Australian rules football in Tasmania

Australian rules football in Tasmania
2008 AFL Season (R10) match at Aurora Stadium in Launceston
Governing bodyAFL Tasmania
Representative teamTasmania
First played1866; 158 years ago (1866)
Registered players13,927 (adult)
8,455 (child)[1]
Clubs86
Club competitions
Audience records
Single match24,968 (1979). TFL Grand Final Glenorchy v Clarence (North Hobart Oval, Hobart)

In Tasmania, Australian rules football is a popular spectator and participation sport. It has been played since the late 1860s and draws the largest audience for any football code in the state. A 2018 study of internet traffic showed that 79% of Tasmanians are interested in the sport, the highest rate in the country.[2] It is governed by AFL Tasmania and according to Ausplay there are 13,927 adult players with a participation rate of 2.5% per capita about a quarter of which are female[1] playing across 12 competitions.

It has experienced a significant fall in participation since the 2000s when it was the most participated team sport with the highest per capita participation in the country[3][3] however is now outside of the top 10 participation sports.[4] While it remains popular in the state's north and Launceston, its popularity has fallen in the south and in the state's capital Hobart. With the collapse of numerous clubs and competitions, the sport has undergone numerous restructures over the years. The general consensus is that the state has fallen into the blind spot of national governing bodies for decades[5][6] which prompted the Government of Australia to launch a Senate inquiry in 2008.[7]

The Tasmanian state team competed in senior interstate and State of Origin football between 1887 and 1993, winning matches against all other Australian states (including Victoria, firstly in their 1960 match and most recently in their second last encounter in 1990) as well as several second division titles (including 1908 and 1947). Peter Hudson represented Tasmania more times than any other player, with 19 caps. Tasmania continues to field underage sides in the national underage championships and remains a successful side with 8 Division two titles, the most recent in 2018. Tasmania has also fielded teams in the VFL (2001–2008), the TAC Cup (1996–2002; 2019-) and defeated a NEAFL representative side in 2013 as the Tasmania Mariners/Devils. Today the Tasmanian State League continues to plays inter-league representative matches and defeated Queensland in 2024.[8]

Australian Football League (AFL) premiership matches have been played every year except 2020 since 2001 with the first held at the North Hobart Oval in 1991. Tasmania is the only state without a team in the AFL or AFL Women's (AFLW). However, after 30 years of campaigning, the league's 18 clubs unanimously approved a 19th license to the state on 1 May 2023, and it is expected to debut in 2028[9] along with the construction of the new Macquarie Point Stadium to be completed by 2029.[10][11] Until the 2010s, Tasmanian television audiences for the AFL were also among the highest per capita, consistently drawing bigger ratings than both Queensland and New South Wales. The decline in the code's participation and television audience increased the urgency of establishing an AFL club.

Over 300 Tasmanians have played the game at the highest level and the state has traditionally supplied the AFL with a disproportionately high number of players. Tasmania has four Australian Football Hall of Fame legends: Darrell Baldock, Peter Hudson, Ian Stewart and Royce Hart. The Tasmanian born and raised player with most AFL games is Jack Riewoldt with 346 and the most AFL goals is Matthew Richardson with 800, while Jess Wuetschner has the most AFLW games with 55 and most AFLW goals with 42.

  1. ^ a b Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "AusPlay results". Sport Australia. Retrieved 5 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Devils in the detail: an economist argues the case for a Tasmanian AFL team – and new stadium by Tim Harcourt for the Conversation 1 May 2023
  3. ^ a b "www.afl.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/205058bu.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-05-18.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ Ausplay Tasmania data tables 28 April 2023 - Top 10 activities - Participation Rate
  5. ^ Tasmania remains AFL's blind spot, and it's local footy which is now suffering most ABC News 9 Feb 2018
  6. ^ AFL report urges Tasmanian team by 2025 or code will die on island James Dunlevie ABC News 7 Feb 2020
  7. ^ Australia. Parliament. Senate. Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee; Nash, Fiona (2009). Matters relating to the establishment of an Australian Football League team for Tasmania : report. [Canberra]: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. ISBN 978-1-74229-099-7. OCLC 423688785.
  8. ^ 2024 Queensland v Tasmania Men’s State Game – Match Review by Abby Collins 25 June 2024
  9. ^ AFL presidents approve Tasmania for 19th team licence after decades of campaigning from ABC News 2 May 2023
  10. ^ "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledges $240 million for Hobart stadium at Macquarie Point". ABC News. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Albanese formally unveils $240 million in federal funds for Hobart stadium". The Age. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.