Grant Birchall's decision to accept an offer from Brisbane is about more than just the 2020 season.
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The 31-year-old on Thursday signed a one year deal with Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent, with the likelihood that his stay at the Lions could be more than just one season provided his body holds up.
Reports indicated that Hawthorn had comparatively only offered the four-time premiership defender a place on its rookie list.
His manager Shane Casley, of TLA Australia, confirmed that thought process on Trade Radio on Thursday by saying: "The plan is to get him up there for a two-three year period, and Grant thinks he has that much footy left in him.
"I think the main thing for Grant was to make sure his knee was good and now he's confident he has good footy in him for the next two to three years."
The 248-game Hawk will head to north having played just eight games in the past three seasons after 240 in the 11 before that, but knowing there is a place in the Lions' set-up for him off half-back thanks to the retirement of man he shared his four flags with in Luke Hodge.
"I'm excited to start something a bit different and get up there,'' he said
He'd also had an offer from Gold Coast on top of the Hawthorn one, which came after the Hawks had initially said they were going to wait until after the trade period before deciding whether he was part of their plans for 2020.
Birchall leaves the Hawks in 15th position on the Hawks' all-time games tally, but also with some significant places on Tasmania's recent football history. He also sits sixth on UTAS Stadium's all-time games list with 40 (a number that could increase), a ground where he made his AFL debut in 2006 and reached his 50th, 100th and 150th milestones.
He will be reunited with fellow Tasmanian, Queenstown's Chris Fagan, the former Hawthorn footy boss who is now in charge at Brisbane, with general manager of football David Noble and on-field general Mitch Robinson other Tasmanian connections at the Gabba.
Birchall said he was "looking forward to playing under him (Fagan) and hopefully helping the guys go the next step in 2020", while Noble noted Birchall's ability to rebound the ball with his run and carry would be vital.
His move came on a significant day for the push for Tasmanian representation as the United We Stand pledge tally went past 50,000, the number set aside to get that provisional licence for Tasmanian AFL and AFLW teams.
The news brought responses on social media from Tassie great, and former Fitzroy and Adelaide coach Robert Shaw, who said "Ready when you are @AFL. Set it up correctly from the start and it will be successful", while Premier Will Hodgman tweeted "Never in doubt. Well done to the Taskforce and 50,000 behind the cause. The case is building, @AFL !".
As at 6.30pm the pledges tally at www.unitedwestand.com.au stood at 50,355.