen either.
‘‘Hawthorn based in Launceston has been an exceptional product for the sport in Tasmania and they are an extremely valued partner of the state,’’ he said.
