Revealed: How fans feel about the health of Tasmanian footy
Tasmanian community footy has consistently been a large source of debate. Now our survey can reveal where fans feel the game is performing well and where it needs improvement.
Players are more likely to stay in the state now Tasmania is in the VFL/W, and culture/social factors are more important than on-field success or money in the results of our Tasmanian football ‘have your say’ survey, which has now closed.
Participants are confident the Devils’ entry into the country’s second tier will help stop the exodus of players to the mainland, particularly in the state’s north as it negotiates a tricky transition from the State League.
Below are the results and some of the best responses from our readers.
As an aspiring player, are you more likely to remain in the state now Tasmania has VFL/VFLW teams?
Yes: 63%
No: 37%
Analysis: There’s no doubt this has been sorely needed for a very long time. The Devils have already picked up the likes of Bailey Boag, Michael Stingel and former AFLW player Sarah Skinner, all of whom have outgrown local football and need to challenge themselves at a semi professional level. Now they can do it from home, and other Tasmanians currently on the mainland are also returning home to take advantage of the program.
In hindsight, should Tasmania have waited an extra year to disband the TSL until the VFL begins?
Yes: 49.33%
No: 50.67%
Analysis: Readers are virtually split down the middle on whether the trigger was pulled on the TSL 12 months too early.
The NTFA could perhaps have benefited from a one year stay of execution so the ‘carrot’ of the VFL was around when the change was made, but everything is easier in hindsight. The Hobart-based former TSL sides have embraced the change more given, quite simply, there’s more of them to keep playing against each other, and there’s less travel.
Is the Devils’ ‘golden ticket’ idea to give Tasmanians an AFL rookie list spot an incentive to stay?
Yes: 69.33%
No: 30.67%
Analysis: It’s difficult to argue against this being a good idea. It means if players brain it in the VFL or VFLW with the Devils, they can put themselves in poll position to get into the AFL system from 2028. Significant motivation to make an impression.
Would you leave your current club to join a Premier League team in order to play rep football?
Yes: 49.33%
No: 50.67%
Analysis: It’s been stipulated players must be in their respective region’s Premier League to be eligible for representative football.
While that’s caused some issues, in particular lower division women’s teams who have been together a long time, there needs to be an incentive to make the top tier more desirable for players.
However there’ll still be plenty who understandably want to stay at their current club, or accept more money to be a ‘marquee player’ in a lower division, hence the split result.
Should there be bigger sanctions to deter umpire abuse from players/coaches/fans?
Yes: 73.85%
No: 26.15%
Analysis: This became such a factor this year, NTFA boss Peter Gutwein felt compelled to issue a public plea at a previously scheduled media opportunity for fans to improve behaviour towards umpires.
“There have been some issues over recent weeks where umpires have felt disrespected and unfortunately unsafe,” Gutwein said.
“The message from the NTFA to all of our clubs, to their playing and groups and supporters, is let’s make this a really good finals series.
“Let’s ensure we have respect and restraint in regards to our umpires. They are integral to our game, without them the game doesn’t go on.
“In recent weeks there have been some unfortunate issues raised, in terms of what’s been shouted from the stands.”
It’s difficult to police, and more an individual responsibility. The survey responses suggest improvement is still needed, as is the case nationally.
How would you rate fan/crowd behaviour at games?
Acceptable: 61.67%
Very good: 20%
Below average: 18.33%
Analysis: These numbers are far more positive, indicating issues like umpire abuse are only arising from a vocal minority.
Is the tribunal system sufficiently set up to act as a big enough deterrent for foul play?
Yes: 52.67%
No: 47.33%
How would you rate the quality of facilities at your club?
Acceptable: 48.33%
Very good: 28.33%
Below average: 23.33%
Analysis: Depending on what level they’ve been playing at, some club’s facilities are understandably better than others. In the NTFA there’s still a discrepancy between former State League club and some of the rest, but that gap should hopefully be closed over time.
How would you rate the quality of coaching at your club?
Acceptable: 48.33%
Very good: 38.33%
Below average: 13.33%
Analysis: These numbers are very encouraging, indicating close to seven of every eight respondents are content with the quality of coaching at their disposal.
What is your biggest factor when weighing up what club to join?
Culture/social: 55.83%
On-field success: 30.83%
Playing payments: 4.17%
Other: 9.17%
Analysis: These numbers are slightly surprising, but pleasing. Many clubs have expressed frustration at an inability at times to compete with big money offered to players by rival clubs. But the numbers suggest a positive and enjoyable environment refreshingly remains a strong factor for players.
EXTENDED ANSWERS
Are you a fan of promotion/relegation? Why/why not?
Analysis: Most people leant against this issue because they don’t see it as practicable, pointing out it shouldn’t be as simple as a team being promoted or relegated based on the feats of its senior men’s team.
This was pointed out by AFL Tasmania boss Damian Gill when talking to this masthead about the issues facing Tasmanian football late last month.
“With Premier Leagues it’s about your whole picture, not just the senior men’s team,” he said.
“What are we judging promotion/relegation off, is it senior men’s or women’s? “We’re on a real mission to elevate women’s footy, so it’s complicated. I’d be more focused on making sure we have strong junior clubs feeding strong senior clubs.”
Some top responses:
- “I agree with the concept however I feel it is difficult in practice, particularly with the Premier League set up the way it is. I like that there is one roster and the club plays the same club on the same day/weekend, from U/18s to senior level. This may prove to be challenging in a promotion/relegation system. I would not support one ‘team’ within a club being relegated or promoted, changing the fixtures. It would need to be a whole club promotion/relegation.”
- “No, because the structure of the premier leagues need to have under-18 boys and girls, all the way through to senior mens and women at a minimum. It should be an incentive for all teams at the club to develop, not just to focus on senior men and if they achieve success (or not) at the expense of the women.”
- “It’s the only sustainable model. Teams need to be competitive and play against similar teams. Poor teams become poorer if they are beaten time and time again.”
- “It is a challenge. While it does give clubs/teams something to aspire too, it can also cause players to travel longer distances away from their local clubs if they do not want to play at a lower level. Promotion and relegation does not suit the womens game, due to the wider array of circumstances that impact womens participation in sports.”
What are the main criteria teams should meet before they are given the green light to be promoted?
AFL Tasmania has made no secret a strong junior set up is the number one goal for clubs to be strong, and readers agreed. Good coaching and a solid business plan for financial health were other factors brought up regularly in answers.
Some top responses:
- “They should have confirmed and solid numbers for all five senior grades (Under 18s boys and girls through to senior men and women). They should have appropriate facilities to accommodate men and women’s games on the same day, and I believe regions need to be considered. It may prove to be detrimental to have three clubs within a 15km radius for example. The talent pool may not cope with that level of competition and density.”
- “Clubs should put an expression of interest to be promoted, and meet criteria on all teams from under 18s to senior men and women. They need to have a junior pathway program, and also be able to show they are financial and have stability at board level.”
- Good club facilities as some visitors rooms in the NTFA don’t even have working hot showers, and the size of the change rooms are way to small to do your pre game stretches.”
What is the biggest issue/s facing the development and retention of umpires?
Analysis: As discussed earlier, crowd abuse was highlighted by readers as a big reason, but also a need to get more past players involved in umpiring, something all associations have been keen to increase. Better training from governing bodies was also raised.
Some top responses:
- “D**khead spectators. My brother umpires and there’s been three instances where they’ve been threatened by spectators, one who came onto the ground at the end of the match to threaten to hit them and another instance where someone entered their changerooms to abuse them. The association took no action in any of the cases.”
- “Culture around how umpires are treated is a huge impact. Umpires are still treated and thought of as second rate, rather than trained athletes and officiators for the great game. Clubs also don’t provide them with the appropriate facilities to be at their best always, and this impacts on umpires wanting to officiate particular games etc. Additionally, past footballers are not turning to umpiring after their playing days like they used to. The expansion of masters footy may be an impact on this.”
- “Lack of respect. Need to have past players at all levels to umpire and promote umpiring.”
What are the biggest obstacles to address in regards to attracting volunteers?
The phasing out of older, long term volunteers and time poor young people being unable to step up was raised as a concern. Different teams from the same club playing at different venues on the same day was also heavily raised as something that could be reduced where possible.
Some top responses:
- “I think people feel they are so time poor that they only have so much spare time and they choose to not spend it in their communities giving back. Another challenge I can see is some of the older volunteers are less accommodating or welcoming to younger generational volunteers, and that drives people out.”
- “Time constraints of modern people. Needs to be a way in which volunteers are rewarded.”
- “With greater participation from Auskick and under-eights up, many parents volunteer early and are done by the time kids get to senior level. Current volunteers are getting older and hard to replace. Young people’s values are not in accordance with older volunteers.”
- “Making it seem like these positions are valued by the community and players. Personal opinion is volunteers are some times looked down on, and not rewarded for long hours.”
- “Lack of foresight when it comes to rostering in the league. If different levels/teams from the same club are playing across different locations in a day, it makes it harder to facilitate volunteering.”
What is the biggest issue/s facing the growth of the women’s game?
Analysis: Many believe there are too many women’s teams too soon as the biggest growth area in the game continues to progress. A small number of teams have been forced into recess this season, and some leagues have teams who have been together for some time, and subsequently far better than their rivals.
“A lot happened at the senior end before the pathway was built underneath, and we’re still racing to get the pathway built,” Gill told this masthead last month.
“What we’re seeing is as some of those players graduate out and end their football career, we haven’t quite got the pathway underneath at the level of maturity we need to fill all those teams.
“We’ve seen some changes when it comes to participating teams in women’s footy, that’s why we have to double down on our female junior pathways and make sure there’s a full complement all the way through.”
Some top responses:
- “Women teams are still relegated to undesirable training and game time slots. Their access to premium grounds, equipment and support staff is substantially less, if not non-existent. I think the culture shift needs to be made within the men’s ranks, they need to understand that senior football is senior football and there is a real need to share spaces, be flexible with time slots and acknowledge that clubs aren’t just for them.”
- “There are too many teams and not enough players just yet. Lack of junior pathways does not reward those clubs that have full pathways, so clubs without junior girls pathways swoop in to recruit players without developing them. There are also a lack of complete junior club pathways (in SFL for example the comp this year went from 10 under-16 girls teams in 2024 to only five under-18 girls teams in 2025). Players are then choosing not to play if their club does not have a pathway for them to continue in under-18s.”
- “Clubs that do not support or care for their womens program. Mens football is not the be all and end all. Womens footy should also not have to mirror the mens game in every way - the womens game is special and unique in a number of ways, and this should not be lost in trying to mirror the mens game.”
What is the biggest issue/s facing the growth of juniors?
Analysis: Time-poor parents and striking a balance between those with big aspirations and others who simply enjoy playing was another important focus raised.
The NTFA in particular has recently made a raft of alterations to their junior set up as they look to kickstart their numbers.
Some top responses:
- “I think parents feel they are so time poor and just don’t have capacity to take their children to training and games. Today, both parents are likely working full time jobs when 30 years ago, that wasn’t the case. Often parents aren’t actually home to take kids to sports after school and their weekends are so short that spending hours at sporting grounds seem undesirable.
- “Lack of quality coaching, lack of club pathways, focus on win at all costs mentality at some clubs.”
- “The structure of all junior comps to be fully aligned with the senior regional/premier mens/womens clubs.”
- “Kids that are not talented enough or do not aspire to play at a professional level often are left out of the game, or drop out. There should be a focus on retaining these players to keep social engagement in the sporting community.”
- “Ensuring every player has the opportunity to play competitive football at all levels. Not enough is done to make divisions across youth footy. When kids start getting belted by 100-plus points they tend not to enjoy it.”
Do you believe clubs are finding ways to circumvent the salary cap? How can it be policed?
Analysis: This little doubt it exists to a certain degree, but how to police it without any loopholes for clubs to exploit, especially at community level, is extremely difficult.
Some top responses:
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- “I think the policing of this is really difficult, particularly when you consider major sponsors or club people providing paid employment to a player at over award rates, or perks to compensate for footy salary. There really is no real way around that. I think the player points system is a way to address this - while not perfect, at least there is some penalty or pain associated with excessive recruitment.”
- “Happens at all levels. Start with the clubs that are financially under stress/technically insolvent, and then are still recruiting big name players, getting marquee players etc while they are essentially broke! Financial sustainability is not having a local benefactor putting big cash in. What happens when they stop?”
- “You would need to have things structured in such a way that the league would have strong investigative powers. They would need to fund the enforcement body properly to do the job.”
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