COLIN Carter, the author of the Carter Report into the viability of an AFL team in Tasmania, admits he would be disappointed if an existing team opted not to consider relocating to Tassie.<\/p>\n
The report, that was released on Friday, insisted that a 19th licence in the southern state would be viable, but that a relocated existing team would be the optimal route to take.<\/p>\n
Teams like North Melbourne, St Kilda and Gold Coast are always the first few mentioned in terms of relocations.<\/p>\n
The Kangaroos have stated ad nauseum that they will not be leaving Arden Street while AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has staunchly noted that the Suns will not be moving either.<\/p>\n
Carter explained why he feels the best option for Tassie is for an existing side to take the plunge.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is at the end of the day up to the club boards and their memberships to decide on that,\u201d Carter told SEN\u2019s Dwayne\u2019s World.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be disappointed if some [clubs didn\u2019t explore the idea]. I think the challenge that the clubs have, if you read the report, the chances of changing a club\u2019s position in the wealth order of the competition are pretty low.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you take a long-term view at this, [the clubs] should look at this. Look at Sydney for example. Would anyone seriously argue that staying in South Melbourne or starting in Sydney without South Melbourne would be a better option for both of them now?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think in hindsight we see that that relocation was good for both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the above, Carter confirmed that a 19th AFL team in Tasmania was financially viable and an option that should be on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started this report, a very common view was \u2018yeah Tasmania\u2019s special, it deserves to be participating in the AFL competition, but\u2026\u2019 and a lot of those sentences finished with \u2018but we\u2019re not sure whether the numbers stack up and whether the team is sustainable\u2019,\u201d Carter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main argument, most of my paper is spent on establishing that the team is financially doable for the AFL, a 19th licence does work and I think that\u2019s really important because that\u2019s the big threshold question that has never been addressed, but there are risks attached to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI then note, as I was expected to, that there are other options, which should be considered because they reduce the risks in relocation and possibly even a joint venture.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean to say they should be accepted, but they are ones reducing the risk, but the threshold question is \u2018yes Tasmania should be represented\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein was not happy with the AFL\u2019s response to the Carter Report.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat immediate response from them I don’t think is good enough,\u201d Gutwein said last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very disappointed with the AFL this morning. This is unacceptable, I\u2019ve been clear from the outset we need a timeline.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not finalise those contracts, we will not roll them over with Hawthorn and North Melbourne until we have a starting point from the AFL \u2026 in regards to a new Tasmanian AFL team.\u201d<\/p>\n
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