Goal posts in every Tasmanian school, 70 venue upgrades and footy in every home. These are some of the key targets of AFL Tasmania’s vision to bolster grassroots football and double participation by 2028.
Following the historic announcement last week of AFL/W club Tasmania Devils’ team name, colours, logo and jumper, AFL Tasmania has released its ‘28 by 28’ plan, which aims to take a quantum leap in participation, reaching 28,000 registered participants by the time the Devils are competing in the AFL and AFLW competitions.
The aim to reach 28,000 registered participants includes doubling NAB AFL Auskick participation in the same period, with a target to increase the game’s entry-level program from 2,500 to 5,000.
The launch of the Tasmania Devils Football Club has generated unprecedented excitement in Australian rules football across Tasmania, highlighted by more than 150,000 foundation members signing up to be part of the AFL’s 19th club.
Never before has the game in Tasmania been able to promote and leverage a club, brand and team name at the elite level that belongs to the state, but now it can and is.
This is a generational and transformational moment for Tasmanian football to unite and grow at all levels. AFL Tasmania is determined to seize the moment to ensure local and community football grows and thrives well into the future.
AFL Tasmania’s vision for community football will be underpinned by the AFL’s commitment to enshrining an increased minimum level of annual funding of 10 per cent for community football, announced in 2022.
As part of the AFL’s commitment to investing around $360 million in the state from now through to the first decade in the life of the new Tasmanian club, a significant portion of this funding will be going towards game development and end-to-end talent pathway programs for Tasmanian boys and girls, the equal to any in the country, including:
- $93 million in game development – supporting and growing local footy
- $33 million to develop young male and female talent in Tasmania
With this financial commitment, representing the game in all parts of the state – the North, South and North West – AFL Tasmania’s ‘28 by 28’ vision sets out to achieve the following:
- Double participation by 2028 to 28,000 registered participants from NAB AFL Auskick through to senior local club football, including different formats
- Enhance capacity and access of facilities through the upgrade and development of 70 new ovals across the state that increase gender-friendly facilities, as well as the establishment of the Tasmanian Community Football Facilities Fund
- A touch point with every school across the state – including programs and competitions in up to 80 per cent of schools
- Every child has a connection with the game and footy is in every Tasmanian home
- Major investment in participation programs, community coaches, volunteers and umpiring, which is critical to driving the next wave of talented players and administrators
- New regional academies in the South (Hobart), North (Launceston) and North West (Penguin) for both boys and girls (from under 12 and above) to turbocharge the development of Tassie talent
- Establish a transformational Umpiring Strategy – encompassing recruitment and pathways – and boost umpire numbers by 50 per cent by 2028
- Ensure Tasmanians have more ways to participate, including through the development of AFL Superkick and Nines competitions across the state
- A focus on creating more junior clubs, teams and pathways in North West Tasmania
- A complete women and girls’ pathway across all regions, with a target of equal gender participation across all levels of the game by the end of the decade, as set out in the AFL’s Women’s Football Vision
- The establishment of three strong and united football regions with premier competitions for men and women in each – the North, North West and South – underpinning talent pathways as well as Tasmania’s future VFL/VFLW and AFL/AFLW teams
- Tasmania’s junior coaches are the best supported in the country. A hands-on coach development program is underway to ensure Tasmania’s coaching community becomes even more valued, robust and skilled.
The ‘28 by 28’ vision will focus on broadening the base – growing junior participation and empowering all boys and girls who can now aspire to represent their home state’s own AFL/W club at the elite level.
Head of AFL Tasmania, Damian Gill, said: “With Tasmania now having an AFL club to call its own, the Devils, and young Tasmanians being able to aspire to represent a team in their home state, this is an historic opportunity to set up the game for long-term success at all levels.
“Australian rules football has a long, rich history in Tasmania. Football is Tasmania’s game and Tasmanians finally have what they’ve long deserved, their own team in the national competition. Never has there been such an exciting and important time for the game in our state and we are committed to grasping this opportunity.
“Whether you’re a player, coach, umpire, volunteer, administrator or supporter, now is the best time in our history to be involved in the game, and we want every Tasmanian who wants to, to share in the game’s possibilities.”
28 by 28 key principles:
Footy in every Tasmanian home
- A quantum leap in participation. 28,000 participants by the first bounce of the new Tasmanian club in 2028 (up from 14.5K community and 2.5K Auskick in 2023)
- Growth in women and girls participation, with as many girls/women playing the game as boys/men by 2030
- 50 per cent increase in community umpiring numbers
- Every Tasmanian school with a football touchpoint – including a program or competition
- Tasmania’s junior coaches the best supported in the country, with hands on coach development Centre
Three strong regions
- Clear, complete and compelling player pathways in all regions from Auskick to Masters
- Strong and competitive Regional and Divisional community competitions with aligned and streamlined governance structures
- Creation of a community representative football model that harnesses regional rivalry
- Access to and upgrade of 70 ovals/venues to enable flexibility and growth
- Goalposts in every Tasmanian school
Best practice pathways
- Regional Talent Academies in the North, North West and South
- VFL and VFLW established to increase retention of senior talent in Tasmania
- A Tasmanian first bounce in 2028 –a goal of a Tasmanian umpiring presence for our first game in the AFL and AFLW through high quality umpire coaching and pathways
- Talent programs integrated into best available infrastructure, including Tasmania Devils Training and Administration Centre
