AFL: Alastair Clarkson concurs with Peter Gutwein regarding state's football future

This comes after a report by former Geelong president Colin Carter revealed three possible options for a Tasmanian AFL team: relocate a current team, share a Victorian team or grant the state a 19^th licence.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said there would be no timeline on the decision on which option the league would pursue, given the financial constraints of COVID-19.

After Saturday's win against the Western Bulldogs, Clarkson showed his support for Tasmania getting its very own team rather than the other two options.

"I'm a little bit like their Premier, if you're going to have a Tassie side let's get it cracking from scratch," Clarkson said.

"Don't have a relocated team and don't have a quasi team.

"The quasi team has been in place for 16 or 17 years or longer, 20 years maybe.

"And whilst that's been good for the game down here, Tassie have done enough for the game to deserve their own side."

Clarkson, a four-time premiership winning coach, has more experience than anyone in regards to AFL in Tasmania, having coached the Hawks through 17 seasons'-worth of games in the state.

He added there should be a timeline for a Tasmanian team, to allow for proper infrastructure to be put in place in preparation.

"At some point in time, I hope they [Tasmania] get it, but I think they need to do it in a measured manner," Clarkson said.

"If I was the AFL, I'd say 'let's have Tassie in by 2025 or 26, let's get them started now'.

"Just put a small bit of infrastructure around us [Tasmania], get an AFLW team in Tassie, get a team in the under-18 and VFL comp and build from the ground.

"I think that by 2025-26 then Tassie could be a really viable option in terms of being a 19th team in the competition."

Gutwein did not hold back in his response to the AFL's decision on the report, stating the league had once again "attempted to kick the can down the road" and said the ruling jeopardised any future games in the state.