Melbourne president Glen Bartlett believes once expansion is back on the agenda, handing out a 19th license to Tasmania would be a mistake unless a 20th team is also created.
Bartlett believes that once we get through the COVID-19 mess, league expansion should be back on the table.
However, he feels an uneven number of teams would be an errant move.
“Just before COVID-19 broke we were having a conversation with the AFL and the club presidents about a potential 19th license involving Tasmania,” the Melbourne president told SEN’s Whateley.
“I think the bigger issue is the AFL and the clubs, once we get through this period, looking at what’s the optimum number of clubs for 2030-2040.
“Is it 20 clubs; is it 22 clubs. I think it needs to be, if you think about media rights and adding in the fixture, adding in an extra license doesn’t make a lot of sense.
“I think it needs to be a bit like the Krakouer brothers, they come in pairs. Is 22 teams the optimum number or is it 18? If it’s 22 by 2040, you map out a program to dominate the whole of Australia and you might end up with a Tasmanian club, a Northern Territory club, perhaps another one out of WA or SA.”