Tasmanian State League to disband after 2024, with regional model preferred

Football in Tasmania will revert to regional competitions underpinning the state's VFL side.

AFL Tasmania confirmed changes to the structure on Friday but not before TSL clubs had already begun to speak out with North Launceston saying it would "decimate football in Northern Tasmania".

"Hobart and mainland Australia will benefit at our loss," Bombers president Thane Brady said.

"No question the two outstanding leaders of standards and talent development in this state is the two powerhouse Northern Tas TSL clubs.

"Launceston and North Launceston have over the past decade balanced the domination of Tasmanian football with supplying the AFL, VFL, SANFL and feeding the NTFA."

In a post on North's Facebook page, Brady added: "Twenty-four hours after the Tassie team announcement inclusive of building a billion-dollar stadium at Macquarie Point to showcase our players on the AFL stage, the first structure improvement recommendation of AFL Tas to wind up the state league only serves to decimate football in Northern Tasmania."

Clarence had also cast doubt on the competition's future before AFL Tasmania's announcement.

The changes were confirmed by a statement on Friday afternoon in which AFL Tasmania boss Damian Gill suggested they would help "build something special".

READ MORE: NTFA president Scott Rigby responds to Tasmania AFL team licence

"The status of Tasmania's unprecedented involvement in the elite game and the VFL/W competitions significantly influences the structure that will underpin local, community, talent pathway and second-tier football in the state," Gill said.

"AFL Tasmania is continuing to work through the model for the game at all levels that ensures the success of local and community football, to maximise participation and support pathway programs that produce the future stars of Tasmanian football.

"We want three strong and united football regions in our state underpinning our talent pathways, VFL/VFLW and AFL/AFLW teams. We are confident that in working with our key stakeholders we can build something special and we look forward to getting to work with everyone around the table to bring it to life."

The North Launceston post said the club has 150 former players in the NTFA, with five making the step up to the SANFL and two players and coaches in the VFL.

Seven North players have reached the AFL since the TSL began in 2009, with Brady also crediting Launceston for similar success during that time.

The president also spoke of what playing in regional competitions may look like for future draft prospects.

READ MORE: TSL and NTFA teams for the weekend of May 6

"With respect, the NTFA and the NWFL competitions are not fit for purpose. They rightfully are participation competitions that provide a significant positive community service," he said.

"Developing talent to full potential demands a completely different approach than simply mixing it up with participation-based footy - it's like mixing petrol with water.

"To breed enough of our own AFL/W players to represent us, the structure of Tassie football must change but not at the expense of Northern Tasmania. Clubs develop people better than academies develop athletes who at 18 are expendable."

Launceston director of football Scott Stephens described the changes as "a step back".

"Our philosophy at the footy club is obviously to provide the most professional program available to our kids and to our players to play at the highest possible level and this probably doesn't allow us to do that," he said.

"North and Launnie are in a pretty precarious position of where we go to - Southern clubs, obviously having varying numbers have probably got somewhere to go to, where North and Launnie don't. A bit of water is still to go under the bridge to make it clear on what our options are."

Launceston have won four flags since 2009 - second only to North Launceston (five), while Clarence (two), Glenorchy and former sides Burnie and South Launceston won the others.

Stephens does not want that work to go unnoticed by the Tasmanian football community.

"We've obviously been extremely successful ... in terms of premiership silverware and the pathway that we've put in place to allow those kids to prosper, not only at TSL level but to then extend themselves to VFL, SANFL opportunities and also AFL draftees," he said.

"It's been a power of work, it's been hard and it's been tiring and we want to continue to do that. We just want to give our region of Launceston that opportunity."

Southern-based side Clarence welcomed the changes in their Facebook post on Friday morning.

"Underpinning the VFL teams will be regional and divisional local competitions," the Facebook post read.

"This direction is supported by the Clarence Football Club ... and we will strive to be the best local community football club in Tasmania (on and off the field). Our club will invest time and effort into developing quality coaching and playing environments from Auskick to senior football (male and female).

"We support a renewed focus on community football and will fully support our AFL teams - but community footy must still be the foundation of our great game."

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