Lack of leadership behind state's 'transformational moment'

The climax of a five-year plan to build the code up to its healthiest condition since games were first recorded in what was then Van Diemens Land in 1851.

AFL Tasmania - never one for hyperbole - called it "a transformational moment for football to unite and grow at all levels in Tasmania".

However, what was billed as the sport's zenith is in serious danger of becoming its nadir.

Key pillars of this timeline were entry into the VFL in 2025 and the establishment of vibrant competitions in all three regions.

Both of those eventualities are looking as likely as a 2024 grand final between the state's two AFL tenant teams.

The press release which laid out the proposed timeline, dated May 5, 2023, stated that "AFL Tasmania is determined to seize the moment to ensure local and community football grows and thrives well into the future."

It explained that the end of the Tasmanian State League had been set for 2024 to coincide with Tasmania's planned entry into the VFL and VFLW from 2025.

As revealed by The Examiner earlier this month, VFL entry is almost certainly not going to happen in 2025 with many in the footy community believing 2026 may also be unlikely.

Deprived of the TSL, Northern Tasmania's powerhouse clubs, Launceston and the Northern Bombers, rejected AFL Tasmania's proposed NTFA Premier Division replacement in preference for a breakaway NTFL-style competition with the best sides from the North-West.

However, even that avenue appears like it may turn into a cul-de-sac with initial signs of disinterest from the Coast region.

All of which may leave Tasmania's most successful sides of the modern era - with eight of the last 10 statewide premierships between them - staring at a two-team competition akin to that of the Flinders Island Football Association in which games between the townships of Whitemark and Lady Barron were always fierce, but somewhat repetitive.

As this sorry saga has rumbled on, statewide leadership has been noticeable by its absence.

If there is to be a delay in Tasmania joining the VFL, the state's football community should be hearing about it from AFL Tasmania, not The Examiner.

Meanwhile, AFL Tasmania boss Damian Gill accused Launceston's two TSL teams of "disrespect" when his organisation could be accused of exactly the same by proposing a competition in which those teams were asked to swap playing against the ex-AFL stars of Lauderdale and Kingborough for a regional amateur competition.

Who would genuinely think it is healthy for Tasmanian footy to put a team which beat its nearest State League rival 24.23 (167) to 0.5 (5) against a team that lost its NTFA opener 21.22 (148) to 1.3 (9) and whose under-18s managed just 0.2 (2) to their opponents' 26.19 (175)?

In that May 2023 release, Gill was quoted as saying: "We want three strong and united football regions in our state underpinning our talent pathways, VFL/VFLW and AFL/AFLW teams."

It could be argued that a strong competition is already in place in the North-West, largely because the region's biggest two clubs have long since rejected AFL Tasmania's State League, thereby eliminating any danger of external interference.

History suggests that North-West Tasmania is rarely happier than when it can exist independently of the rest of the state.

How next year's proposed Southern Premier League - featuring five TSL outcasts Lauderdale, Kingborough, North Hobart, Glenorchy and Clarence plus Brighton - goes remains to be seen, but it's fair to say the North is rather unlikely to be a "united football region" for some time.

Gill concluded that press release with the comment: "We are confident that ... we can build something special and we look forward to getting to work with everyone around the table to bring it to life."

He needs to show considerably more leadership because that table is losing legs with alarming frequency.