AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Tuesday that the "ideal" model for AFL football in Tasmania was for one team to play in both Launceston and Hobart.
McLachlan's comments suggest the existing model in Tasmania, where Hawthorn plays four games a season at Launceston's Aurora Stadium and North plays two games a season at Hobart's Blundstone Arena, is on borrowed time.
Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox and his North counterpart Carl Dilena both told SEN radio on Wednesday, in separate interviews, that they would not consider playing up to eight games a year in Tasmania.
Asked if he would consider relocating Hawthorn to Tasmania in the near future, Fox said: "No, not at all. We'd love to keep playing our four games (a year) down there."
Dilena was even blunteer when asked if North would consider playing eight games a year in Tasmania.
"No, no, that's certainly not viable from my perspective," Dilena said.
The Hawks have played 'home' games at Aurora Stadium since 2001 and remain contracted to play four games a year there until the end of 2016.
Fox said he sensed the AFL would withdraw its support for Hawthorn playing in Launceston once that deal expired.
"The AFL always have been supportive but I don't feel like in the future they're going to be, particularly with Hawthorn," Fox said.
"I think it more centres around the equalisation debate and probably trying to get some help to smaller, struggling clubs to possibly play eight games down there."
North is in the final year of a three-year deal to play two games a season at Blundstone Arena, but Dilena told AFL.com.au last week the Roos expected to start talks on extending their stay in Hobart within the next two months.
Dilena confirmed North would be seeking to increase its yearly commitment at Blundstone Arena to three games when it negotiates a new deal.
It is understood North would like that deal to be a long-term one, but that the AFL will push for a two-year deal that will expire at the same time as the Hawks'.
Both Fox and Dilena spoke out strongly in support of the existing two-team model in Tasmania and admitted they had been surprised by McLachlan's push to change the status quo.
Both CEOs also foresaw a significant hurdle for any club considering relocating eight 'home' games a year to Tasmania, saying their members or board would likely block such a move.
"Any Melbourne-based club who would think of an eight-game model (in Tasmania) would have some serious challenges with its membership base," Dilena said.
"We're constitutionally bound to look after the best interests of our members, all of our members, and if 90 per cent of your members are in Victoria you have to put them first."
McLachlan outlined his vision for Tasmanian football in Hobart on Tuesday as the AFL officially took over the management of the state's governing football body, AFL Tasmania.
McLachlan's desire for one team in Tasmania echoes comments made by AFL Tasmania CEO Scott Wade last June.
Wade told AFL.com.au at that time the ideal AFL model for Tasmania would see one club playing eight matches a year, splitting those games evenly between Launceston and Hobart.
Wade also said that if Hawthorn and North were not prepared to make that commitment "a number of AFL clubs" could be attracted to play in Tasmania.
Then AFL Tasmania director James Henderson last June nominated the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and St Kilda as being among those clubs.
Twitter: @AFL_Nick
