THE much-hyped launch of Tasmania’s AFL team received a luke-warm reception on King Island – and brickbats for leaving King and Flinders Islands off the new team logo.
On the traditionally footy-mad island only about 30 people, mostly juniors, turned up at the King island Club for the launch of the AFL’s 19th team. The Tasmania Devils launch revealed the devil emblem and the foundation jumper which features a yellow stylised map of Tasmania.
Mayor Marcus Blackie said it was disappointing not to see both King and Flinders Islands on the new Tasmania team jumper to accurately represent our whole state.
“That is the equivalent – as we have seen in the past – of promoting Australia abroad with a map of Australia that completely omits Tasmania.
“Our football history here on King Island and our current KIFA league remain legendary, so it is the new team’s loss.
“This has cemented my own intentions to follow Super Rugby Pacific more intently in the footy seasons ahead,” Mr Blackie said.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he was aware of King Island’s concerns and football affection. In a social media post he said: “When it comes time for our teams to run out a jumper including our King and Flinders Islands would be a great addition.
“It is something the Tasmanian Jackjumpers have done successfully,” he said.
Football was first played on King Island in August 1903. The intimate gathering for the AFL Tasmanian team launch at the King island Club. Despite being one of the smallest Australian Rules Football leagues in the country, currently with three teams in a round-robin competition, other than in war years, the game has been played continuously.
King Island players are listed in the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame. In 2012 KIFA was the first football competition in Tasmania to be inducted into the AFL Tasmania Hall of Fame. It has been suggested that King Island is a perfect location for a high-performance training centre.
The AFL officially granted the licence for the AFL’s 19th team to Tasmania in May last year after the league signed binding commitments with the State Government that included partnering with the Federal Government for the construction of a 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart.