With the NTFA opening the under-18s competition up to division one sides from next season, St Pats and Old Scotch have so far jumped at the chance.

The pair have created pathways with the Prospect Hawks and East Launceston junior clubs respectively, with Markham coming into the coaching role after almost a decade at the Hawks.

"I've had a year or two out coaching and St Pats and Prospect asked me if I would be interested in getting this up and running for both of the clubs," he said.

"I'm a really big supporter of the Prospect junior club and I want to help out where I can."

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Confirming he's already got a dozen or more players eager to play next season, Markham says a number of students from St Patrick's College are doing "a power of work" to get the team competitive.

For the first few years however, the focus is certainly on "filling the gap" between junior and senior football.

"There's a lot of young Prospect kids that are dropping out at a certain age so we are hoping this will be a good platform for them to keep working on," Markham said.

"A few have had to go to other clubs but a lot have dropped off and I know from experience over the last couple of years that a lot of guys I coached aren't playing anymore and that's a real shame.

"It's mainly due to the fact that they didn't have anywhere to go so hopefully this will fill that little gap."

St Pats' senior president Ian McCallum agreed.

"It's very important because what it does, it fills the void of footballers who are falling between the gaps in this area," he said.

"For too long, [while] the best players went to TSL clubs, others were forced to travel out of the area to go to clubs but there were some players that just stopped playing football."

Markham also serves as an administrator on the NTJFA's board, has previously spent time at Hillwood in their under-18s program and is described by McCallum as "a terrific football personality" and "a talented coach".