Hawks

Hawthorn and the Tasmanian government have now been in a sponsorship relationship for the last four years and during this time the partnership has been beneficial for both parties.

As reported in the Mercury on March the 10th Hawthorn now has 7338 Tasmanian members with the lofty aim of gaining 10,000 before the year is out. 16% of Hawthorn members are Tasmanian and York Park has given the Hawks a real home ground advantage.

Tasmania has in turn benefitted in the way of Tourism Dollars and jobs. A government media release has the Minister for Tourism, Michelle O’Byrne stating:

We now welcome more than one million visitors a year to Tasmania and a good number of these are coming to watch the footy at Aurora Stadium. The Hawthorn partnership supports up to 300 Tasmanian full-time jobs and generates $15 million worth of economic impact each year – terrific for Tasmania and a great endorsement for AFL football.

Ex premier Paul Lennon has also stated in an article in the Mercury that Hawthorn have now reached their saturation point in the state and they have a firm standing in the north.  The only other way for Tasmania to expand its interest into the AFL was for another team to play games in the south of the state at Bellerive Oval.

Mr Lennon said:

I have always argued this is the logical next step along the way to getting our own team and I still think that is some way off, waiting for our own team in Tasmania is one thing but being pig-headed in that and not looking at an opportunity that exists now is stupid in policy terms.

On the back of all this Richmond have considered playing games at Bellerive as Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale has put a proposal to the board to play two games at Bellerive from next year.  Essendon have also raised interest in Tasmania but only as an away team.  Essendon’s CEO Ian Robson knows the impact of the Tasmanian/Hawthorn deal first hand while at being at Hawthorn for five years before joining the Bombers.

All this could be good timing as the Tasmanian Government go into negotiations with Hawthorn on the future of the sponsorship deal.

As much AFL football as possible should be played in the state if we are serious about one day having our own team.  It would not only lift the standard of local competitions but would give us as a position to learn from the clubs that play at the elite level and show the AFL that Tasmanian’s can consume more than four games a year.

AFL TAS

With the 2010 football season under way, I thought I would recap on the happenings at the top-level in Tasmanian footy.

Tasmania AFL bid

Andrew Demetriou talks about the future of the AFL and the outlook past the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney and that future expansion is almost a certainty.

He stated:

You could be talking about Tasmania being entrenched in the competition and another team in Western Australia. I just know that it (the AFL) won’t look like it does today.

This statement was in relation to the AFL circa 2030. Read the article – Further expansion potential ‘limitless’: Demetriou

Hawks in Tasmania

Hawk’s great Robert DiPierdomenico has called on the Hawthorn football club to extend its deal with the Tasmanian government saying it’s a win/win for both the state and club.

He also stated that the AFL is keeping a close eye on how state football was working.  Read the Article – Hawks great wants Tassie deal to continue

The Hawks might have to look out as Essendon’s chief executive officer and managing director and also Tasmanian born Ian Robson has stated that Essendon would welcome an opportunity to play games in Tasmania.  Robson who was with Hawthorn last year and has seen the opportunities in the Tasmanian market.  Read article – Essendon sees state as lucrative football market

The Wizz and Wacko Jacko

A  faction from the Kermandie football club recruited ex-AFL players Mark “Wacko Jacko” Jackson and Warwick Capper in effort to save the club from the wilderness and make sure the clubs 127 year history continues.

Even with the two high-profile signing the club was still not able to draw enough players to training to field two team in the upcoming 2010 season.  Martin Flanagan wrote an article for the Sydney Morning Herald

TSL Board -V- Clubs

The 10 Tasmanian Statewide Clubs were not represented on the AFL Tasmania board, so to get some representation at the top-level, they have empowered ex Tasmanian premier Paul Lennon to represent them at the board level.

This came about by the board wanting to scrap the reserves competition from the state-wide format and have the clubs run that competition themselves.  Having no representation at the top-level meant that decisions were being made without input from the clubs, who were being effected directly.

In conclusion a lot has happened in the months leading up to this years season, probably more so than any other year.  Stepping stone, pathways and clubs need to be preserved in our state.  Players need to develop but it seems if you are not in elite company when you are a 15-17 year old then you might find it hard to find a  way to progress.

George Bailey

Tasmanian Cricket captain George Bailey was chosen to replace the embattled Michael Clarke for the rest of the Chappell-Hadlee series being played in New Zealand.

Bailey who was in preparation for the Tigers last shield game of the season when he got the call up, has not played at international level but is prepared to take any opportunity with both hands.

The call up comes off the back of a terrific Ford Ranger cup season. 538 runs at an average of 59.78 which includes one century and five half centuries. Bailey’s form had a lot to do with the Tigers capturing their fourth Ford Ranger Cup championship, it was also Bailey’s first year as Captain.

George Bailey media conference on the Cricket Australia website

The timing is a little bit off for the Tasmanian as the last ODI against New Zealand will be played on Saturday the 13th of March with Bailey’s Deccan Chargers playing their first IPL game for season 2010 less than 24 hours later.

Image by addynapper

#47 Little Debbie Toyota Camry image: jdanvers

I found this article on the Fayetteville Observer web site, which states factors which have gone into making Marcos Ambrose’s introduction into Nascar racing could not have gone any smoother.  Here’swhy;

• He has two V8 supercars championships & has a NASCAR Nationwide Series event victory.
• Being 33 years old with experience & success on his side could give him another 15 years in the sport.
• He drives for a young and fully fundedracing team – JTG Daugherty Racing.
• In his first full Sprint Cup season, he finished higher in points than established stars such as Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Elliott Sadler and Bobby Labonte.
• Has had  five top-5 finishes

On season 2009 and on the upcoming season Ambrose stated:

I needed to do something like to make a stance in the sport. I wanted to make an impression so I had a job. Two-thousand-nine was all about looking good; 2010 is all about converting that into success.

Season 2010 starts next week for Ambrose when he starts practice and qualifying for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 14.

Burnie Tennis Club

The McDonald’s Burnie International Tennis Tournament starts on the 30th January and will feature Alicia Molik, Jarmilla Groth, Brydan Klein & Bernard Tomic.   

The Burnie International Tennis Tournament is the only Challenger level event in Australia and will feature prize money of $50,000 for the men & $25,000 for the women.  The Challenger level is part of the ATP world tour and is the secondary professional Tennis circuit used by young up & coming tennis players as a stepping stone. 

The world’s number 1 ranked 17-year-old Tennis player Bernard Tomic will feature after loosing a second round, five set marathon against world number 14 Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.  

The game finished at 2:09 am in the morning and had Tomic complaining that it was ridiculous for a 17-year-old to have been scheduled to play at that time. Insisting that if it was scheduled during the day, that the result would have been different. 

Qualifying sessions are schedules for Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of January with the main draw starting the 1st of February with the final being played on the 7th February. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg8GYlUibg

Tour Down Under

Two Tasmanian cyclist are currently competing in  this years Santos Tour Down Under,  joing the likes of Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pereiro & Cadel Evans.  They are the Launceston duo of Matthew Goss & Wesley Sulzberger.

Matthew Goss wears bib number 46 and rides for Team HTC – Columbia (USA) and Wesley Sulzberger will wear number 101 and rides for the French team Francaise Des Jeux.

After stage one which was held today, Goss & Sulzberger finished with the main field with a time of 3.15’30″.

Some Fact about the tour:

• 12 Year history – ProTour status in 2008
• Teams compete for UCI ranking points
• The only tour held outside of Europe
• The Leaders jersey is Ochre

Morilla Hobart International

Today marks the start of the Moorilla Hobart International Open, which is a lead up tournament for the first grand slam of the year – The Australian Open.

The Moorilla Hobart International Open is part of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour & is classed as an International tournament. It comes with prize money totaling $220,000 & is played on hard-court surfaces at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, which is located within minutes of the city on the Queens Domain.

Tasmanian, Alyssa Hibberd made her WTA Tour debut today after Tennis Australia awarded her a wildcard into the tournament. She faced third seed Russian & previous winner, Anna Chakvetadze on center court and went down in straight sets 6/1 6/1.

The other Australians in todays qualifying action, did not fair any better; Monika Wejnert lost to number one seed and defending champion Petra Kvitova 6/1 6/4, Marija Mirkovic lost a close contest to fifth seed Alberta Brianti 6/4 7/5 & Sally Peers, who played seventh seed Elena Baltacha went down 6/3 6/0.

Returning tennis star Alicia Molik will play on Monday night after receiving a wild card entry into the main draw.

Casey Dellacqua is making her singles WTA comeback after undergoing left shoulder surgery. Olivia Rogowska & Jelena Dokic will also feature when the official main draw is finalised tomorrow (Saturday 9th January).

Tickets start from $9.90 & can be purchased online at Ticketek

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T3UCoISIE4

Sam Isles (originally from Clarence) was picked up by the new Gold Coast franchise after a having a good year with the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL. Isles won the Box Hill Best & Fairest award and also finished third in the association best player award.
He was pick number three overall and part of the first five picks that the Gold Coast could take in the rookie draft & joins fellow Tasmanian’s Maverick Weller & Luke Russell who were picked up early in the year as part of the concessions given to the Gold Coast.

Brodie Moles (originally from Glenorchy) was given a life line by the Western Bulldogs who picked him at number 19.
Moles started his AFL career two years ago when picked up by Geelong in the rookie draft but found it near impossible to get a start in the star-studded midfield down at the cattery.

The last Tasmanian selection was Daniel Archer who played season 2009 with Clarence in the State Wide League.
He was picked in the second round at number 36 by St Kilda.

Sam Isles

These events are predicted to bring 27,000 event participants, supporters & visitors into the state, returning an estimated 36 million.

Some of the sporting events that recieved funding for 2010 include:

• National Inflatable Rescue Boat Championships
• Australian Golf Heritage Festival
• Tasmanian Trout Expo
• Various motor sport events/rallys
• National Mountain Bike Series
• Two Heads Disc Golf Open
• Penny Farthing Championships
• The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
• Various Yachting/Sailing events
• Various national speedway events
• Cadbury Marathon Festival
• Wrest Point International Masters Golf Championship
• Masters Athletics Half Marathon Championships
• Tasmanian Junior Open – Tennis
• Targa Wrest Point
• Tasmanian Open & FBT Senior Open
• 2010 Rally Tasmania
• Tasmanian Match Rifle Championships

The media release & a for a full list of Grants can be found at Events Tasmania.