Tasmania

[TigerForce]

Anyone else see a Ninja Turtle?

I can definitely see Tasmania in that.

 

[Tigers of Old]

The blow out in every construction job is down to costs of materials going through the roof. PRO development would be based on a 2020/21 costing which would now be at least 20% more expensive before anything else

No wonder Benny is exiting stage left..
Are we sure it's still happening? Probably for another thread but where is the money going to come from?
Certainly not from the AFL.

 

[22nd Man]

Perfectly describes the situation I've seen evolve over the past three decades. As suggested, even more magnified in the south, where it seems to be that culture/interest has fallen out of love with the game to a point of indifference. In the northwest, it's a different dilemma in that a faster aging demographic structure means they no longer have the people of prime athletic age to fill as many teams. A trip to Launceston (my first in a couple of years) one weekend last season gave me hope that at least one region was hanging in there (albeit reduced from it's glory years). The whole grass roots scene seemed more vibrant in Launceston than in Hobart, where I live (I grew up between Launceston and Hobart, but my adult life mainly in Hobart - with some time interstate).

Over all though, I just wonder if we are 20-30 years too late? The time to enter the AFL was when the game was an intertwined part of the Tasmanian community cultural fabric. That was the bid in the 1990s on the back of the strong TAS State of Origin performances, where Port Adelaide was given a license instead of Tasmania. Is the game too far gone for this to be a success? In a state with a lower, decentralised population base, it would seem to me that it's even more important for the game to be passionately followed in all corners as a precursor, in order to draw adequate and sustained crowds and interest.

PT correct me if I am wrong but it’s not migration that’s a cause Of loss of footy interest in Tassie. it’s Just those who might be expected to follow their parents and grandparents interest in footy? Only parralel I can think of is the almost complete disregard West Indians have for cricket now… only a generation after they produced maybe the greatest era of any team in cricket history.

 

[22nd Man]

It’s a good thing. But I think the AFL tightarse funding approach to a team people care about, $15m apparently, compared to the blank-cheque funding approach to GC and GWS who nobody gives a stuff about stinks.

$15 m for the stadium. Undisclosed sums for ongoing support. The afl knew they couldn’t do both. Come in spinner Albanese.

 

[22nd Man]

Firstly, we did OK during the era of compromised drafts 10 or so years ago (despite what Dennis Committee famously said at the time).

Secondly, I honestly believe we will be in the premiership window in 2027.

Finally, Hawthorn showed in 2012-15 that you can stay in the premiership window for an extended period of time during an era of compromised drafts.

They were hardly impacted .

 

[22nd Man]

100% correct, and this plays into Benny moving to the AFL to primarily setup Tassie. Guys like Eddie still have the ear of AFL senior guys and it wouldn’t surprise me that Eddie and probably a few others told the AFL that Gale is the man to setup Tassie and ensure it’s not a financial black hole like GWS and GC.

Benny as a sidekick?

 

[22nd Man]

Tasmania has the population of three Melbourne councils. Casey plus Monash plus Yarra. Could those three areas sustain an AFL club?

 

[22nd Man]

Yeah like most cant stand what Gl stand for, but he is a genius at extracting gov't money to assist his and the AFL's cause.

Yep. Bear that in mind when Treasurer Chalmers three weeks from now tells us we all need to take some pain.

 

[22nd Man]

Definitely agree that getting a basketball team up from scratch on field isn't a decent comparison. Basketball 100% easier on that front.

But was more talking about the support it has generated all across the state. i.e. overcoming the population divide.

Some interesting Jackjumper numbers:

- All home games have sold out since inception
- Season memberships sold out in 26 minutes. Yes that's correct!
- A membership waitlist has had to be introduced
- 46% increase in participation in the North of the State since Jackjumpers started in 2021 (this is despite only one from 14 homes games played in the North in 22/23)
- The Launceston Basketball Assoctiation alone now had 300 senior and 200 junior teams. That is staggering for population that size.
- Because of the growth Basketball Tas say they are 26 indoor courts short of what's required
- Games aren't finishing until 11pm and they are forcing double byes in even numbered teams leagues to free up courts. One of Leysy's best mates son is in State under 14/16 team and trains on his own at 5.30am just to get court time.

Yes it is smaller scale, but this is all on the back of the JackJumpers.

What this shows is that if the Tasmanian football team can both 1) Promote itself statewide and 2) Have some degree of success (as you say the latter part will be hardest) the entire State will get behind it. Geographical boundaries just aren't what they were.

That is if in 5 years time basketball hasn't completely stolen the sporting hearts of the State by then. It's certainly been given a huge legup by the lethargy shown by the AFL.

Interestingly Jackjumpers founder and majority NBL owner Larry Kestelman has now them put up for sale. Interesting what he gets for it. Reckon he's going to make a pretty penny.

That’s mind blowin. compare to 80s explosion in basketball in Melbourne? Then Friday night games at the glasshouse were ThE ticket in town. (Who cared if North were playing at the MCG 200m across the tracks) I talked my boss into a “box” for Melbourne Tigers games. We could get Sydney spiv bankers to fly themselves down if we offered them a seat.

 

[RoarEmotion]

The blow out in every construction job is down to costs of materials going through the roof. PRO development would be based on a 2020/21 costing which would now be at least 20% more expensive before anything else

Input prices for materials going up is a reasonable reason for a project cost to go up (IMO).

Cost blow outs in the public sector I think come down to the nature of government relying on the public purse string and a lack of performance accountability. I haven't worked in government though so I'm guessing but some combination of corruption, incompetence (lack of in-house project SMEs and high/100% reliance on contractors) and poor contracts where the companies manage to socialise the risks vs that being the risk they take on for winning the business. Apparently Utopia was pretty close to the mark..

A stadium you would hope would be more predictable than underground work. Usually a lot of high cost risk happens once you dig as we have seen with the Vic Metro tunnels and we will see what that turns into as I think in 2022 they had already used up all their contingency.

I'd imagine PRO having to deal with heritage stuff and community requests could create some material risk.

 

[Ian4]

They were hardly impacted .

If you mean "they" as in Hawthorn, I have argued for years that they benefited from the compromised draft era as teams were unable to make that extra leap to contend against them. The teams they beat during the 3-peat were very poor teams.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

PT correct me if I am wrong but it’s not migration that’s a cause Of loss of footy interest in Tassie. it’s Just those who might be expected to follow their parents and grandparents interest in footy? Only parralel I can think of is the almost complete disregard West Indians have for cricket now… only a generation after they produced maybe the greatest era of any team in cricket history.

Absolutely Correct 22, that is the major component as far as I see it.

In the rural and regional areas - that have also been so important as a cultural hub of the game - a few other things going on in addition to what you point out. Like I suggested in the earlier comment when talking about the north west region. Demographic aging is having an impact. Gone are the days of a large agragarian or factory processing population of yesteryear, providing a large talent pool of young people in their peak athletic years, to fill local teams. These regions are not having their population replaced at all in some instances, or in other instances, having their population replaced by older tree changers, who not only are past playing organised sport, but have completely different interests. This is more the type of migration the author is touching on. Interstate treechanger type migration, not international migration.

I suspect many of these people are not really into throwing down a meat pie and a Cascade or Boags Draught while watching the local side go around. Tasting the organic fig chutney, goat's cheese and pinot, while listening to Irish tin whistle inspired hippy bands at the local folk festival and organic market is more their thing.

Although, useful to note, some of these wider societal trends are not unique to Tasmania. And demographic change in other parts of Australia is even more marked in some instances through international migration. So as the author suggests. Use this as a warning. If the game can die in Tasmania, it can die anywhere.

 

[Brodders17]

I suspect many of these people are not really into throwing down a meat pie and a Cascade or Boags Draught while watching the local side go around. Tasting the organic fig chutney, goat's cheese and pinot, while listening to Irish tin whistle inspired hippy bands at the local folk festival and organic market is more their thing.

Maybe rather than trying to fight this changing demographic, the local footy clubs need to look at changing their canteens and pre match entertainment?

 

[eZyT]

I suspect many of these people are not really into throwing down a meat pie and a Cascade or Boags Draught while watching the local side go around. Tasting the organic fig chutney, goat's cheese and pinot, while listening to Irish tin whistle inspired hippy bands at the local folk festival and organic market is more their thing.

A pie and a beer at the footy brings me contentment,

But I do hope the new Royce Hart Stadium sells freycinet oysters and Sullivans Cove with bruny island ginger coolers

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Maybe rather than trying to fight this changing demographic, the local footy clubs need to look at changing their canteens and pre match entertainment?

I don't think there is any suggestion that this demographic change is being fought against Brodders. It's a mere reflection of material reality. That the population in some regional/rural areas is simply being replaced by people that aren't really into sport (often older people not into sport) - and more specifically, not into Australian rules football.

 

[tigertim]

Sicily copping some heat for saying he thinks keeping young guys in Tassie could be difficult as there’s nothing to do in Tassie. Harsh but true.

 

[josey]

Correct 22, that is the major component as far as I see it.

In the rural and regional areas - that have also been so important as a cultural hub of the game - a few other things going on in addition. Like I suggested in the earlier comment when talking about the north west region. Demographic aging is having an impact. Gone are the days of a large agragarian or factory processing population of yesteryear, providing a large talent pool young people in their peak athletic years to fill local teams. These regions are not having their population replaced at all in some instances, or in other instances, having their population replaced by older tree changers, who not only are past playing organised sport, but have completely different interests. This is more the type of migration the author is touching on. Interstate treechanger type migration, not international migration.

I suspect many of these people are not really into throwing down a meat pie and a Cascade or Boags Draught while watching the local side go around. Tasting the organic fig chutney, goat's cheese and pinot, while listening to Irish tin whistle inspired hippy bands at the local folk festival and organic market is more their thing.

Although, useful to note, some of these wider societal trends are not unique to Tasmania. And demographic change in other parts of Australia is even more marked through international migration. So as the author suggests. Use this as a warning. If the game can die in Tasmania, it can die anywhere.

As you say PT, its not just Tassie that faces these challenges.

I am in rural Victoria that has faces very similar issues. We have the compounding issue of property prices and a severe shortage of rental options that have seen it nearly impossible for the town, let alone the footy club to attract young families.

The most difficult aspect though is the different attitudes to community that the affluent older generation bring with them.

 

[eZyT]

Id rather live in hobart on a rookie wage than western sydney on $1m a year.

And like someone said, they missed an opportunity building GC stadium out the carrara waste land instead of on the southport spit with a sandy boulevard and a stroll to restaurants and bars.

But GC's acute retention problem isnt geographic, its cultural

The hobart location looks fantastic and i expect theylle be decades ahead of gws and GC culturally

 

[taztiger4]

Sicily copping some heat for saying he thinks keeping young guys in Tassie could be difficult as there’s nothing to do in Tassie. Harsh but true.

Really Tim ?, tell me what other city in Australia has something like this

or sells this

Cunt Soap

soaps

shop.mona.net.au

 

[waiting]

Id rather live in hobart on a rookie wage than western sydney on $1m a year.

And like someone said, they missed an opportunity building GC stadium out the carrara waste land instead of on the southport spit with a sandy boulevard and a stroll to restaurants and bars.

But GC's acute retention problem isnt geographic, its cultural

The hobart location looks fantastic and i expect theylle be decades ahead of gws and GC culturally

Southport should have been the side not GC.

And GWS was an error.

Did I hear right that $50 million has been poured in by the AFL for these two ‘franchises’ or was it only GC?

Mistakes all round.

The Jack Jumpers have the advantage for a team that Tasmania have taken as their own. They have the head start on the AFL. The AFL should have had a side already set up .

Let’s hope the AFL learnt the mistakes of GC and GWS the way they were set up.