Bid leader and Tasmanian Minister for Economic Development Paula Wriedt admitted the AFL had made up its mind on the entry of the Gold Coast and Western Sydney into the competition as the 17th and 18th teams.
“What we are saying to the [AFL] Commission is: ‘this isn’t about knocking off Western Sydney or the Gold Coast’," Wriedt said.
“This is us saying: ‘whatever happens in the future, we are here and if the business case stacks up … we are ready’.”
The government will continue with its proposal to be presented to the AFL in October, and is now looking to convince the AFL Commission in declaring the state ready for a new or relocated team.
The Minister suggested that if the proposal demonstrated a Tasmanian team was workable, the AFL should put up financial incentives for a Melbourne team to relocate there.
“Given how deep the AFL is prepared to dig into their pockets for these other two bids … I would’ve thought that if they do believe we have a case, they would enter into discussions about how they can assist financially,” she said.
Wriedt claimed the recent loss of sponsors by clubs such as the Western Bulldogs, Richmond and St Kilda, opened the door for a Melbourne club relocating south or at the least entering into an arrangement similar to the Hawthorn partnership.
“If you look at developments just within the past week of teams losing major sponsors, it really says that it is becoming very difficult in Victoria to sustain a club,” said the Minister.
