Premier Peter Gutwein is gradually entertaining the very realistic prospect that Tasmania will host one of the proposed AFL hubs.
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The state government have privately discussed AFL football eventually being played back in Tasmania sometime this season, which otherwise may include compensation should their eight matches per season not be reached.
Taxpayers pay around $8 million every year to bring the AFL game to the state.
The next step could well be an agreement made in little more than four weeks when the state chief medical officer is satisfied the spread of coronavirus has been halted.
"I know there has been discussions, as I understand, with Hawthorn and North Melbourne about their contractual arrangements with us," Gutwein confirmed.
"I think I will be having discussions myself, coming up shortly, in terms of the broader hub arrangement."
Tasmania had been one of the key focal points for a hub initially where possibly up to six teams play a round robin of matches to ensure that the 2020 AFL season will resume soon enough after it ended one week into the draw.
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The hub option would not be open for fans to attend the games even should the number of COVID-19 cases in Tasmania be eliminated first ahead of other states.
Gutwein had earlier this month refused to speculate on bringing games to the island, adding that AFL football was not a priority amid the onset of the pandemic.
Launceston and Hobart that each stage four home and away fixtures each year would be the obvious choice to hold up to 15 matches.
But it's the recent outbreak on the North West coast that Gutwein warned could now hinder the AFL giving the Tasmanian venues the nod.
"In terms of any discussing sport and resuming our normal lives, what I want to do is just take this virus one week at a time," Gutwein said.
"So, I would encourage Tasmanians, and especially North-West coasters, to take it a day at a time.
"We need to step through this, we need to follow all of the rules and importantly we need to stay safe.
"Importantly if we all work together, we will come out the other end of this.
"The measures we put in place are working very well in other regions. What we have to do is crush this outbreak."
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