Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan and Richmond star forward Jack Riewoldt were in Launceston as guest speakers at Hadspen Cricket Club's Champions of Sport luncheon.

Fagan said that not having a Tasmanian side in the AFL was a missed opportunity for all involved.

"I've dreamt of the day Tassie wins the AFL premiership, I think it'll be great for the state and it's possible, if you think big enough it's possible," he said.

"I think the club presidents and chief executives are all going to want to know that the club can fund itself for a long period of time ... so I think the backing of the Tassie government is a big tick."

Riewoldt echoed the sentiment as the AFL look set to announce the fate of Tasmania's bid by March next year.

"Hopefully Tassie gets the licence, I am really excited when March rolls around, I mean just the addition of Clarkson into the working group is a real big coup," he said.

"Certainly I think the passion is there and it may be a little bit dormant at the moment but I was lucky enough to live a bit of that through the VFL program before the draft.

"So if it gets up and going it'd be very exciting."

The Carter report proposed three options for a Tasmanian team: granting of a licence for a 19th team in the league, relocation of a team to Tasmania, or a joint venture between the state and an existing club but that a AFL side would be viable.

Fagan agreed that close friend Clarkson's addition to the Tasmania working group boosted the bid significantly.

"I think it gives the bid a lot of credibility, it's going to help you frame how the team and the talent pathway is developed because that's one of the other critical things," he said.

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Clarkson had previously pointed to Fagan and recent Collingwood Magpies hire Brendon Bolton as two people who would be valuable to a potential Tasmanian AFL side.

Fagan confirmed he would entertain the possibility of being involved in the venture if the opportunity arose.

"I would like to be involved if I am available ... I'll do everything I can now to help out wherever I can," he said.

The former Tassie Mariners coach stressed that it was important to install strong talent pathways ahead of the team potentially running out onto an AFL field.

"What we need to be doing right now is getting our development pathway right so that when the time comes there are 10-12 players we can draft onto that list to be a truly Tassie team," he said.

"Back when I was coaching the Tassie Mariners from '95 to '97 in the TAC Cup, the team that played in finals in '96 there were 13 players drafted from that team over the course of two years so it's possible if you get the pathway right."

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Fagan said that the team would go along way to rekindling the passion for AFL in the state.

"I think they were more passionate five or 10 years ago, I think the people here have become a little bit disillusioned with the fact we don't have an AFL team and the AFL isn't necessarily looking after Tasmania potentially as well as it should," he said.

"I think that can be rekindled and resparked pretty quickly, particularly among the younger boys and girls in Tassie if we do get an AFL side, that is something to aspire to eventually."

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