Australian rules football in Tasmania

Australian rules football in Tasmania
2008 AFL Season (R10) match at Aurora Stadium in Launceston
Governing body	AFL Tasmania
Representative team	Tasmania
First played	1866;158 years ago (1866)
Registered players	13,927 (adult) 8,455 (child) [1]
Clubs	86
Club competitions
List Tasmanian State League North West Football League Northern Tasmanian Football Association Southern Football League Circular Head Football Association Darwin Football Association King Island Football Association Leven Football Association North East Football Union North Western Football Association Oatlands District Football Association Old Scholars Football Association
Audience records
Single match	24,968 (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.

History

English public school games: 1851–1879

Organised "Foot-ball" matches have been recorded in Van Diemens Land since 1851 and matches in southern Tasmanian towns of Hobart and Richmond between 1853 and 1855 ^{[12] [13] [14]} significantly pre-date those recorded across Bass Strait in suburban Melbourne.

Rugby historian Sean Fagan claims that early matches played in Tasmania may have been an early form of rugby football, pointing to early mentions of goal posts with cross-bars and offside rules of later Tasmanian clubs. ^[15]

Accounts from Tasmanians of these early matches indicate that, as in early Victoria, they played mostly English public school football games particularly Rugby football, Harrow football and Eton football (the latter being similar to soccer) among others. ^[16]

However, apart from the fact that they were organised and played, few details of these matches actually survive, and the popularity of football in the fast-growing colony of Victoria quickly eclipsed the following that the pastime had in newly named colony of Tasmania.

First football clubs and introduction of the Victorian rules: 1864–1878

The "football" club formed in New Town in 1864 is believed to be the earliest in Tasmania – but it disbanded soon after. A series of high-profile matches were played between New Town and Hobart Football Club (now defunct) in late May of 1866. It is not known under which rules these games were played, though based on descriptions and the timing (official rules were distributed in the Australasian on 19 May) these matches are thought very likely to have been under the Victorian Rules. ^[17] Unlike other colonies however not long later, cricket clubs passed a motion prohibiting football from being played on their grounds proving a major setback for the code in the colony. ^[18]

By the mid- to late 1860s, more stable clubs, including Derwent and Stowell Football, emerged.

In 1871 the Break O'Day club was formed followed in 1875 by the Launceston Football Club and Launceston Church Grammar School in 1876.

Even by 1876, Tasmanian clubs had not decided on which rules to play. "Victorian Football Rules" began to gain favour only as the strong growth of the code in Victoria and Queensland became evident, even still most clubs preferred to play by their own rules ^[16]

Other clubs to form were Longford (1878) and Cornwall (1879), which became City in 1880. The City and Richmond clubs were formed in 1877 and the Oatlands and Railway clubs in 1879.

New Town formally started in 1878 and along with City and Richmond formed the basis of the game in Hobart, while in Launceston the abovementioned clubs formed the basis for the NTFA. New Norfolk District Football Club (1878) was one of the stronger regional clubs and North Hobart Football Club (1881) is another survivor of these early years.

Intercolonial football and adoption of the Victorian rules: 1879

W. H. Cundy, Captain of the Tasmanian Football Team in 1887

On 1 May 1879, members of the Tasmanian Cricket Association met and decided to form a club for their members, to be called Cricketers. They initially adopted English Association Rules (soccer) before succumbing to the pressure to play Victorian Rules. ^{[19] [20]}

In 1879 the Hotham Football Club (now North Melbourne) wrote to Tasmanian clubs for an intercolonial challenge. The Tasmanians initially deferred the challenge due to no uniform rules among its clubs. On July 5, 1881, it played a combined Hobart team defeated them 3 goals 2 in front of 1500 spectators. ^[21] Following the intercolonial, Tasmanian clubs adopted a slightly modified version of the Victorian game. ^[22]

More intercolonials against Victorian clubs followed shortly after the official adoption of the code. The Essendon Football Club visited in 1882 playing against a combined Tasmanian side in front of more than 3,000 spectators. ^[23]

• 
  South Tasmanian football team that toured Sydney in 1890
• 
  New Norfolk Football Club in 1892

Development of an intrastate rivalry: 1900–

Tasmania defeated Queensland by 20 goals at the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival in 1908

The history of local Tasmanian football differs considerably from any of the mainland states. Whereas mainland states had a major population centre around which a single dominant league was based, Tasmania's population was more evenly distributed. The consequences of this on Tasmanian football history are three-fold: firstly, a strong intrastate rivalry not noted in any mainland state; secondly, three different top-level football leagues in different regions of the state; and thirdly, the ability for teams representing very small towns to be competitive in the top leagues.

The Tasmanian Football League, based around Hobart, began in 1879. The Northern Tasmanian Football Association, based around Launceston, began in 1886.

Victorian clubs Fitzroy Football Club and Collingwood Football Club visited in 1901 and 1902 respectively winning convincingly against the NTFA. ^{[24] [25]}

A third top-level league, although not recognised as such until later, was the North West Football Union, contested by teams on the north-western coast of the state west of Latrobe, which began in 1910.

Cananore vs North Hobart at the North Hobart Oval in 1922 drew a crowd of more than 5,000

Victorian club Collingwood FC again visited Launceston in 1923 and played against the NTFA. ^[26]

The leagues were small in the pre-WWI era, with only three clubs competing in the TFL and NTFA, and four in the NWFU. Intrastate games between representative teams in the leagues were a regular fixture during these years. In the 1920s, the TANFL (as the TFL was now known) and NFTA expanded to four teams apiece, and the NWFU to six.

In 1929, Victorian club Collingwood FC again visited both Launceston and Hobart, playing against the NTFA and SFA respectively. ^[27]

• 
  The Latrobe Football Club in 1904
• 
  North Hobart Football Club, 1909 premiers.
• 
  North Launceston Football Club, NTFA premiers in 1923

Postwar boom

After World War II, all leagues underwent further expansion.^{[ citation needed ]} The TANFL switched to a district-based selection, and expanded to six clubs.^{[ citation needed ]} The NFTA also expanded to six teams.^{[ citation needed ]} The NWFU expanded from six teams to as many as fourteen, with a short-lived incorporation of four Circular Head-based clubs, but eventually contracted back to eight.^{[ citation needed ]}

The local leagues were extremely popular and attracted large crowds.^{[ citation needed ]} The TANFL Grand Final between Glenorchy and Clarence at the North Hobart Oval in 1979 attracted a record crowd of 24,968 which, although ostensibly small in comparison to mainland crowds, represented 15% of Hobart's population at the time.^{[ citation needed ]}

• 
  Women's football in Launceston in 1941. Tasmania was one of the first states to hold regular women's competition.
• 
  Scottsdale vs Launceston in 1952
• 
  A record crowd of 18,387 packed the North Hobart Ground to see VFL clubs Fitzroy and Melbourne in 1952
• 
  Tasmania's intervarsity powerhouse, UTAS takes on Melbourne University in 1954

Reformatted statewide competition: 1978-

There were always attempts made to somehow consolidate the major Tasmanian leagues into one statewide competition.^{[ citation needed ]} The earliest and longest-lasting was the Tasmanian State Premiership, which began (officially) in 1909 as a single Grand Final game between the TANFL and NTFA premiers, for the right to be the State Premiers.^{[ citation needed ]} The Hobart-based teams initially dominated, winning the first fourteen such contests. In 1950, the NWFU Premier was also invited to contest for the State Premiership. The final State Premiership was played in 1978.^{[ citation needed ]}

The next attempt at statewide competition was the Winfield Statewide Cup, a seven-week tournament played prior to the 1980 season amongst all twenty teams in the TANFL, NTFA and NWFU, plus one team from the Circular Head Football Association (Smithton, who would join the NWFU that season).^{[ citation needed ]} The competition was not popular with the northern clubs, who believed the organisation of the league biased towards the Hobart-based league.^{[ citation needed ]} In response, they refused to play another Winfield Statewide Cup.^{[ citation needed ]} Instead, the NTFA and NWFU joined to form the Greater Northern Football League, which resembled the old Statewide Premiership format, with the winners of the individual leagues playing off for the GNFL premiership.^{[ citation needed ]} The GNFL experiment lasted only the 1981 and 1982 seasons.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 1986 and 1987, a true statewide league was finally realised, when five of the northern clubs left their respective leagues to join the TANFL, renamed the TFL Statewide League: North Launceston, East Launceston and City-South left the NTFA in 1986 (the latter two merging to form South Launceston), and Devonport and Cooee (which was renamed Burnie for the move) left the NWFU in 1987. The two northern leagues merged to form the Northern Tasmanian Football League.^{[ citation needed ]}

Crowd at a TFL match in Hobart—North Hobart vs North Launceston.

From that point, Tasmanian local football slowly dwindled as teams began to lose money.^{[ citation needed ]} Clubs began to leave both the NTFL and the Statewide League throughout the 1990s, returning to local or amateur competitions with lower travel costs, or in some cases (such as the TANFL's Sandy Bay Football Club) fold completely.^{[ citation needed ]} Only six teams remained in the Statewide League by 2000, and after one of the most poorly attended Grand Finals in seventy years, the league folded. The clubs that survived returned to the NTFL and the newly formed Southern Football League.^{[ citation needed ]}

Tasmania and the national AFL competition: 1990–

Main article: History of the Tasmanian AFL bid

Tasmania's strong State of Origin team was one of the main reasons that the state held off expressing serious interest in joining the AFL competition. The state's historically strong supporter base for Australian rules football, one of the highest participation rates in the country and strong local leagues were also factors. However the team's strong performances against Victoria in the early 1990s prompted Tasmanian officials to open talks with the AFL. ^[28]

Tasmania was seen as a relocation target for the AFL's struggling clubs and in 1991 the Fitzroy Football Club were contracted for two home games a season at North Hobart Oval ^[29] however the experiment ended in 1992 when the venture resulted in a large financial loss for the Lions.

After the state side's last representative appearance in 1993, Tasmania stepped up its bids for inclusion in the national competition.

Between 1996 and 1998 a bid was prepared that involved the construction of a 30,000-capacity stadium in the Hobart showgrounds in Glenorchy, at the cost of $34 million. The stadium would have been the team's only home ground, but the appeal was unsuccessful and the stadium was not built.

Tasmanian Devils (VFL): 2001-2008

Upon the disbanding of the TFL in 2000, the Tasmanian Devils was formed in 2001 and admitted into the Victorian Football League in its inaugural year. The team played home games in Launceston, Hobart, Ulverstone, Burnie and Devonport during its time in the league. The Devils attracted a strong following in comparison with many other VFL clubs at the time. At the start of the 2006 season the Devils and the Australian Football League's North Melbourne Football Club began a partial alignment, allowing six North Melbourne listed players to play for Tasmania when not selected in the seniors, and arrangement which lasted from 2006 until 2007. This was unpopular among local fans, significantly harming the popularity of the club; and the season proved to be a disappointment on-field, with the Devils finishing ninth and missing the finals. ^{[30] [31]} The Devils were wound up at the conclusion of the 2008 season in order to make room for the return of the TFL in 2009.

AFL clubs sell home games to Tasmania

In 2001, AFL clubs St Kilda and Hawthorn began playing home matches in Launceston at York Park (later known as Aurora Stadium), supported by the Tasmanian government in an attempt to build a local following. St Kilda ended its arrangement after 2006. Hawthorn however increased its presence in the state as part of an agreement with the tourism component of the Tasmanian government, whereby they were contracted to play four games in the state and the Tasmanian Government will be the major sponsor for the club.

A government-backed Tasmanian bid was prepared in response to the AFL admitting new licences for the Gold Coast and Western Sydney for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. While the AFL admitted that the state had put together a stronger business case, it was once again rejected by the league. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou was quoted to have said to the Tasmanian premier Paul Lennon "Not now, not ever". ^[32] Hobart's major daily newspaper The Mercury started a petition in response to this news on 16 April 2008. ^[33] The premier vowed to bypass the AFL CEO and take the appeal directly to the AFL Commission.

On 30 July, the Tasmanian government announced that it had secured a major sponsor, Mars for the bid in a deal worth $4 million over 3 years. It was long doubted by the AFL that the Tasmanian club would secure corporate interest before a proposal is accepted by the AFL and this announcement came as a major shock as it was before a sponsor could be found for either the Gold Coast or Western Sydney Clubs and as AFL clubs Richmond ^[34] and Western Bulldogs ^[35] was left without a major sponsor for 2009. In addition to the Gemba financial audit of the bid to meet the AFL criteria, the Tasmania team had secured more than 20,000 potential members, ahead of the Gold Coast and Western Sydney bid in raw numbers. ^[36]

Since 2001 Hawthorn has successfully cultivated a following in Tasmania playing numerous home games at York Park with its Tasmanian membership base has increased from 1,000 to more than 9,000. Recent studies have valued Hawthorn's economic impact in Tasmania and national brand exposure to total $29.5 million in 2014. ^[37] Since 2006, Hawthorn has increased its presence in the state as part of an agreement with the tourism component of the Tasmanian government, whereby they are contracted to play four games in the state and the Tasmanian Government will be the major sponsor for the club. This relationship was renewed for a further period for five years (2012–16) in November 2011.

On 31 July 2015, Hawthorn extended their partnership with Tasmania for a further five years. ^[37] In 2010 the North Melbourne Football Club was contracted to play two games per year in Hobart at Bellerive Oval starting from 2012. ^[38]

Attendance at these matches, per capita, up to the 2000s and 2010s were the highest in Australia with an average of more than 16,000 per game. Tasmanian Devils VFL home crowds averaged 4,000 a season until the Devils unpopular alignment with AFL club North Melbourne began in 2006. Many viewed it as an AFL attempt at club relocation and as a result average AFL attendances halved after the club began playing home games in Hobart.

Tasmanian Football League: 2009–

After an eight-year absence, the Tasmanian Football League made a return in 2009. Ten teams were initially represented: from the south, North Hobart, Glenorchy, Hobart, Clarence, Lauderdale; from the north, Launceston, North Launceston, South Launceston; and from the north-western coast, Burnie and Devonport. All clubs except for Lauderdale had at some stage been part of the original Statewide League.

The league's membership underwent changes in 2014. South Launceston left the league and was replaced by the newly established Western Storm, based in western Launceston; North Hobart was disbanded and reincorporated into a new club called Hobart City; ^[39] and Hobart, which was to have been a joint partner in the Hobart City club before withdrawing from the deal, ^[40] was replaced by the Tigers FC, based in Kingston. ^[41]

Despite efforts to maintain a pathway to the AFL, in the 2010s and 2020s it began to produce poorly in the AFL Draft and for the first time in history (including 2020 and 2022) Tasmanians missed selection altogether.

Audience

Attendance record

• 24,968 (1979). TFL Grand Final Glenorchy v Clarence (North Hobart Oval, Hobart)

Major Australian Rules Events in Tasmania

• Australian Football League Premiership Season (Hawthorn (Launceston) and North Melbourne (Hobart) 'home' games)
• Tasmanian State League Grand Final
• Southern Football League Grand Final
• Northern Tasmanian Football League Grand Final

Tasmanian Football Team of the Century

In 2004 the Board of Management of AFL Tasmania named a Team of the Century for the state. It had 18 on field and seven interchange players as well as an umpire, coach and assistant coach.

Team of the Century

B:	Verdun Howell	Tassie Johnson	Ivor Warne-Smith
HB:	Barry Lawrence	Laurie Nash	Brent Crosswell
C:	Rodney Eade	Ian Stewart	Arthur Hodgson
HF:	Darrel Baldock (c)	Royce Hart	Daryn Cresswell
F:	Horrie Gorringe	Peter Hudson	Alastair Lynch
Foll:	Percy Jones	John Leedham (vc)	Terry Cashion
Int:	Neil Conlan	Darrin Pritchard	Paul Williams
	Michael Roach	Len Pye	Rex Garwood Matthew Richardson
Coach:	Roy Cazaly

• Assistant coach – Robert Shaw
• Umpire – Scott Jeffery

Representative Side

Tasmania representative team 1908

1911 Tasmanian state side from the Adelaide carnival that defeated the Western Australian state team on Adelaide Oval.

The Tasmanian representative team have played State of Origin test matches against all other Australian states. The team's last appearance was at the 1993 State of Origin Championships.

The team wears and all green guernsey with maroon trims and a gold insignia map of Tasmania more recently an embossed T symbol for Tasmania. The same guernsey design was later adopted by the state's AFL club.

Tasmania fields Underage teams at both Under 16 and Under 18 levels in both the AFL Under 19 Championships and 2021 AFL Women's Under 19 Championships.

See Also Interstate matches in Australian rules football

A combined state team usually plays other state competitions around Australia, such as AFL Queensland in 2007, 2009, and 2010.

Governing body

The governing body for Aussie Rules in Tasmania is AFL Tasmania.

In 2009 the three main community football leagues The Northern Tasmanian Football League, Northern Tasmanian Football Association, and the Southern Football League established the Tasmanian Football Council which is a united body that represents community Footballs interests in the state. The council has membership with the Australian Amateur Football Council.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Tasmanian government set up the Football Tasmania Board in 2019 to provide advice to the government on the state of the game in Tasmania. ^{[42] [43] [44]}

Leagues & Clubs

State Leagues/clubs (past and present)

Current clubs

• Clarence
• Glenorchy
• Hobart City (rebrand of North Hobart from 2014 to 2017)
• Lauderdale
• Launceston
• North Hobart (rebranded as Hobart City in 2013 and returned 2018)
• North Launceston
• Kingborough Tigers (from 2014)

Former clubs

Tasmanian Football League

• Cooee / Burnie Hawks / Burnie Tigers / Burnie Dockers Football Club (exited league in 2018)
• Cananore (pre-WW2)
• Devonport (exited league in 2017)
• Hobart (exited league in 2013)
• Lefroy (pre-WW2)
• New Norfolk
• North Hobart (exited league in 2013)
• Sandy Bay
• East Launceston / South Launceston (exited league in 2013)
• Southern Districts
• Western Storm

Northern Tasmanian Football Association

• City / City-South / South Launceston
• Deloraine FC (also spent two seasons in the NWFU)
• Cornwall / East Launceston / South Launceston
• George Town FC (also in NTFL)
• Longford
• Scottsdale

North West Football Union

• Burnie Dockers
• Cooee
• East Devonport
• Latrobe
• Penguin
• Smithton
• Ulverstone
• Wynyard
• Tasmanian Amateur Football League (League had southern and northern divisions with a state amateur premiership)
• Tasmanian State Premiership
• Winfield Statewide Cup
• Tasmanian Devils (Victorian Football League) (2001–2008)

Local Leagues

• Circular Head Football Association
• Darwin Football Association
• King Island Football Association
• Northern Tasmanian Football Association
• Northern Tasmanian Football League
• North Western Football Association
• Oatlands District Football Association
• Old Scholars Football Association
• Southern Football League

Defunct Local Leagues

Main article: List of Former Australian Rules Football Competitions in Tasmania

• Deloraine Football Association
• East Tamar Football Association – To the 'Tamar Football Association'
• Esk Football Association
• Esk Deloraine Football Association
• Esperance Football Association
• Fingal District Football Association
• Huon Football Association
• Kingborough Football Association
• Leven Football Association
• Midlands Football Association
• North East Football Union
• North West Christian Amateur Football League
• North West Football Union
• Northern Tasmanian Football Association (original)
• Peninsula Football Association
• South East Districts Football Association
• Southern Districts Football Association
• Tasman Football Association
• Tamar Football Association – To the ‘Northern Tasmanian Football Association’ (new)
• West Tamar Football Association – To the 'Tamar Football Association'
• Western Tasmanian Football Association

Junior

• Northern Tasmanian Junior Football Association (NTJFA)
• Northern Tasmanian Junior Football League (NTJFL)
• Southern Tasmania Junior Football League

Masters

• Masters Australian Football Tasmania

Umpires

• TFUA – Tasmanian Football Umpires Association
• NTFUA – Northern Tasmanian Football Umpires Association
• NWUA – North West Umpires Association

Women's

Tasmanian Women's Football League

The Tasmanian Women's Football League (TWFL) was established in 2007 and there are now 8 women's teams in the league statewide. These are:

Burnie Dockers, Clarence Football Club, Evandale, Glenorchy Football Club, Launceston Football Club, Mersey Leven, South East Suns, Tiger City. ^[45]

Grand Final results

• 2008 – Clarence Roos... ^[45]
• 2009 – Clarence Roos... ^[45]
• 2010 – Launceston FC... ^[45]
• 2011 – Clarence Roos... ^[45]
• 2012 – Clarence Roos... ^[45]
• 2013 – Clarence Roos... ^[45]
• 2014 – Burnie ^[46]
• 2015 – Clarence Roos ^[47]
• 2016 – Burnie ^[48]

Tasmanian State League Woman's

On Wednesday 19 April 2017, AFL Tasmania announced the formation of the TSLW. A five-team woman's league which will comprise:

• Clarence
• Burnie Dockers
• Glenorchy
• Launceston
• Tigers FC. ^[49]

They will compete over a 15-round season, commencing on Saturday 29 April 2017. ^[49]

Regional Women's Leagues

SFLW

• Blues
• Claremont Women
• Demons Women
• Port Women
• South East Suns Women

^[50]

NTFAW (2019)

• Bridgenorth
• Evandale
• George Town
• Meander Valley
• Old Launcestonians (OLFC)
• Old Scotch
• Scottsdale
• South Launceston

TWL North West

• Circular Head Giants
• Devonport Magpies
• Latrobe
• Penguin
• Ulverstone

^[51]

Principal Venues

The following venues meet AFL Standard criteria and have been used to host AFL (National Standard) or AFLW level matches (Regional Standard) are listed by capacity. ^[52]

Hobart	Launceston	Hobart
Bellerive Oval	York Park	North Hobart Oval
Capacity: 19,500	Capacity: 19,000	Capacity: 18,000
Hobart	Devonport
KGV Oval	Devonport Oval
Capacity: 18,000	Capacity: 14,000

Players

See also: Category:Tasmanian Football League players

Participation

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] down from 5% per capita in 2007. ^[3]

Adult players [53] [54]
2007	2016	2019	2022/23	2023/24
4,500 [55]	15,732 [56]	14,465 [57]	14,528 [58]	13,927 [1]

Tasmania has supplied over 300 players to the elite level.

AFL Recruitment and Zones

In the absence of a Tasmanian AFL club, the Australian Football League granted its North Melbourne Football Club full access to Tasmania via its academy Recruitment Zone since 2016. This also meant that when North Melbourne entered the AFLW in 2019, it was given access to the Tasmanian talent from across the league so as to act as Tasmania's team in the competition. ^[5] Other clubs may access Tasmanians that are overlooked or via the rookie draft.

Past Greats

Tasmania has three Australian Football Hall of Fame legends: St Kilda and Latrobe premiership captain and three-time Wander Medallist Darrel Baldock, dual Leitch Medallist and twelve-time league goalkicking champion Peter Hudson and three-time Brownlow Medallist Ian Stewart.

Other players from Tasmania include Hall of Fame inductees Royce Hart, Vic Belcher, Horrie Gorringe, Matthew Richardson, Laurie Nash.

AFL Tasmania also maintains its own Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame with hundreds of footballers, many of whom also played in the AFL.

• 
  Ben Brown is from Devonport
• 
  Mitch Robinson is from Hobart
• 
  Grant Birchall is from Devonport
• 
  Jade Rawlings is from Devonport
• 
  Nick Riewoldt is from Hobart
• 
  Alastair Lynch is from Burnie
• 
  Russell Robertson is from Penguin
• 
  Matthew Richardson is from Devonport
• 
  David Neitz is from Ulverstone
• 
  Brad Green is from George Town
• 
  Brady Rawlings is from Devonport
• 
  Brendon Gale is from Burnie
• 
  Andy Lovell is from Hobart
• 
  Chris Fagan is from Queenstown
• 
  Rodney Eade is from Hobart
• 
  Verdun Howell is from Launceston
• 
  Laurie Nash lived in Launceston
• 
  Ivor Warne-Smith lived in Latrobe
• 
  Roy Cazaly lived in Launceston
• 
  Horrie Gorringe was from Sanford
• 
  Vic Belcher was from Launceston
• 
  Fred McGinis was from Hobart

Men's

Current Players

• 
  Jack Riewoldt is from Hobart
• 
  Levi Casboult is from Hobart
• 
  Jeremy Howe is from Hobart
• 
  Andrew Phillips is from Hobart
• 
  Jimmy Webster is from Hobart
• 
  Toby Nankervis is from Launceston
• 
  Paddy McCartin is from Hobart
• 
  Lachie Weller is from Burnie
• 
  Jake Kolodjashnij is from Launceston
• 
  Robbie Fox is from Burnie
• 
  Brody Mihocek is from Burnie
• 
  Rhyan Mansell is from Launceston
• 
  Sam Banks is from Whitefoord

AFL Players from Tasmania

Currently on an AFL senior list

Player	TAS junior/senior club/s	Representative honours	AFL Draft	Selection (TAS club)	AFL Years	AFL Games	AFL (Goals)	Connections to Tasmania, Notes & References
Arie Schoenmaker	Launceston College, Launceston, Tasmania Devils (U18)		2023	#62	2024-	-	-	Raised in Launceston
James Leake	Launceston		2023	#17	2024-	-	-	Raised in Launceston
Ryley Sanders	North Launceston		2023	#6	2024-	2	-	Raised in Launceston
Colby McKercher	Launceston, Tasmania Devils (U18)		2023	#2	2024-	2	-	Raised in Launceston
Seth Campbell	Burnie Dockers, North Launceston	U18 (2022)	2023 (Rookie)	(Rookie #12)	2024-	2	3	Raised in Burnie
Sam Banks	Clarence, Tasmanian Devils	U18	2021	#29	2023-	5	-	Raised in Whitefoord
Lachlan Cowan	Devonport, North Launceston, Tasmanian Devils	U18 (2019, 2021)	2022	#30	2023-	-	-	Raised in Devonport
Jye Menzie	North Hobart, Tasmanian Devils	U18 (2019, 2021)	2022	#15	2022-	-	-	Raised in Hobart
Jackson Callow	North Launceston		2022 (Mid-season)	Rookie (#17)	2021-2022	3	0	Raised in Launceston
Rhyan Mansell	Prospect Hawks, North Launceston	U18 (2017)	2020	Pre-season supplemental	2021-	15	1	Raised in Launceston
Tarryn Thomas	North Launceston	U16 (2016), U18 (2016)	2018	#8	2019-2023	57	45	Raised in Launceston
Chayce Jones	Longford, Launceston		2018	#9	2019-	38	10	Born, raised in and recruited from Longford
Hugh Dixon	Kingborough	U18 (2017)	2017	#44	2018-	11	6	Raised and recruited from Hobart
Brody Mihocek	Burnie Dockers	U18 (2011)	2018 (Rookie)	Rookie (#22)	2018-	101	164	Born in Tasmania and raised in Burnie
Hugh Greenwood	-	U16 (2007)	2015 (Rookie)	Rookie (#48)	2017-2024	121	52	Born and raised in Hobart
Robbie Fox	Burnie Dockers		2017 (Rookie)	Rookie (#34)	2017-	64	8	Raised in Burnie
Mitchell Hibberd	Clarence		2016-2020	9	0	Raised in Hobart
Mackenzie Willis	Kingborough		2016-2018	5	0	Raised in Hobart
Kieran Lovell	Kingborough	U18 (2015)	2016-2018	2	0	Raised in Hobart
Jake Kolodjashnij	Prospect Hawks, Launceston	U16 (2011), U18 (2012, 2013)	2015-	153	3	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Lachie Weller	Burnie Dockers		2015-	118	42	Raised in Burnie
Paddy McCartin	-		2015-	59	35	Born in Hobart
Ryan Gardner	Burnie Dockers		2015-	35	2	Born and raised in Smithton
Ben Brown	Devonport, Glenorchy		2014–2024	174	359	Raised in Devonport
Toby Nankervis	Lilydale, North Launceston	U18 (2013)	2014–	121	34	Raised in George Town
Alex Pearce	Ulverstone, Devonport		2014–	80	3	Born and raised in Ulverstone, recruited from Devonport. (Palawa)
Brady Grey	Burnie Dockers		2014–2018	21	11	Raised in and recruited from Burnie
Kade Kolodjashnij	Prospect Hawks, Launceston	U16 (2011), U18 (2012, 2013)	2014-2020	80	14	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Jackson Thurlow	Launceston		2013–2020	63	14	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Aaron Hall	Hobart		2012-	147	93	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Jimmy Webster	Glenorchy		2012-	131	4	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Andrew Phillips	Lauderdale		2012-	52	15	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Jeremy Howe	Dodges Ferry, Lauderdale, Hobart		2012-	228	96	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Tim Mohr	Launceston		2012-2019	48	1	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Henry Schade	North Hobart, Tassie Mariners	U18 (2011)	2012-2017	28	1	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Maverick Weller	Burnie Dockers		2011-2019	123	59	Born and raised in Burnie
Josh Green	Sorrell, Clarence	U18 (2020c)	2011-2018	105	135	Born, raised and recruited from Hobart
Daniel Archer	Clarence		2011-2013	1	0	Raised and recruited from Hobart
Ian Callinan	Rokeby, Lauderdale, Clarence	U18 (2000)	2011-2013	32	49	Raised and recruited from Hobart
Levi Casboult	-		2010-	193	213	Born in Hobart
Jesse Lonergan	Launceston		2010-2021	128	32	Raised and recruited from Launceston
Ryan Harwood	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners	U18 (2009)	2010-2017	81	6	Raised and recruited from Hobart
Brodie Moles	Glenorchy, Tasmanian Devils		2010-2011	17	10	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Mitch Robinson	Tasmanian Devils		2009-	246	129	Born, raised and recruited
Liam Jones	North Hobart		2009-2021	177	84	Raised and recruited
Nathan Grima	South Launceston, Tassie Mariners, Tasmanian Devils		2009-2016	88	1	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Aaron Cornelius	Tasmanian Devils		2009-2013	25	35	Raised and recruited
Aaron Joseph	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners	U18 (2007)	2009-2013	73	10	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Tom Bellchambers	Tasmanian Devils		2008-2020	136	77	Born and raised in Launceston, recruited
Tom Collier	Tassie Mariners	U18 (2006)	2008-2011	27	4	Raised
Jack Riewoldt	Tassie Mariners, Clarence	U18 (2006)	2007-	346	786	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Ricky Petterd	-		2007-2015	84	72	Born in Hobart
Colin Garland	North Hobart, Tassie Mariners		2007-2017	141	16	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Angus Graham	Tassie Mariners		2007-2014	48	18	Born on King Island
Tom Hislop	Tassie Mariners		2007-2011	27	12	Born and raised in Burnie
Mitch Thorp	North Launceston, Tassie Mariners		2007-2009	2	1	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Grant Birchall	Tassie Mariners		2006-2021	287	36	Born and raised in Devonport
Sam Iles	Tassie Mariners		2006-2012	33	11	Raised
Sam Lonergan	Launceston, Tassie Mariners, Tasmanian Devils	U18 (2005)	2006-2013	81	39	Born and raised in and recruited from Launceston
Andrew Lee	Burnie Dockers, Tassie Mariners, Tasmanian Devils		2005-2008	5	2	Born in Brighton, raised in and recruited from Burnie
Cameron Thurley	Clarence, Tasmanian Devils		2005-2006	12	12	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Jason Laycock	East Devonport, Tassie Mariners		2004-2010	58	36	Born, raised in and recruited from Devonport
Luke Shackleton	Burnie Dockers, Tassie Mariners		2004	1	0	Raised in Burnie
Barry Brooks	Grassy, Tassie Mariners		2002-2007	10	3	Born, raised in and recruited from King Island
Ken Hall	North Hobart, Tassie Mariners		2002-2003	1	0	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Brad Miller	-		2002-2012	157	120	Raised in Hobart
Nick Riewoldt	-		2001-2017	336	718	Born and raised in Hobart
Simon Wiggins	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners		2001-2009	116	36	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Peter Street	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners		2001-2008	78	16	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Andrew Hill	Tassie Mariners		2001	1	0	Raised
Danny Roach	Tassie Mariners		2001	1	0	Born and raised
Brad Green	Tassie Mariners		2000-2012	254	350	Born in Georgetown and raised in Launceston
Patrick Wiggins	Tassie Mariners		2000-2004	12	5	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Tim Hazell	Southern Districts		2000-2003	5	3	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Brady Rawlings	Tassie Mariners		1999-2011	245	62	Born and raised in Devonport
Brodie Holland	Tassie Mariners		1998–2008	155	141	Born and raised in and recruited from Hobart
Justin Plapp	Burnie Dockers, Tassie Mariners		1998-2002	44	30	Born in Penguin, raised and recruited from Burnie
Leigh Brockman	Tassie Mariners		1998, 2002	12	1	Raised
Mark Harwood	Tassie Mariners		1998-2001	30	19	Raised
Justin Wood	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners		1998	7	5	Born and raised in and recruited from Hobart
Russell Robertson	Tassie Mariners		1997–2009	228	428	Raised in Penguin and Burnie
Gerrard Bennett	North Hobart, Tassie Mariners		1997–2002	32	11	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Ben Beams	Glenorchy, Tassie Mariners		1997–2001	23	17	Born in Launceston, raised and recruited from Hobart
Jade Rawlings	Devonport		1996-2006	148	96	Born and raised in Devonport
Ben Harrison	Devonport		1995–2005	161	71	Raised in Devonport
Trent Bartlett	Deloraine		1995–2002	81	42	Raised in and recruited from Deloraine
James Cook	North Hobart		1994–2000	77	139	Raised in Hobart
Matthew Richardson	Devonport	1993	1993–2009	282	800	Born, raised in and recruited from Devonport
David Neitz	-		1993–2008	306	631	Born in Ulverstone
Daryn Cresswell	Glenorchy, North Hobart		1992-2003	244	208	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Jamie Shanahan	Hobart	1991, 1993	1992-1999	162	0	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Nigel Palfreyman	Sandy Bay	1993	1992-1994	16	7	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Paul Atkins	Wynyard		1992	2	0	Raised in and recruited from Wynyard
Paul Williams	North Hobart	1993	1991-2006	306	307	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Danny Noonan	Clarence		1991-1993	55	19	Lived in Hobart
Matthew Mansfield	Glenorchy	1990, 1993	1991-1993	32	5	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Brad Davis	Burnie Hawks		1991-1993	5	1	Raised in and recruited from Burnie
David Noble	North Hobart		1991	2	0	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Paul Hudson	Hobart	1990, 1991, 1993	1990-2002	245	479	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Brendon Gale	Burnie Hawks	1990, 1991, 1993	1990-2001	244	209	Raised in and recruited from Burnie
Chris Bond	North Hobart	1991, 1993	1990-1999	163	45	Born and raised in Wynyard, Tasmania, recruited from Hobart
Dion Scott	Devonport	1993	1990-1999	79	61	Born and raised in Ulverstone, recruited from Devonport
Jody Arnol	North Hobart		1990-1991	13	6	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Adrian Fletcher	Glenorchy	1991, 1993	1989-2001	231	97	Raised and recruited from Hobart
Colin Alexander	Clarence	1990, 1991	1989-1993	29	30	Recruited from Hobart
Alastair Lynch	Wynyard, Hobart	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1988-2004	306	633	Born and raised in Burnie, recruited from Hobart
Graham Wright	East Devonport	1990, 1993	1988-1998	201	107	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Trent Nichols	Sandy Bay	1990, 1991, 1993	1988-1998	112	107	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Bradley Plain	Clarence	1988, 1993	1988-1996	56	96	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
John Klug	Glenorchy		1991-1992	26	34	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Darren Davies	Launceston, North Hobart	1990	1988-1991	39	39	Raised in Launceston, recruited from Hobart
Shane Fell	Glenorchy	1990	1990	15	30	Lived in Hobart
Michael Parsons	Launceston	1988	1988-1990	25	14	Raised in Legana and Launceston
Justin Stubbs	Devonport	1980, 1988	1988-1990	3	5	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Steven Febey	Devonport	1993	1987-2001	258	40	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Matthew Febey	Devonport, Rochester	1993	1987-2000	143	44	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Darrin Pritchard	Sandy Bay	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1987-1997	211	94	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Simon Atkins	Wynyard	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1987-1996	168	89	Raised in and recruited from Wynyard
Matthew Armstrong	Hobart	1988, 1993	1987-1994	175	89	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Brett Stephens	North Hobart	1990	1987-1993	133	52	Lived in Hobart
Simon Minton-Connell	North Hobart	1988, 1991	1986-1998	112	305	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
John McCarthy	North Hobart	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1986-1996	163	178	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Ben Buckley	Smithton	1993	1986-1993	74	15	Raised in and recruited from Smithton
James Manson	North Hobart	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1985-1995	167	126	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Michael Gale	Marist Regional College, Penguin	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1985-1993	196	49	Raised in and recruited from Penguin
David Grant	South Launceston	1988, 1991	1984-1996	198	75	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Doug Barwick	East Launceston	1988, 1990, 1991, 1993	1984-1991	147	218	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Rod MacPherson	Clarence		1982-1986	50	27	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Stephen MacPherson	Clarence	1990, 1991, 1993	1982-1995	188	152	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Bruce Abernethy			1982-1992	112	39	Born in Ouse
Stephen Nichols	Sandy Bay	1988	1982-1983	7	6	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Scott Clayton	Hobart	1988, 1990	1981-1990	160	23	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Scott Wade	Hobart	1980	1981-1983	12	4	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Robert Dutton	Launceston		1981-1982	2	0	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Steve Goulding	North Launceston	1979, 1988	1981	2	2	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Colin Robertson	Wynyard	1979, 1980, 1988	1980-1986	116	62	Raised in and recruited from Wynyard
Stephen Carey	North Launceston	1979, 1980	1980-1986	112	6	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Shane Williams	North Hobart	1979, 1988	1979-1988	61	30	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Stephen Mount	Sandy Bay	1979	1979-1982	31	9	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Tony Martyn	Sandy Bay	1979	1979-1981	32	5	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Graham Hunnibell	North Launceston	1979	1978-1980	12	2	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Michael Roach	Longford	1979, 1980, 1988	1977-1989	200	607	Born, raised in and recruited from Longford
Chris Stone	-		1978-1981	23	12	Raised in Sandy Bay, Hobart
Michael Conlan	-		1977-1989	210	395	Born
Kerry Good	Ulverstone	1979, 1980	1977-1983	74	150	Raised in and recruited from Ulverstone
Michael Young	Clarence	1979	1977-1983	52	15	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Mark Williams	Penguin	1980	1977-1979	9	1	Raised in and recruited from Penguin
Rodney Eade	Glenorchy	1979, 1980, 1988	1976-1990	259	49	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Ian Paton	Scotch College, Launceston	1988	1976-1990	155	47	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Peter Hamilton	Ulverstone	1979, 1980	1976-1983	52	1	Raised in and recruited from Ulverstone
Denis Scanlon	North Hobart	1975, 1980	1976-1981	66	7	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Ian Marsh	North Launceston	1979, 1980	1976-1980	68	16	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Tony Pickett	North Launceston	1979	1976-1979	60	32	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Robert Neal	Wynyard	1979, 1988	1974-1988	220	52	Raised in and recruited from Wynyard
Greg Towns	Cooee	1979	1974-1982	89	30	Raised in and recruited from Cooee
Robert Shaw	Sandy Bay	1979, 1980	1974-1981	51	8	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Craig Davis	Launceston	1979, 1980	1973-1988	163	360	Born and raised in Ross, Tasmania, recruited from Launceston
Phil Manassa	Devonport	1980	1973-1979	122	60	Lived in Devonport
Noel Carter	Ulverstone	1979, 1980	1973-1977	50	55	Raised in and recruited from Ulverstone
John Anthony	East Devonport		1972	3	-	Recruited
Grant Allford	Latrobe		1971-1973	30	1	Recruited
Darryl Sutton	Glenorchy	1979	1970-1986	249	385	Born, raised and recruited from Hobart
Barry Lawrence	Longford		1969–1976	126	80	Raised and recruited from Longford
Ray Biffin	North Launceston		1968–1979	170	131	Born and raised in Launceston and recruited from Campbell Town
Brent Crosswell	Campbell Town		1968–1982	222	257	Born and raised in Launceston and recruited from Campbell Town
John Greening	Cooee		1968–1976	107	70	Born, raised and recruited from Burnie
Derek Peardon	King Meadows High School		1968–1971	20	1	Born on Cape Barren Island, raised and recruited from Launceston. (Palawa)
Peter Hudson	New Norfolk District	19 caps (1979)	1967–1977	129	727	Born, raised and recruited from New Norfolk
Royce Hart	Clarence		1967–1977	187	369	Born and raised Whiteford and recruited from Hobart
Peter Jones	North Hobart	1979	1966-1979	249	284	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
John Bingley	East Devonport		1965-1966	8	1	Raised in and recruited from Devonport
Bruce Armstrong	Scottsdale		1965-1966	7	0	Raised in and recruited from Scottsdale
Gary Arnold	Rosebery		1963-1964	13	7	Raised in and recruited from Rosebery
Ian Stewart	North Hobart, Hobart		1962–1971	205	80	Born in Queenstown, raised and recruited from Hobart
Darrel Baldock	East Devonport, Latrobe	15 caps	1962–1968	119	237	Born, raised and recruited from Devonport
Tassie Johnson	North Launceston		1959–1969	202	20	Raised and recruited from Launceston
Roy Apted	North Launceston	1958, 1966	1959–1963	44	1	Born, raised and recruited from Launceston
Maurie Sankeyl	Latrobe		1959–1965	100	61	Born in Tasmania, raised in Latrobe
John Heathcote	Ulverstone		1958–1962	69	70	Raised in Ulverstone
Berkley Coxl	City-South		1958–1965	102	45	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Verdun Howell	City-South		1958–1968	159	59	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Athol Webb	Scottsdale		1955–1959	74	146	Raised in and recruited from Scottsdale
Dale Anderson	Latrobe		1953-1954	7	15	Born
John Chick	New Town		1952-1960	119	29	Born in Tasmania, raised in Hobart
Allan Miller	-		1948–1951	36	48	Born in Hobart
Arthur Hodgson	Queenstown		1948–1952	76	7	Raised in and recruited from Queenstown
Ray Stokes	Burnie		1946-1951	93	23	Born in Longford, raised in and recruited from Burnie
Ted Collis	North Hobart		1946	9	12	Born and raised in Hobart
Geoff Barwick	New Norfolk District		1945	19	14	Born and raised in Hobart
Tom Calder	North Hobart		1945	5	0	Raised in Hobart
Terry Cashion	Buckingham, New Town		1942	5	5	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Lance Collins	-	1947 c	1942-1945	33	78	Lived in Hobart for a time
Gordon Abbott	Lefroy		1937-1947	133	70	Born, raised, recruited
Bill Cahill	Launceston		1937-1938	15	0	Bornin Hobart. Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Len Pye	North Hobart	1933	1934-1935	16	39	Born and raised in New Norfolk and recruited from Hobart
Laurie Nash	City		1933-1945	99	246	Lived in and recruited from Launceston
Eric Huxtable	New Town		1930-1942	157	5	Born and raised in Hobart
Patt Hartnett	North Launceston		1930-1937	66	58	Born and raised in St Helens and recruited from Launceston
Clyde Beattie	North Hobart		1930	5	2	Born in Oatlands, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Alan Scott	North Launceston		1929-1930	32	26	Born in Ringarooma, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Doug Ringrose	-		1928-1929	35	30	Born and raised in Hobart
Charlie Barnes	Latrobe		1927-1929	33	0	Raised in Latrobe
Jack Cashman	-		1926-1936	93	125	Born in Zeehan
Col Deane	New Town	1924	1925-1934	85	53	Born and raised in Launceston and Hobart
Fred Pringle	Cananore		1923-1924	22	7	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Fred Brown	-		1922-1926	41	7	Born and raised in Hobart
Ivor Warne-Smith	Latrobe		1919-1932	146	110	Lived in Latrobe
Bert Davie	Latrobe		1917-1919	27	1	Born and raised in Hobart
Claude Bryan	Cananore	1911	1914-1920	22	1	Born, raised in and recruited from Hobart
Percy Jory	North Hobart	1911	1912-1920	60	15	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
George Challis	Launceston	1911	1912-1915	70	16	Born in Cleveland, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Stanley McKenzie	Launceston	1911	1914	14	6	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Ted McDonald	Launceston		1912-1919	48	2	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Viv Valentine	Launceston	1908	1911-1918	116	91	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Jim Tumilty			1910	2	1	Born in Launceston
Fred Anderson			1908	1	-	Born and raised in Launceston
Bert Atkins	-		1907-1919	39	1	Born in Hobart
George Morrissey	North Hobart	1911	1907-1909	93	64	Lived in Hobart
Albert Pannam	Wynyard	1908	1907-1909	1	-	Born in Beaconsfield, raised in and recruited from Wynyard
Vic Belcher	-		1907-1920	226	62	Born in Launceston
Jack Dawson	-		1907	13	0	Born in Hobart
Wal Smallhorn	-		1905-1906	4	0	Born in Hobart
Allan Belcher	-		1904-1919	180	41	Born in New Norfolk
Ernie Ashton	-		1904	1	0	Born in Campbell Town
Vic Barwick	Queenstown		1903-1913	105	66	Born in Oatlands, raised in and recruited from Queenswtown
Joe Littler	Launceston	1908	1903	10	9	Born, raised in and recruited from Launceston
Harvey Kelly	-	1911	1902-1914	92	127	Lived in Hobart
Jack Gardiner	-	1908, 1911 (c)	1901-1908	86	59	Lived in Hobart
George McLeod	Launceston	1908	1897-1913	68	6	Lived in Mount Lyell
Dick Gibson	-	1908	1897-1898	29	9	Lived there
Horrie Stewart	Launceston		1898	1	-	Born in Westbury
George Vautin	City		1897-1898	26	1	Born in Orielton, raised in Hobart
Tod Collins	-		1897-1903	98	27	Born in Hobart
Fred McGinis	-		1897-1901	84	36	Born in Hobart
Bill Casey	Southern Tasmania		1897-1900	61	2	Born in Richmond
George Moysey	-		1897-1899	35	25	Born in Hobart (Battery Point)
Colin Campbell	North-Eastern Tasmania		1897-1899	12	4	Born in Cressy
George Williamson	Tasmania	1887	1897-1898	12	0	Born and raised in Launceston
Lew Massey	-		1897	8	1	Born in Woodbridge

Women's

Current Players

• 
  Daria Bannister is from Launceston
• 
  Nicole Bresnehan is from Hobart
• 
  Emma Humphries is from Burnie
• 
  Ellie Gavalas is from Hobart
• 
  Brittany Gibson is from Burnie
• 
  Mia King is from Launceston
• 
  Ellyse Gamble is from Burnie

AFLW players from Tasmania

Currently on an AFLW senior list

Player	TAS junior/senior club/s	Representative honours	AFLW Draft	Selection	AFLW Years	AFLW Games	AFLW (Goals)	Connections to Tasmania, Notes & References
Mackenzie Ford	Kingborough Tigers Junior, Kermandie, North Hobart, Cygnet, Southern Storm, Tasmania Devils (U18)		2023	#43	2024-	1	0	Raised in Dover [59] [60]
Tunisha Kikoak	North Launceston, Tasmania Devils (U18)				2024-	2	0	Raised in Launceston [61]
Georgia Clark	Tasmania Devils (U18)		2023	#8	2024-	4	1	Raised in Hobart
Brooke Barwick	Glenorchy, Claremont, Tasmania Devils (U18)		2023	#4	2024-	2	0	Raised in Hobart
Elise Barwick	North Hobart				2023-	5	-	Raised in Hobart
Meagan Kiely	Launceston, Burnie Dockers		2021	#48	2022-2023	19	4	Born in Tasmania, raised in Burnie and Launceston
Ella Maurer	North Launceston, Old Scotch Collegians, Tasmania Devils (U18)				2022-	5	-	Raised in Launceston
Meghan Gaffney	Ulverstone, Tasmania Devils (U18)		2022	#66	2022-	8	0	Raised in Ulverstone
Lily Johnson	Latrobe, Devonport				2022-	5	2	Raised in Latrobe
Madison Brazendale	Launceston, Tasmania Devils (U18)				2022-	13	1	Raised in Launceston
Brooke Brown	Ulverstone, Launceston				2022-	32	1	Raised in Ulverstone and Launceston
Claire Ransom	North Hobart	U18			2022-	2	0	Raised in Hobart
Ellie Gavalas	-		2019	#10	2020-	41	13	Raised in Tasmania
Mia King	Launceston		2019	#49	2020-	49	5	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Chloe Haines	Burnie Dockers	U18 (2018)	2018	#55	2019-2020	1	0	Raised in Wynyard, Tasmania and recruited from Burnie
Nicole Bresnehan	Clarence		2018	#63	2019-	49	0	Raised in and recruited from Hobart
Daria Bannister	Launceston		2017	#19	2018-	40	25	Raised in and recruited from Launceston
Jess Wuetschner	Clarence		2016	#34	2017-	55	42	Born and raised in Hobart
Brittany Gibson	Burnie Dockers		2016	#141	2017-2022	30	8	Born in Tasmania and raised in and recruited from Burnie
Ellyse Gamble	Burnie Dockers		2016	#69	2017-	41	1	Raised in and recruited from Burnie
Emma Humphries	Burnie Dockers		2016	#57	2017-	26	3	Raised in and recruited from Burnie

References

1. Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "AusPlay results". Sport Australia. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
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. "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.
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• AFL Tasmania
• Australian Football League

Sources

• Hibbins, Gillian (2008). "Men of Purpose". In Weston, James (ed.). The Australian Game of Football: Since 1858. Geoff Slattery Publishing. pp. 31–45. ISBN   978-0-9803466-6-4.
• Hibbins, Gillian; Ruddell, Trevor (2010). "The Evolution of the Rules of Football From 1872 to 1877" (PDF). The Yorker (41). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2018.

External links

• AFL Tasmania official website
• Southern Football (Archive, 9 Mar 2013)
• Tasmanian Branch of Masters (Archive, 15 Feb 2009)
• Tasmanian Umpires (Archive, 28 May 2012)