Riewoldt: Tassie deserves own AFL teamHerald-Sun
3 June 2016RICHMOND star Jack Riewoldt is confident his home state of Tasmania will get an AFL team of its own in his lifetime.
The two-time All-Australian forward was drafted from Tasmania by the Tigers in 2006, but on the eve of the state’s first ever Friday night AFL game when Richmond take on ladder leaders North Melbourne at his old stomping ground Blundstone Arena, Riewoldt said he believed future Tassie footy stars would one day have the chance to represent a team based out of the state.
“Yeah I think we will [see a Tasmanian AFL team in my lifetime],” Riewoldt said at a visit to his former school, Montagu Bay Primary.
“I think we will, obviously we have two at the moment in the forms of Hawthorn and North be that partial teams.
“I think the state deserves its own football club and a lot of people are wary that it will divide the state but I think it will unite the state.
“I remember the introduction of the [Tasmanian] Devils and how much it really symbolised Tasmanian football and north, south, east and west got around them and it was unfortunate to see them leave the VFL but I think the support is there for any side to come down here and make it their own so its exciting.”
Before Friday night’s blockbuster match North Melbourne will announce a new five-year deal to continue playing AFL games in Hobart — which could also hand the Roos the chance to establish an academy in the state.
Jack Riewoldt at his old stomping ground with Montagu Bay Primary School pupils Sophie and Maisy. Picture: Luke Bowden
Riewoldt said the increased resources would be massive for the development of Tasmania’s budding footballers.
“The more resources we can get down here from an AFL level and an AFL standpoint will certainly hold Tasmanian football academies in great stead,” he said.
“So the more professional we can make it and I think talent identification’s probably the big one and certainly if North do get the academy down here they will be looking at that so it’s exciting for Tasmanian football and junior football as a whole and hopefully we can keep seeing Tasmanians come over and make an impact in the big league.”
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