Tasmanian Football Club | |
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Names | |
Club details | |
Competition | AFL: Senior men AFLW: Senior women VFL: Reserves men |
Chairman | Grant O'Brien[1] |
Ground(s) | Bellerive Oval, York Park |
The unnamed Tasmanian football club is a professional Australian rules football club set to compete in the Australian Football League (AFL) from the 2028 season and the AFL Women's (AFLW) from an unspecified date.[2][3] The club will be based in Tasmania, with matches to be played across the state. Both York Park in Launceston and Bellerive Oval in Hobart will host games initially, with the southern matches moving to the future Macquarie Point Stadium upon its construction.[4]
In May 2023, outgoing AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan announced Tasmania's securing of a 19th AFL licence following a unanimous vote of AFL club presidents.[4] The club will likely first compete in the Victorian Football League, starting in either 2025 or 2026.[5]
Main article: History of the Tasmanian AFL bid |
The idea of a Tasmanian AFL team had been suggested, and in some cases formally proposed, many times since the 1980s.[6] The successful bid was the result of an organisation known as the Tasmanian AFL Licence Taskforce assembled in 2019, chaired by Brett Godfrey, with backing from the Tasmanian Government.[7]
Grant O'Brien former CEO of Woolworths and chair of Tourism Tasmania was appointed the new club's first chairman on 5 July 2023 by the Tasmanian AFL Licence Taskforce.[8]
On 13 September 2023, a board chaired by O'Brien was announced including Kath McCann, James Henderson (AFL talent manager), Alastair Lynch, Alicia Leis, Roger Curtis, Laura Mc Bain, Graeme Gardner and Kathy Schaefer.[9] Former Richmond player Jack Riewoldt was appointed club culture manager.[9]