Failed: AFL report says of Hawthorn's Tasmanian push

[Dave McNamara]

An AFL-backed report into the game's future in Tasmania has questioned Hawthorn's commitment to developing the code down south and concluded that the club has failed to capture ''the hearts and minds'' of the heartland state.

and...

West, the director of the Australian Innovation Research Centre, will present his report to McLachlan within the month strongly recommending the introduction of one team based both in Melbourne and Tasmania, playing at least five home games across the north and south of the divided state.

And West has thrown both Richmond and St Kilda into the preferred club mix, along with Hawthorn – his No. 1 candidate – and North Melbourne to commit to long-term home bases in Hobart and Launceston, which could inject an additional $60 to $80 million into that club over five years.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/fail ... zs08k.html

Personally, I'm not sure what to make of that one(?)

Could well be better than that place down the Prince Highway(?) But as a permanent thing... I'd want us getting make-up games here in Melbs.

And no way should such a deal be seen as a precursor to our club moving south!!!


Thoughts Saintsationalists...?

[ausfatcat]

$60 to $80 million into that club over five years.

find that hard to believe suppose it depends on new revenue or replacement revenue but tempting, but would almost insure a eventual complete relocation there down the track

[White Winmar]

Makes more sense than NZ, IMHO. Plenty of saints supporters down there. If anything, there's probably a large, latent supporter base for us, many of whom buy Hawthorn memberships because they want to see AFL. I reckon we could swing plenty our way. Don't forget our only premiership captain was a Tasmanian legend! There is still a nostalgic connection there!

[Sainternist]

Yep, Tasmania is worth another crack. No future in NZ. Although certain shady posters would disagree with that.

[Con Gorozidis]

Saints or Tigers will seriously look at this in the next decade.

Tigers the natural one because of their name and I think they already have a big following due to Royce Hart and Matt Richardson (and his dad) but Saints more likely to be financially stricken enough to be forced to go by the AFL.

Would not rule it out.

Good news is that 24 hour bakery in Hobart

[Munga]

Tassie is, was, and always will be Saints territory.

[White Winmar]

[quote="Con Gorozidis"]Saints or Tigers will seriously look at this in the next decade.

Tigers the natural one because of their name and I think they already have a big following due to Royce Hart and Matt Richardson (and his dad) but Saints more likely to be financially stricken enough to be forced to go by the AFL.

Would not rule it out.

Good news is that 24 hour bakery in Hobart [/quote]
Do they make the famous Tasmanian Scallop pies?

[sainters4eva]

Saw an article yesterday about how the Kiwis (local council) are not keen on us continuing playing over there in NZ. Feel it is a waste of money. Sorry can't find the link. Anybody else see it? Maybe we might have to give Tas a serious thought sooner rather than later.

[Verdun66]

We missed an opportunity with our Tassie push a few years ago. GT didn't like losing down there, mainly due to Port ironically! GT didn't like to give up home advantage as we pushed towards the finals. Tassie makes more sense than other options.

[saintspremiers]

Equalization may stamp out the need for Tassie, NZ, NT, Cairns, Canberra and all other government funded games

[3rd generation saint]

Hawthorn are way out in the box seat for this, don't forget they have a big Tassie connection, some guy called Hudson.
Can't see them just saying okay, we'll let someone else take our spot.

[wally]

I would imagine Haw. would have first option on this, would they take it? They may think they are strong enough now to do without Tassie or play one
away game to keep supporters happy. Do they rely on income from Tassie ?
IMO North should have taken the money and moved to the gold coast,but I'm not one of their supporters, and I'm lucky to make it to one saints game
a year up here(bris),so its more up to people who lose out going week in week out to voice their opinions.
Will afl equalization ever happen?

[Fidelis]

Mind you, the report doesn't say the Tasmanian project has been a failure for Hawthorn; it's clearly been a success for them. It claims that what's failed is any sense that Tasmania as a state has not thrown themselves behind any particular team. The most interesting thing from that article is the potential carrot of some sort of priority access to elite Tasmanian talent. That alone might make it worth considering.

[citywest]

The Tassie boat has already sailed for the Saints (unfortunately). St Kilda need to (and will), make New Zealand work. One game a year on ANZAC day for now (Wellington), and then 2 games per year from 2017. The second game should be played in Auckland towards the end of the season (say round 18 or 19).

Population projected to grow by a third to almost 2 million by 2031 while other main centres lag behind.
Auckland will have 38 per cent of the country's population by 2031.
Auckland's role as New Zealand's principal city is being tipped to strengthen even further in the next 20 years, as all other regions fall relatively behind.
Statistics NZ says the region's population is likely to grow by a third, from 1.5 million to 1.97 million, by 2031, accounting for 61 per cent of the country's total population growth.......

Click on the link below for full article!!!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10839289

[plugger66]

The Tassie boat has already sailed for the Saints (unfortunately). St Kilda need to (and will), make New Zealand work. One game a year on ANZAC day for now (Wellington), and then 2 games per year from 2017. The second game should be played in Auckland towards the end of the season (say round 18 or 19).

Population projected to grow by a third to almost 2 million by 2031 while other main centres lag behind.
Auckland will have 38 per cent of the country's population by 2031.
Auckland's role as New Zealand's principal city is being tipped to strengthen even further in the next 20 years, as all other regions fall relatively behind.
Statistics NZ says the region's population is likely to grow by a third, from 1.5 million to 1.97 million, by 2031, accounting for 61 per cent of the country's total population growth.......

Click on the link below for full article!!!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10839289

You have constantly been told that there is not a suitable ground in Auckland. If you keep saying it, it still will not make a ground suitable. One game in Wellington and as soon as we get back in the black, if possible, stop playing there. It will never be a football country and its to expensive for Aussies to continue to go there every year. Reckon they will struggle to get 10k at the next game.

[citywest]

Fortunately our club does not think the way you do plugger66. IMHO, if we don't make NZ a success then our club may not survive the next 5 years. Our list is in such disarray that we could quite conceivably finish bottom 4 for the next 5 years and if that happens then our debt may top $15Million. If this does eventuate the AFL will have no hesitation to force us to relocate to Tassie. Is this what you want plugger66????

[plugger66]

Fortunately our club does not think the way you do plugger66. IMHO, if we don't make NZ a success then our club may not survive the next 5 years. Our list is in such disarray that we could quite conceivably finish bottom 4 for the next 5 years and if that happens then our debt may top $15Million. If this does eventuate the AFL will have no hesitation to force us to relocate to Tassie. Is this what you want plugger66????

No it isnt. All that is guess work. I just pointed out the fact that there is no ground in Auckland suitable to AFL footy. And i also said if we do get back into the blach we should dump NZ. I think thyat is pretty logical because we may get 500 supporters from NZ but dumping the one game when back in the black may get us an extra 500 supporters because all games are back in melbourne. By the way i havent seen the club even slightly mention anything you have. If anything they are much close to my way of thinking.

[citywest]

Fortunately our club does not think the way you do plugger66. IMHO, if we don't make NZ a success then our club may not survive the next 5 years. Our list is in such disarray that we could quite conceivably finish bottom 4 for the next 5 years and if that happens then our debt may top $15Million. If this does eventuate the AFL will have no hesitation to force us to relocate to Tassie. Is this what you want plugger66????

No it isnt. All that is guess work. I just pointed out the fact that there is no ground in Auckland suitable to AFL footy. And i also said if we do get back into the blach we should dump NZ. I think thyat is pretty logical because we may get 500 supporters from NZ but dumping the one game when back in the black may get us an extra 500 supporters because all games are back in melbourne. By the way i havent seen the club even slightly mention anything you have. If anything they are much close to my way of thinking.

You obviously haven't learnt a single lesson after we dumped Tassie. If we dump NZ our club is finished.

[BigMart]

NZ is OK for ANZAC day because of the Aus/NZ connection

But any thought of expansion are ludicrous IMO

The decision to bail out of Tassie was soft, set a soft precedent to the player ATT, and ultimately long term we paid for it.

Grant Thomas and an Amatuer board put immediate game results ahead of sustainability

Greedy victorian saints supporters felt it more important to be able to see a side 1 more game per year 16 rather 15 rather than allowing our loyal band of Northern Tas supporters the opportunity to watch a couple of games live? Those supporters who barracked for Doc are dying now... We did our club following no favours by turning our back on a new generation down there!

Neither party, like Ross Lyon player development could see the forest for the trees with regards to what was required for ultimate success...

Sustained (not fleeting) periods of contention. With a club vision... As opposed to a team vision.

[70s sainter]

The Tassie boat has already sailed for the Saints (unfortunately). St Kilda need to (and will), make New Zealand work. One game a year on ANZAC day for now (Wellington), and then 2 games per year from 2017. The second game should be played in Auckland towards the end of the season (say round 18 or 19).

Population projected to grow by a third to almost 2 million by 2031 while other main centres lag behind.
Auckland will have 38 per cent of the country's population by 2031.
Auckland's role as New Zealand's principal city is being tipped to strengthen even further in the next 20 years, as all other regions fall relatively behind.
Statistics NZ says the region's population is likely to grow by a third, from 1.5 million to 1.97 million, by 2031, accounting for 61 per cent of the country's total population growth.......

Click on the link below for full article!!!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10839289

Population projected to grow by a third to almost 2 million by 2031 while other main centres lag behind.

How is that possible with half the population moving here.
Anyway what about the population in our bayside area by 2030.
Why not target that?

[70s sainter]

Anyway we would be much better off going to tassie ( Hobart - great place ) for 3 games.
Sign the Tasmanians up for a 4 game membership ( 3 in Hobart and 1 in melbourne ) and we'd smash it.

Keep the Anzac game in nz for a few years if need be.

[bergholt]

Equalization may stamp out the need for Tassie, NZ, NT, Cairns, Canberra and all other government funded games

The AFL would hate that. They want the game to be exposed to as many areas as possible. And that would mean an external source of revenue for the whole competition is gone. I think there'll be plenty of games sold to non-AFL locations for the foreseeable future.

[citywest]

Eden Park in Auckland has been re-developed and can now seat 50,000 people. From what I have read it is big enough for AFL because it has drop in seats like Etihad. Can someone find the dimensions of the ground? If true and it is big enough then the Saints should be playing one game there as well per year. So one game on ANZAC day in Wellington and one game in Auckland in round 19 from 2017 onwards.

[BigMart]

Why?

It's a boutique market at best.... What do we gain?

In reality, the gimmick of playing one overseas actually. Gains us nothing.

[citywest]

We take away 2 games from Etihad that would lose money and instead we actually make money. If done correctly we could end up with 10,000 NZ members and more importantly, every NZ'er that migrates to Australia will automatically barrack for St Kilda when they get here!!!!!!