Tasmania’s AFL club will be known as the Devils and wear a dark green jumper emblazoned with a yellow map of the island state.
The league’s 19th franchise, to enter the national competition in 2028 after a decades-long fight, held its official launch at venues across the state on Monday night.
The club revealed it would be called the Devils and use the colours myrtle green, primrose yellow and rose red.
The club’s jumper will be predominantly green with a red collar and a yellow map of the island with a red ‘T’.
“The Devil army now needs to fight even harder to ensure we deliver the club in 2028,” club board member Kath McCann told the Hobart launch.
The club, expected to field a VFL team earlier than its top league debut, had to negotiate with American entertainment giant Warner Bros to use the mascot.
Tasmania’s U18 team carries the Devils logo and plays in a predominantly green strip – a colour worn by other representative teams in the past.
An AFL licence condition is the construction of a $715 million 23,000-seat roofed stadium at Hobart’s Macquarie Point, which is proving a divisive state election issue.
The Tasmania Devils foundation jumper is revealed. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse recently accused the AFL of “enforcing” the stadium on a small state that doesn’t need it.
The state Liberals, who are aiming for a fourth term at Saturday’s poll, support the project but have pledged to cap their spend at $375 million.
Labor leader Rebecca White describes the stadium as not the right priority, indicating she wants to see a team prove itself at existing grounds initially.
League boss Andrew Dillon said the stadium, which is part of the licence contract and must still be voted through parliament for approval, is not negotiable.
The federal Labor government is contributing $240 million and the AFL $15 million, with private investment slated to cover any cost overruns.
The club has released $10 foundation memberships and is expected to start selling merchandise in coming months.
Tasmania has produced a host of elite Aussie Rules players including Australian Football Hall of Fame legends Darrel Baldock, Ian Stewart, Royce Hart and Peter Hudson.
The club’s board includes Burnie-born three-time premiership winner Alastair Lynch, while Richmond great and Hobart-born Jack Riewoldt has been involved in community tours.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
It means they get a bigger slice of the pie at the expense of the folded club. Remember, people's motivations are almost always driven by self-interest. These people pretend it's about the "good of the game", but it's not, it's about their interests.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
No, I talk for country footy. "On the one hand Victorians want ‘their’ game aka Australian Rules to flourish across the nation.."...it's the same thing really isn't it, dude. Talk for yourself only, dude.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Someone's stupid I agree
Birdman
Roar Rookie
The Suns win the flag for nondescript every year. Training top vibes... :sick:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
But broadly average income is a prime indicator on housing loans and real estate purchases. Hobartians are not earning Melbournian wages or getting the income of Sydneysiders
Caniva
Roar Rookie
What a dumb take. Luton are a very small club that got promoted in a pyramid system Tasmania is a club that is being created for entry into a "closed shop" national competition where said national competition has every right to ensure its financial viability.
Caniva
Roar Rookie
"We want the AFL to stop destroying local footy in their pursuit of fame and fortune." What a weird arrogation of "we the fans". You talk for your self only, dude
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
As a Tasmanian i am so disappointed with the choice of jumper, no imagination at all. The devils name is ok although i lobbied for the "Turbo Chooks" a truly amazing flightless native Tasmanian hen that can reach speeds of 50klm. Indeed it would be a quirky name. Sadly the conservative mob ran rough shod over the more progressive mob. :crying: :thumbdown:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
There's the fish n chips at Burnie and the cherries.
RT
Roar Rookie
What Paul2 said. Exactly how will disbanding a Vic team help? Can Qld or NSW handle another team? GC and GWS crowds on the weekend were worse than any Vic team ever dishes up. Given population and consideration to whether a market is a traditional AF market, I would say the balance of team by state is about right.
Paul2
Roar Rookie
I don't think it's going to be their jumper: they've indicated they'll wear a version of the old state guernsey only occassionally.
Paul2
Roar Rookie
@Angela I support a non-Victorian club, and I’m completely tired of the incessant anti-Victorian whining evident on this site and every other Australian Football discussion forum. Why the use of scare quotes for “historic” Victorian? The smallest of Victorian clubs (North Melbourne) is over 150 years old. Are you suggesting that people are only pretending that that club has a history?! And how would folding a club with over 40,000 members help to “share the love around equitably”? Seriously, wtf does that even mean?
Ace
Roar Rookie
You know Don ..she's full of theses rumours and they are all in her head :laughing:
Ace
Roar Rookie
Just saying to the wife Rowdy that they could have put the Devil's head in the map A little bit of same difference
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Cliterally the best
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
It's a nondescript purple dud.
Lr6050
Roar Rookie
I usually end up finding some tree branch at the bottom of the lake but it’s the hope that keeps you going for the trophy brown :laughing:
Knoxy
Roar Rookie
Similar deal with membership figures that include 3 games memberships along with full season ticket holders. The AFL love fudging their figures.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
yeah but they are a b*gger to catch
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Will Tarryn Thomas be a reformed person by then to be the inaugural captain??