Tasmania's AFL bid has received one of its strongest endorsements yet with Richmond legend and media personality Matthew Richardson showing his complete support.
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Speaking at South Launceston Football Club's grand final luncheon, the 800-goal superstar said he believes we'll be seeing 'the map' in the big league.
"I think we are definitely getting closer to a Tasmanian AFL team," he said.
"I think it's going to happen now, whereas in the past it was just 'oh, maybe'.
"I think it's a certainty actually."
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Suggesting 2025 as a potential target but unsure of the specifics, Richardson is confident his home state will enter the AFL.
Hailing from Devonport, Richardson was a fourth-round, father-son selection for the Tigers, following in the footsteps of his father, Alan.
Remaining in the yellow and black for his 17-year career, the much-loved Tasmanian is named on the forward flank in the Tigers' team of the century and is well-known for his third-placed Brownlow Medal finish in 2008, re-inventing himself as a prominent wing-man.
Overseeing his beloved Tigers' second premiership in three years in his role as a boundary-line commentator, Richardson said that Greater Western Sydney's road to the grand final is a positive sign for a future state side.
"They've done it in nine years. Clearly they've had a lot of good early draft picks to build this team but it doesn't matter how much talent you've got, you've then got to get that team structure right," he said.
"This year they've had a lot of role-players in Sam Reid and Matty De Boer so they've developed that real team culture now, they aren't just individuals with talent."
Tasmania's United We Stand campaign is gathering momentum, collecting almost 42,000 pledges after grand final weekend.
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