The Tasmanian had first landed in the provincial heartland of Geelong before heading to the 'burbs of perennial battlers St Kilda, up north to join the Brisbane converts and finishing in the far flung west of Fremantle.

When it was time to blow the whistle on what proved a well-travelled footy career that included two standout seasons for VFL affiliate Williamstown, he settled into guiding Collingwood's fortunes as an assistant to Mick Malthouse before returning to where it started to do the same at Geelong.

The final stop appeared to be back in Brisbane, firstly as a Lions mentor and then later in charge of the AFL Queensland academy and high performance units all the while coaching the under-18 Allies squad.

But Fletcher heard a clear calling from nearly 2500 kilometres to come home.

The growl of the reborn Tasmania Devils will do that.

The under-18 coaching job had Fletcher's name written all over it.  

But the passion - the one key ingredient for Tassie to survive the AFL system - was totally undeniable. 

“The good thing is that I once lived it,” Fletcher says.

“I’m a Tassie home brand boy that grew up and always had passion for the state.

“I had the opportunity to go and play AFL footy, and then coach 10 years in the AFL system. I wanted to go back into the pathway to give back to the kids and set a strong philosophy."

Fletcher - even by his own admission - wasn't blessed with the most natural talent.

The common perception in the centreman's early years when limited games were played and the length of his club stints were short was a knock on his pace.

But what he lost for being too slow, even too short, Fletcher made up for it with his admirable ball-winning skills to rack up quality touches around the ground.

Handballs out of traffic, drop punts hitting leading forwards were trademarks.

“Hopefully I can bring that into Tassie and make our state an intense and competitive environment," Fletcher espouses.

"We know if you want to play at the top level, they’re the first two things you need. 

"We've just got to make decision-making players and have a strong philosophy around that.”

That style of play was honed on the 1980s mud-glut ovals of Tasmania.

It's almost a part of a bygone era amid today's pristine playing surfaces to question any insistent climate-change denier. 

But those conditions brought out a competitive spirit in Fletcher.

“That was part of our culture growing up," he says.

“I had grown up around Glenorchy and I just wanted to play for Glenorchy at first.

“We got to create that sort of culture where you can forecast yourself playing and making a difference to the community, but hopefully play AFL footy. So you just got to live your dreams.”

That included pulling on the Map for the first time.

Fletcher remembers when Teal Cup junior state football was every boy's dream then.

It wasn't always - or often - pretty at times against the Big V, the Croweaters or the Sandgropers, but it meant passionately more than just making it in the AFL.

“We were always up against the best of the best, so it was just eye-opening,” Fletcher reflects.

“Sometimes the margins weren’t great, but we were competitive and we had some great players who came through that program."

The 49-year-old warns that could be the forerunner of what the Devils can first expect stepping into the new NAB League against powerhouse suburban sides like the Calder Cannons, the Oakleigh Chargers and the Northern Knights.

But hopefully not for long on Fletcher's watch.

“The volume’s not there at the moment - we’ve got to create volume,” he says.

“That’s about excitement of people playing the game at grassroots level right through to if it’s not just the Devils, at least in the statewide competition.

“We want to create that environment where everybody wants to get involved and get excited again."

That's the distinct thing about Fletcher.

While he never played for a bIg-time AFL club in front of big crowds, the memories that seem to matter are the ones closest to his heart.

They also sting a bit.

He reverts to his teenage state when talking about Glenorchy's back-to-back grand final losses against North Hobart in 1987 and Devonport in 1988.

“Back then the statewide competition was an amazing competition - it was just so tribal,” Fletcher

“We used to pack 16,000 into North Hobart for them.

“I hope that one day if we can get everybody on the same page around the state, that’s what we want to do to get people back going through the gates and get excitement around the state.”

Fletcher's infectious love for coaching stands out alone in the gravelly sounds of his weary voice.

It's the sort of sound that could rouse up the adrenalin of a testosterone-filled teen during a three-quarter time speech to lift a player to get his team over the line.

But it's not all gusto.

“It just all excites me to be honest,” Fletcher says.

“I mean I’d love to be pulling the boots on again.

“The opportunities they know have are fantastic.

“We’re not going to get everybody to play at that level, that's for sure.

"But as long as they give their best in the statewide or community footy, then we’ve done a great job.

“For me as coach, it’s just a role that gets my football juices really going.

“We’ve all got to set the bar in the community and play a brand that people in the state aspire to play.

“We’re at the start - that’s the best part and on our way forward to make Tassie footy what we want it to be."