Casey Scorpions coach Jade Rawlings believes a Tasmanian team back in the VFL competition could be one of the answers to help invigorate football in his home state.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On the North-West Coast to offer some guidance to his former club Devonport during a week off, the 40-year-old has good memories of his time as a player in the competition when he played for Tasmania in 2006 while listed with North Melbourne.
The Devils folded after the 2008 season as the State League restarted, however Rawlings can’t see any reason why both couldn’t exist together along with a Mariners program and added a North-West presence was vital for it to work.
“I think the State League is a good concept but it needs input from the whole state to keep it sustainable, whether that is from Devonport, Burnie or a North-West team which is fed by NWFL teams” Rawlings said.
“It’s disappointing that both clubs (Devonport and Burnie) pulled out but they wouldn’t have made the decision unless they had to.
“It seems like the ball is rolling to make some productive decisions to get Tasmanian footy rolling forward an it will be interesting to see where it lands.
“I don’t have all the answers and solutions, but my gut tells me that the VFL and Mariners programs are both great products.
“It was the most vibrant Tassie football had been in my time being at North Melbourne, and having participated in a VFL team in 2006 it felt the state was behind both teams and there was good pathways for under 18s.
“The VFL is a vibrant competition, there is a slight imbalance with a couple of teams being low on talent, but overall in a 15-team competition I think a Tasmanian team added to that would round it out nicely.”
