Political upheaval has Tasmania on the brink amid grave concerns for the Devils. Brendan Gale joins us from an island divided.
Hawthorne makes its changes ahead of a high stakes showdown with a rested Western Bulldogs. Our coaches go deep and the countdown to the Big Freeze. Simon Goodwin is here and we'll reveal slider number eight, a long time favorite of Neil Danaher.
We've talked about is this step into it, embrace.
All of it in the room and Britain it's unedifying for a senior coach to do that. They're on the side of Courtia with the brain tape, the man on they played the best footy I've ever seen at the start of the season, and Andrew said, president left. The couple older said.
He, of course they do.
It is the stuff that legends are made of. What is holding the ball? I don't think I could answer it clearly right now.
I can do something wrong, you know, and I need to go and the boards.
Actually the fans lover and with no fans, no through sixty year old.
There's plenty of footy. But if only it was as simple as the foota to night Gas. It has been a day of political intrigue and.
Maneuvering, as indeed Jared and I'm not making a light of it in my Tasmanian Green, but solidarity is a keyword here and Brendon Gale is going to join us, fellow Tasmanian and this is big. It is a really big I've seen some of the grabs and the emotion is real and it's at a very very interesting stage.
Should have brought my cards membership card that night. That's it as we all stand with him right. The premiere of Tasmania is tonight facing a no confidence motion. Should he fail to stay that off, and he wouldn't appear to have the numbers, it's likely Tasmania would be pushed to a snap election and once again the Macquarie Points Stadium and the nineteenth license to enter the League would be placed at jeopardy, perhaps like never before.
The deal and the way the dealer is constructed is to set this club up for success. And I've said repeatedly, and I know Brendan and Grant have also said repeatedly, is when Tasmania finally take that stage, when we finally get that opportunity. We want to be good, we want to be sustainable, and we want to represent this state with pride will into the future. In order to do that, we need the infrastructure to set us up for that success.
The work that this club is doing. Can I just see this club is powered by our future generations, by our kids and by our grandkids. It's an opportunity to bring this state together. It's an opportunity to create pathways, and they're real. They're happening now.
You know.
I've got fifty students out here in my siteline. They power us every single day and they will keep doing that. And we're going to play on and we want to see this team, this club become reality because our young people deserve it.
Look, I think it'd be a big opportunity lost. These things don't come around very often, and who's to say it might come around ever again if this is not the time for it, but it would be extremely disappointing.
The parliamentary debate might be dry, but the emotions are raw. And Kath McCann has been on the ground from day one. She's the longest servant employee of the Devils, and she gave us a pretty good insight into the feeling on the island right now. So the day began with a note of great concern from the Devils, and at the close of it, Brendan Gale, the Chief Executive, is with us. Brendan, it's great to be with us on three sixty. Thanks for your.
Time, gould to be with you, Jared.
How precariously placed is the dream of the Tazzy Devils as we talk tonight, Well.
There's some uncertainty around the leadership of government, and you said in your introductory comments is a voter no confidence in the premiere, But as as far as we concern, it's business as usual. You know, we're getting all the business we have to building an organization and building teams. Clearly, our existence is conditioned upon the deliver of a stadium, and that's an agreement between the AFILM and the state government, and that stadium needs to clear the passage of both
houses of Parliament. I mean that process is underway at the moment, so that process we run its course. That hasn't changed, and there's some uncertainly around leadership and maybe the composition of parliament, but that really hasn't changed, and we're just going to get on with the job and controlling things we can control.
If Jeremy Rockcliffe does get rolled, Brendan, do you lose Does the team lose its shepherd, its greatest advocate.
Look, he's been a very strong leader, but you know so as the government, and the government has got the unequivalent support of the opposition and a number of independents as well. So, I mean, Jeremy's been a very strident advocate for the team and but the relationship, the agreement is between the AFL and the government of the day, and you know that's a that's an agreement that sort
of sits outside our control. We've got to get on with the business of building our club and we've got a lot to do, and it's it's a huge responsibility, but a great opportunity as well, and we strongly believe in the power of this team. It's not about football, it's about the potential to lick this whole state and we believe in that. You just saw the response of Kathmic Cann. It's a responsibility that sits heavily with us.
I think that is the thing that hits home most.
Spending.
There's so much that it's hard to understand for the average person sitting at home watching this. It is politics and bipartisan support. What does that mean the Graads independence. Then you see a Kathmic can sit down and break down.
It's hard to watch.
It talks about the very core and essence of what this is all about when it was first put on the agenda. It is connecting the Tasmanian people who have been such great football lovers and supporters to the a f L which they've long held out hope for. And you see the emotion come out in Kathmiccanna. I mean this would be extrapolated right across the state. I'd imagine if we can't get this up.
Yeah, indeed, Gary, I mean, this is a team already like no other. We're a team that represents an entire state and now no other team can claim that we're a team by Tasmania. We're a team for Tasmania, and we're a team that we absolutely believe can live Tasmania and for Tasmania be as good as it can be. And so yeah, we see the power of this football club to transform the state that has some challenges and put it on a.
Really positivejector rejectory.
It's a great opportunity for our football club and for the state, but it's a huge responsibility and we're all so invested in this and manifest and what you saw from caat this morning.
Two things happened across the course of the day. So the opposition leader who has brought the motion, Dean Winter, wrote to Andrew Dillan to reaffirm his support for the team in the stadium, and the Greens opportunistically tried to have the handling of Macquarie point added to the no confidence motion and that got voted down. Is there any comfort in that that the numbers still reside with the stadium and the team.
Well, I think this broad based political support, and certainly in the lower House. I don't engage in party politics, but in the lower House there's broad based political support. The Upper House does rely on support of a number of independents. Now recent events might add create some more uncertainty, but no, I think Parliament is very supportive broad based support.
And I guess even this motion that's been brought in the last twenty four hours wasn't about football, about the stadium, was about some budgetary concerns.
But I guess it's this chain of reaction.
So I think there's broad based political support and I'm confident Jered that the more people in the community understand the importance of the stadium, how it's critical to meet the commercial financial requirements of a team in this in the biggest boarding competion in Australia.
The more they.
Understand how will unlock a whole range of other financial, economic, social cultural benefits, the more people are open to sort of changing their minds and supporting of it. And so no, there's some uncertainty at the moment, but we're very very optimistic about the future.
So Ben I read Chris Fagan's comments must have been recently about the fact that in his mind that he doesn't want this to fall over clearly, and that he thinks that it can exist a new team and play at Loncessin and Hobart at existing facilities and in time build a stadium.
Has it been too ambitious?
Has it been too big a stumbling block that's been put there in front of this new team to have a no team, no stadium policy.
Now, look, I think it's just been that difficult concept to explain Gary. And look, firstly, there's no good time to build a stadium around the world. They're always big, and they're expensive, and there's always a whole range of other priorities, so they're difficult things.
And whether it's Adelaide or per.
Stadium, they're difficult to get through and get popular support.
I guess that's compounded by the fact.
That people in Tasmania think, well, we've got two perfectly good stadiums in Hobart and ln System, why can't we just have those? And they're regional stadiums and they've been fit for purpose, but they're not fit for the purpose of providing sustainable commercial business model to underpin eighteen in the Big League on a sustainable basis, And it's hard
to explain in seven or ten seconds. But once you do have the time and space to explain why it is important and then also the whole range of other benefits that will that will be created and will be unlocked.
You know, people tend to come around, but it's not easy.
Well, did you feel any level of unease Brendon when last week the budget got revised up to nine hundred and forty five million dollars to construct, adding one hundred and seventy million to what had been put forth previously.
Well not really.
Sorry, it's a sidnimiant amount of money, but I was aware. I had line of sight and to be fair, you know when I saw the original quote, you know, three years ago. I mean, anyone who's anyone who's involved any form of construction of development would be aware of escalation rates for the last three or four years. So that number was always skiddy and always going to be a bigger number. It's a big cost, but it's a huge investment.
It's a really important investment. It's an investment the Government of deemed to be worth making, and it's an investment in a really important sporting social infrastructure that's been worth making and re benefits around the world, around the world, and you know we need as a state to continue and invest for growth.
How quickly do you need it resolved, Benny? You've got a footy club to build. There so many decisions to be made. How quickly do you need a resolution on this?
Well, at the moment it's on track area. It's in parliament now.
The legislation which enables the whole development is in parliament and it's been debated and scrutinized.
It all need to clear the.
Lower House and enter the Upper House in late late July, and if it's clear, the government walks away with a set of a planning approvals. Really, so in that respect, were that to take place, it's probably.
It's probably ahead of course.
Now, it may not be ready by around one twenty twenty eighties, but there's a process to accommodate that as well, so you know, as soon as possible is best for us and the AFL and the Tasman community. But it's on track.
Gary.
So just as we close, Brendan in the hours ahead or the days ahead, if the Premier does get rolled, do you remain confident that the stadium will be built and the Devils will taboo in the AFL in twenty twenty eight.
Well it's speculation, sorry, Jared.
But at the end of the day, they are like the arrangements, the undertakings are as between the AFL and the Government of Tasmania and you know that that won't change.
Brendan. Great to have you with us, Thanks a lot, good luck for what's to come.
Good luck, thanks for the time, Jess.
Good morning, So conditional license with the Devils and a lot of political machinations to play out.
And I think great defiance from the boss there who's saying this is this is on track still, So let's wait and see and keep everything cross that this comes to fruition, Jared.
That's what I hope anyway.
All right, this is what we've got lined up for you tonight. Some good Win is going to be at the desk. John Longmye and Adam Simpson make us smarter. They've got a particular eye towards tomorrow night's start to the round. There's plenty and that's like a number eight is going to be revealed. Matt Tilley and Hannah Monday from the Vixens is busy show. That's a busy show. It's a lot to work through. And then following us first crack going deep into the events of Round thirteen,
Ben Dixon, David King and Lee Montana. And on Monday night, we're going to be at the mcg in the aftermath of the huge King's Birthday encounter, and we will have both coaches with us, Craig McCrae and Simon Goodwin on either side of its. And then we'll hand over to on the couch and Lee Matthews is going to be part of It's a that's a great all right, thanks to Ozzie Broadband. Who is it D Day four?
So let's get into it. I'm looking at the Adelaide Crows. I want to be a fan. I want to be a believer. They've had eight wins. Seven of the teams they've beaten are outside the eight yard. So they beat the Sorry, they beat the Giants seven goals to four. That's their one win from a They played four teams outside the eight and lost them all. So the Collingwood game a couple of weeks ago at the MCG kind of sums them up.
They're close, they're not far.
Away, but they just can't get it done against the contenders. And this is a contender they're coming up against. They're in great form. The defensive side of the games come together. Their offensive side has always been there. They've got players in form. They're at home, they're against the Brisbane lines. This is the time to say, hey, they are about those other four. We're there and we're going to be there in the whips are cracking?
What you like that a lot? Carlton only be the last one to extinguish my candle on the Blues. Will we see a rejuvenated lineup after the buye. Everyone knows the problem. We know it, they know it.
They can't move the ball.
So they will have channeled all of their efforts into that. Jacob Weinering told me today they had their best training session of the year. They moved the ball. Let's see that on Sunday night against and get them on a roll. They could win the next four or they could disappear into oblivion.
Can they fix your kicking in the space of Ford age year, That's the question.
Find a way.
So anyway, D Day is coming for the Blues on Sunday night. It's a terrific round the heads and the starting point of it is Thursday Night footy where Hawthorne and the Western Bulldogs mate. The Dogs are curiously outside the eight by the vagaries of the Bye and the Hawks. They are the center of attention after a set of losses to contenders.
Just think it's pressure. I mean, it's obviously you guys, and rightly so. Have have talked about it a lot. We can't get away with tackles in the thirties and the opposition having tackles in the seventies or the eighties that's not going to stand up in the long term. Is obviously a talented coach, so he's got them humming along really nicely and going to be a huge challenge.
But really, I mean really looking forward to what they're a good side for us to play at the short break, they're coming off to buy they're obviously playing for a lot in the game after a run of weeks that.
We know we need to improve on.
Healthy respect for them when they're at their best and what they've been able to do. And you're always wear when the club's been under the microscope a bit the way they galvanize and prepare for their next game. So we've got to be ready for their intensity in this game because it might be more explosive than which you sometimes.
Used to every week. There's an ebb and a flow and like a bit more flow in our game and a little bit less air but at the moment, but the players have a good understanding of where we're at and White then as can we produce performances that are closer to our best.
Six versus Knight doesn't quite do just as to what we'll transpire on Fox Footy tomorrow nights, and the way that the teams have landed gas. There are tales to tell here. So three changes each, but Hawthorne materially weaker. So here's what's happened at the Dogs. Gardner, Dolan and Trelore comes back. Johannison's going to miss through illness, Durey and Baker have been omitted, So not big stories there, but the Hawthorne side of things. The three Inns are
playing their first games of the season. Seamus Mitchell who's played twenty four in all, Sam Butler's played nineteen and Max Ramsden has played five. Cecily is injured, Watson is ill, Scrimshaw has had to be managed.
The big they're big outs, aren't they. So the captain who's been the story for a while now, but the Nick Watson illness comes at a really bad times. Been in he's been down as well, and Scrimshaw is so important across the back half. So they are substantial outs. But yeah, when you've had a couple of weeks like they've had, these sorts of things that brushed aside internally, have you we can speculate externally, but so Mitchell and Butler will be jumping out of their skin to get
an opportunity Rams as well. So you talk about everyone knows the issue for Hawthorne has been really well documented over the past couple of weeks.
So all you do now is.
Sit back and see what sort of response they get against the Western bulldog side who you know. Sorry, that's nice. I was about to give a clip. So yeah, this is this is gonna be a great test for them. They were told no uncertain terms that they didn't get put the head in the whole and tackle hard enough
two weeks ago, and they didn't do it again. So just all you can do is watch now, because if you don't bring that sort of game against this footy side, then you're going to be in some sort of trouble.
So the dogs are interesting in their own right. There's six and five. Intuitively, they feel better than that they fall into night because they've they're a game behind the large group in front of them. If they would fall to six and six, you'd start to go They're not going to squander it, are they is? So much of their game is in order. They have been competitive against everyone. We view them as a top four team you've got to rack the wins up though, don't you, particularly against these teams.
Yep, then you've got to win tomorrow night. I mean we can say but they should win tomorrow and night given on exposed form in recent times, but it doesn't always work like that.
And footy so weak to week, Jared.
I mean, if we're sitting here on Monday or at the MCG on Monday talking about Hawthorne rolling over the top of the West of Bulldogs and that landscape around these three teams changes dramatically, that's how important it is.
Yeah, it's intriguing. The whole round looks a bit like that, all right slides MMD. We've put our shoulder to the wheel. Simon Goodwin will take his team to the King's Birthday on Monday to a huge occasion, crowd records to be broken, credibility to be hads, disappointing loss in the Red center. Now come back to the heart of winter in Melbourne and put things right. It is at the
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