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Stadium needed for Tas AFL bid: McLachlan

The failures of leadership at the AFL to consider Indigenous peoples have been on display this week.

The failures of leadership at the AFL to consider Indigenous peoples have been on display this week. Photo: AAP

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has indicated Tasmania’s bid for a 19th licence is contingent on the island state building a new stadium.

McLachlan met with recently appointed Tasmania premier Jeremy Rockliff in Hobart on Thursday ahead of a vote of the 18 club presidents on expansion in August.

McLachlan confirmed the league would only consider issuing a new licence, rather than relocating an existing club to Tasmania.

The state government in March announced plans to develop a multi-purpose stadium at Hobart’s waterfront, costing an estimated $750 million.

“If you look around this country … and you look at the cities where AFL and other sports (are) being played, you need a stadium that can compete in 2022, or 2025, 2026,” McLachlan said.

“Whether it’s contingent or however you want to frame it … this team needs and will have a new stadium if it wants a licence. And I think Tasmanians will expect that.”

Tasmania’s government has pledged $150 million towards the bid, made up of $50 million for a high performance centre and $10 million per year over a decade.

Mr Rockliff described the talks as progressive and said the funding pledge showed the government was “bloody serious” about the bid.

– AAP

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