State's 2020 AFL role to be investigated

While happy to oblige, Gutwein said he would not allow matches to be take place if it meant the coronavirus risk in Tasmania increased by allowing teams to enter the state.

The AFL on Wednesday informed Gutwein that they were moving away from its quarantine hub idea (in which Launceston had been formally put forward as an option) as it looks to restart its now 17 round competition which was shutdown on March 22.

It comes as AFL Media reported on Tuesday that matches (which are set to be played behind closed doors) will be mostly played between Thursdays and Sundays, with only a few games on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as the league aims for October grand final.

Gutwein said he would be guided by public health advice before making any decision on a model which would see teams "fly into destinations on a chartered plane in one day and in most cases play a game and then fly out".

"To be honest I'm not in a rush and tear to have AFL played here in Tasmania in front of empty stadiums, but if there is a model and as we progress our way with the disease if we continue to have the results we are having at the moment and we've got the disease under control based on public health advice as we progress, this might be an option to consider,'' he said.

"The one thing I will not do, and I will be absolutely clear on this and clear for Tasmanians, (I) will not increase the risk on Tasmanians by allowing a model like this to occur if the advice is that the risk would increase."

Tasmania had had four days of no new COVID-19 cases before two were announced on Tuesday night.

The AFL's road to a restart is likely to become more clearer following Friday's national cabinet meeting.

The fly in, fly out model would allow Hawthorn and North Melbourne, which the government pay around $8 million a season to play eight games in Launceston and Hobart, to play in the state this season.

Meanwhile, Gutwein said he had not received any requests for any government support for Blundstone Arena, which like other stadiums around the state will be free of crowds this year.

A major piece of the content under threat will be October's eight World T20 fixtures, which the government helped bring to the state along with Cricket Tasmania.

"We'll be guided by Cricket Australia and importantly by public health and whether the world cup takes place will depend on a number of factors (such as) international borders the level of COVID in the countries the players might travel from,'' he said.

"I expect international borders will be quite firm for some time."

It comes after Cricket Tasmania on Tuesday announced it had cut staff due to COVID-19.