Tasmania will have an AFL team after the presidents of the 18 existing clubs unanimously agreed to grant the state the league’s 19th licence.
In the wake of Saturday’s announcement of federal government funding for a new waterfront stadium in Hobart, existing club presidents met on Tuesday and unanimously ticked off Tasmania’s entry into the league.
The decision will next need to be ratified by the AFL commission, which is expected to come later on Tuesday and is a formality.
Chief executive Gillon McLachlan is tipped to be in Tasmania on Wednesday to confirm the state – until now frozen out of the national competition – has finally been granted a licence.
Tasmania will be the first expansion team since Greater Western Sydney were awarded a licence in 2010 and entered the AFL in 2012.
With the new Hobart stadium to be the expansion club’s home, attention would next turn to the logistics around the team entering the league, along with its proposed name and colours.
AFL chief executive-elect Andrew Dillon had said on Monday all the “building blocks” were in place for a Tasmanian expansion club.
“It’s a really exciting time and there’s some key decisions probably to be had in the next potentially day or coming days and coming weeks about Tasmania,” Dillon said.
“But all the building blocks are in place and we’re really looking forward. It’s exciting.”
Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff had declared his expectation that the AFL will confirm the state’s entry into the competition imminently.
– AAP
