TSL scrapping puts Launceston teams in ‘precarious position’: Blues football boss

Stephens said the Blues will liaise with North Launceston to try and ensure “their voices are heard” after Bombers president Thane Brady lashed AFL Tasmania’s announcement last week that TSL club’s licenses won’t be extended once they expire at the end of 2024.

A Tasmania team is set to enter the VFL in 2025, with the AFL franchise locked in to begin in 2028.

Last week Brady said “there would be no local (Launceston) winners” by forcing the two strongest TSL clubs in recent years back to regional footy.

The two Launceston clubs have won seven of the past eight TSL flags between them.

“If it (TSL) does end that would be disappointing, because it puts North and ‘Launnie’ in a precarious situation,” Stephens said.

“The southern clubs not as much, there seems to be a lot more surety around footy in the south, if there’s a VFL team and they’ve got the SFL underneath it.

“As a footy club we are strong believers that the AFL decision is fantastic, the VFL for our elite second tier players is also a fantastic opportunity, but we’d like to see something underpin the VFL.

“The step from NTFA, SFL and Old Scholars to the TSL is huge. The step from TSL to the VFL is virtually the same.

“To be pulling players from a regional competition (to play VFL), I’m not sure it’s the right answer. I’d like the TSL or a state elite competition to underpin that VFL team.”

They’re arch rivals on the field, but Stephens said they’d join forces with the Bombers to help resolve the issue and get the best possible outcome for football in the north.

“We’ll sit down this week now those decisions have been thrust upon us and map out what we think the best direction is.

“We’ll work closely with North Launceston because they’re in the same position as us and I have no doubt are of the same opinion as us.

“We’ll work together and see if our voice can be heard, and see what we can plan for the future of footy in Tassie. We think it’s got its place and it’s really important for the kids to aspire to play at that level.

“Is the license going to go through until 2024, or is it going to end this year? That’s still got to be answered because I still think there’s some questions to be asked there.”

North Launceston coach Brad Cox-Goodyer said last week the VFL side should be set up so the squad converges to train once a week, but players are able to remain in their regions and avoid uprooting themselves to move to Hobart.

“I concur with what Brad said. I was part of the Devils concept 20 years ago, and in the initial stages when it was introduced we trained in our regions,” Stephens said.

“But as we got competitive, for the team to grow and go forward we had to train together. As a coach you 100 per cent respect that, that’s what you have to do.

“To ask kids at that level to up and move from the coast or Launceston to Hobart, with no surety over accommodation and employment, it’s not achievable.

“If they are going to do that, it has to be funded properly so the kids can do it, and if not they have to respect they train in their regions like the under 18s do.”

Originally published as TSL scrapping puts Launceston teams in ‘precarious position’: Blues football boss