The AFL chief executive did not nominate a specific number of clubs that needed to back the Tasmanian team - which would be decided in August - but he made plain that this required a comfortable majority of the 18 clubs,saying it needed “the support of our clubs” to happen,rather a strict reading of the league’s rules.
In what shapes as a defining AFL issue of 2022,McLachlan suggested that while the decision on a Tasmanian team technically belonged with the AFL Commission - and could only be overturned by two-thirds of the clubs (13 of 18) - that the AFL would follow a practical path and needed “broad alignment” of the clubs on the Tasmanian decision.
Will Tasmania get an AFL team?Supplied
AFL industry sources confirmed that the league wanted a clear majority of clubs before granting a Tasmanian team the 19th licence.
McLachlan said,under AFL rules,the AFL Commission made the decision on a new team,with the clubs able to overturn only if two-thirds (13) vetoed it.
“That’s the technical environment. We won’t be going into Tasmania and doing that,without the support of our clubs,” McLachlan said.
“So you can have technicality - how the rules operate - and then it will work,how it will work in practicality,which is why we will be in constant contact with our clubs and our presidents ... whatever happens,it will be done with the support of our clubs,whichever way it goes.
“It needs to be an industry decision and that’s 18 presidents with a broad alignment.“
He confirmed that the new team would require significant Tasmanian government financial backing to be admitted. Tasmania’s bid intensified after the state government.
In an expansive interview leading in to the 2022 season,McLachlan said:
He also said St Kilda had their financial act together,having been challenged by him four years ago - the Saints had received $17 million more than any other traditional club over the past decade.
“I think accountability for the subsided clubs is one of the key issues for us and for the subsidising clubs.
“I called it out four years ago,I thought St Kilda needed to be better and I think they are now and that’s a credit to their administration.”
He also said he would talk with Collingwood president Jeff Browne about the funding issue,Browne having savaged the AFL for its funding model that saw the Magpies receive $100 million less than the expansion teams and $50-plus million less than the Saints.
“I’m aware of his views. Jeff and I will be catching up soon.”
He could not say when the AFLW players could “make a full-time living” from the game. “The vision is for a 17-game season,when we get there we don’t know.”
McLachlan confirmed there was “momentum” an,but this was not decided.
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