The Tasmania Devils are alive, with the AFL officially unveiling the full name, logo and colours of the league’s 19th men’s and women’s club on Monday night.
Amid a launch held at six Tasmanian sites and streamed live to pubs and clubs across the state, the Devils’ first chairman, Grant O’Brien, joined Richmond legend Matthew Richardson in Devonport to confirm the club will wear a traditional myrtle-green jumper, also featuring primrose yellow and rose red. The front of the foundation jumper will have a yellow map of the state emblazoned.
Unveiled: The name, guernsey and colours of the new Tasmanian AFL club have been released.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s a massive moment in our rich state history,” Richardson, who played his junior football with East Devonport, said.
“If you had of asked me years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s richly deserved that we finally get our team.”
A theme song has yet to be finalised, so, too, a club chief executive, although that is likely to be Richmond’s current chief Brendon Gale, according to Caroline Wilson’s report on Footy Classified last week. Gale is a Tasmanian native.
O’Brien, speaking to the Devils’ faithful, said the work was only now beginning.
The club’s logo features a Tasmania devil. Credit: Getty Images
“On behalf of the entire board, I want to express my appreciation to all of those who have helped us get to this point. That’s not just been in the last few months, but that’s been for the last few decades as we have fought for what we believe is right for Tasmania, and that’s to have our own team in the AFL,” O’Brien said.
“Tonight wouldn’t have been possible without some of that good ol’ Tasmanian grit and determination, that you have all shown. But now it’s time for the Devil army to fight even harder. If we are going to deliver the club in 2028, that all Tasmanians are going to be proud of, we have some work to do.”
The Devils expect supporters to start signing up as foundation members, with more than 40,000 fans this year expected to pay the $10 membership fee.
To use the moniker of Tasmania’s native animal, the AFL had to negotiate with American corporate juggernaut Warner Bros, which has a market capitalisation of almost $24 billion, for “Tasmanian Devil” was trademarked by the company in 1984, and is a famous cartoon character in the company’s Looney Tunes series.
Tasmania’s under-18 men’s and women’s teams already play as the Tasmanian Devils, while a former VFL club was also the Tasmanian Devils.
The AFL hopes the major launch unites the state, ahead of Saturday’s state election which has the proposed new $715 million stadium at Macquarie Point as a key debate.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has repeatedly reiterated over the past month that the AFL believes the 23,000-seat roofed stadium is a non-negotiable element of the new club, which will enter the competition in 2028.
In their first season, the Devils will play their home games at the existing Bellerive Oval in Hobart and York Park in Launceston. For each season after that, the Tasmanian government must pay the club $4.5 million if the stadium isn’t ready.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff and his state Liberal Party insist the new stadium will go ahead, although the government will tip in no more than $375 million. The federal government will contribute $240 million, although that includes a broader urban renewal project, the AFL $15 million with further funding from private investment.
The Macquarie Point Development Corporation is appointing a quantity surveyor, which could mean the cost estimate change by the end of this year.
Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White is keen for the team to move ahead but says it needs to be successful before the new stadium is built.
“You prove up the team. You prove it works. You demonstrate you’ve got the crowd numbers,” White said last week.
“If we need to invest in infrastructure to support the capacity that we’re seeing turning out every day, then maybe we make a decision collectively that we do it then. If the team is as successful as everyone expects us to be then let’s, as a community, agree that we should build infrastructure to support it.”
The club, handed the league’s 19th licence last year, will also be on the hunt for a coach. Dillon believes “someone who has done it before” would be the best option.
The AFL will also need to decide what concessions it gives to the club to help it build a strong playing list, with Dillon keen for the club to be an immediate success.
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