With talk about Tasmania receiving their own AFL side by the end of the next decade heating up, Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans has quashed any thought of his side relocating down south.
Dwayne Russell told 3AW on the weekend that he feels a team in Tassie has been “locked in” and the Suns could be considered as a relocation candidate.
“I think we’re locked in to getting a team in Tassie. I think Tassie’s definitely going to be in 2026,” Russell said.
“I reckon there’s still a sneaky chance they try and re-brand or talk a Gold Coast or a North Melbourne into heading down there.”
Evans threw out the raw numbers to explain why giving up on a team in Queensland for a team in Tasmania would be folly.
“This is a great question for me because I get to talk about Queensland footy which is the fastest growing state again and probably has been every year for the last 10,” Evans told SEN’s Time On.
“Queensland has 265,000 participants in Aussie Rules. Tasmania has 44,000.
“I’m happy for Tassie to keep its push for its own team, they’re well within their rights to do want to do that and good luck to them, but a logical business person would say that wouldn’t be at the expense of a Queensland team.
“It doesn’t make sense. The numbers are too compelling and the future looks to be too stunning.”
In fact, Evans is so confident he feels the debate will eventually be more about adding a team to Queensland rather than taking one away.
“When the numbers are so strong, third largest state in Australia, and growing at the most rapid rate in Australia, surely one day we’ll be talking about when is the third team coming to Queensland,” Evans said.
“It probably isn’t any time soon, but I’m sure it’ll be on the agenda for the AFL in 15 to 20 years.”