Premier Peter Gutwein has said that new deals with the two clubs will not be struck until the AFL gives an indication of when Tasmania will have its own team.

Hawks president Jeff Kennett addressed the ongoing negotiations in a letter to members, saying there had been "no further advancements" in the club's arrangements with Tasmania.

"Given the uncertainty of the economy in the future and the cost to clubs and the AFL over COVID-19, I very much doubt whether a 19th team within the AFL is viable," Kennett said.

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Tasmania had made promising steps towards winning its own AFL licence in February last year, with the Tasmanian AFL taskforce releasing a 267-page business plan outlining how the team could hold its own financially.

But just one month later, coronavirus had radically altered the AFL landscape and, according to Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, set back the state's AFL bid by 10 years.

Asked on Saturday whether a Tasmanian team remained viable, Gutwein was unequivocal.

"We've demonstrated that it would be financially viable," Gutwein said.

"I would make the point to Jeff and the AFL at the moment, outside of around five to six AFL clubs, all the rest of them are being subsidised very heavily by the AFL - they're not financially viable.

"We brought forward a plan that demonstrates that we could run a team out of Tasmania and it would be financially viable."

The final season of Hawthorn's current Tasmania deal sees them hosting Adelaide, North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs at UTAS Stadium.

A pre-season clash with Port Adelaide on March 6 remains in question after the AFL announced plans last week to reduce the Community Series from two games per side to one, with an eye on reducing travel.

"We are very optimistic that in the coming days we will have an update regarding the potential of playing a pre-season match in Tassie, and that will be a step in the right direction," Kennett said.

"The CEO [Justin Reeves] and I hope to meet with the relevant government officials in Tasmania in the next few weeks.

"But as always, our hands are somewhat tied, as are Tasmania's, until the AFL can give us all their definitive position on a Tasmania team."

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