Tasmania's most talented young footballers getting the opportunity to compete at the highest level possible will be "very important" in what has been an extremely difficult year, believes North-West Coast based AFL talent scout Richard Lakeland.
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Lakeland's comments come as AFL Tasmania explores a way for its boys and girls Devils sides to play some sort of role in 2020 after the AFL announced the Victorian-based NAB League competitions would return in a reduced format.
AFL Tasmania chief executive Trisha Squires said her organisation was "working through options for the NAB League Tasmania Devils side and their involvement in the competition in 2020", a move commended by Lakeland.
He believed even a brief appearance would be beneficial.
"It is really difficult to predict the future direction as far as Tasmania is concerned,'' said Lakeland, who has been stood down from his scouting role with Fremantle due to the impact of COVID-19.
"They [the AFL] have come out very strongly and have said the Victorian sides will play a six week [boys] roster commencing in August, and how that fits in with Tasmania going forward is questionable you would think given the border situation [which will be reviewed next month] at the moment.
"But it is important for the Tasmanian boys and girls to be able to play against the top end talent of their talent list.
"I think it is important that they can play as a lot of these young people started training in November and then have obviously had recent months off with their own programs, so in terms of having an end product, it is really important for them from a physical sense, but a mental aspect as well."
The boys' competition will start on August 22, with the girls to complete their season from September 5.
Alex Fair
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
