Richo fears for Tassie Devils amid "embarrassing" political turmoil

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Richmond and Tasmanian football legend Matthew Richardson says the collapse of the Devils would be “embarrassing” and a “disaster” amid political turmoil in the state.

A no-confidence motion filed against Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is threatening Tasmania’s AFL dream.

Opposition leader Dean Winter has taken a stand against Rockliff due to financial mismanagement, leaving the Devils at “serious risk for jobs, investment and growth”.

Richardson said the uncertainty and risk to the future of the club is a huge let down and urged leaders to find a way through.

“It’s on our doorstep, it is that close, and I just think of how many young boys and girls a Tassie team would inspire to go and play footy and have big dreams,” Richardson told the Herald Sun.

“You want the kids to think big and it would be amazing for the community and just the pride they would have in their own Tassie team to go and watch them play.

“I think it would rejuvenate the whole state. There are so many positive flow-ons.

“And considering how far down the line we are now, with more than 200,000 fans signed up, it would be a huge let-down and actually a bit embarrassing if it doesn’t go ahead from here.

“If this opportunity is missed, it would be a massive disaster.

“History won’t look back on it favourably and the people involved in vetoing it. It would be a big thing to have (hanging) on your head.”

Earlier today Tasmania Devils executive Kath McCann broke down in tears speaking about the Devils' future and the uncertainty that she and her colleagues are feeling.

"What this looks like is uncertainty. What it looks like is a risk to invest. What it looks like is a state that's not unified. And I think our leaders need to think about the consequences of their actions."

2:10pm How things happened today:

Sam Edmund with the latest on the Tassie situation:

"It’s the uncertainty that’s hitting the Devils.

"The only thing going for them is they had that stability. There is a world that both parties take a stadium approach to the election but it’s hard to get a majority down there."

Given four options of what the future could look like:

1. They vote to build it and this is a speed bump
2. Tassie come in without a new stadium
3. Tassie come in 10 years’ time when they will build a stadium
4. We add a 19th team from somewhere else, and Tassie becomes a 20th down the line

Edmund said:

"I think the first is most likely, call me a blind optimist but they’re on the precipice, they’re not going to walk away now.

"They’re in list concessions and draft concessions, I can’t get my head around the idea that could be turfed out.

"I think it will be built I think everyone will love it."

12:53pm

Tasmania Devils executive Kath McCann broke down in tears speaking about the Devils' future:

"We have outlined the uncertainty on our future. There is no denying that this is unsettling for us. We are building a club with the intent of launching in 2028. Some of the discussions being had are impacting how we feel about our future.

"Potential change in leadership and potential elections does put a cloud over this.

"Some of the scenarios don't bear thinking about for the club.

"I think our political leaders can make their own decisions, we try not to get involved. It's fair to say we have had pot holes and speed bumps on the way so we are conditioned to that but the goings on of the last 24 hours are critical to us.

"What this looks like is uncertainty. What it looks like is a risk to invest. What it looks like is a state that's not unified. And I think our leaders need to think about the consequences of their actions."

McCann became overwhelmed when asked about how it feels as a Tasmanian to see such a threat.

“This club is powered by our future generations, by our kids and by our grandkids,” McCann said.

“They power us every single day and they will keep doing that.”

11:35am

SEN Tassie’s Brent Costelloe attempted to make sense of the situation on Wednesday morning amid Winter’s no-confidence movement against incumbent Rockliff.

“It's one giant mess at the moment,” Costelloe said on SEN Breakfast.

“You guys must just think we're just shooting ourselves in the foot all the time. Every time we talk to you, it seems like there's something controversial going on, and that's definitely the case at the moment.

“Jeremy Rockliff will today potentially have to survive a motion of no-confidence in his premiership, and we're waiting on the Greens this morning to decide if that will be the case.

“They only moved a no-confidence motion in the Premier about a month ago, so I see no reason why they won't support the opposition leader Dean Winter's motion, and it could be a very hectic day down at parliament.

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“This is the absolutely bizarre thing. So the no-confidence motion Dean Winter is putting into the Premier is due to the state budget, which was handed down last week.

“And also his handling of the Spirit of Tasmania fiasco, which is a whole another story in its entirety.

“They're supportive of the stadium, but what hasn't been thought about here, I don't think, is the ramifications that will have on the stadium.

“So if Jeremy Rockliff isn't premier after today, we could be heading back to the polls in another election. We only had 12 months ago, so that'll come around extremely quickly.

“If that's not the case, he won't be the leader and he's been the number one supporter of the stadium for such a long time. So it's a very, very messy situation and we won't have many more answers on it until a few hours' time, I think.”

9:05am

Costelloe says any hopes the Devils have could be dashed if Rockliff is thrown out.

“The AFL's been absolutely adamant that this is part of the contract, and rightly so. This is what the club's agreed upon - a 23,000-seat roof stadium at Macquarie Point,” he added.

“If we have to start all over again, we're back to the absolute drawing board, back to square one to go and negotiate with the clubs again.

“People that think that if the stadium doesn't go ahead, we'll still have a team. It's just not the case. We need the stadium to make this team successful.

“Brendon Gale’s been adamant about that as well.

“At the moment, it's hanging on a knife’s edge. There's no doubt about it.

“And as Brendon said last week, they'll all be out of jobs if this doesn't get through.”

9am Gerard Whateley's take

“The Greens have announced they will support the no-confidence move should it go to a vote,” he said on SEN’s Whateley.

“If it was successful though parliament today or indeed in the future it would likely trigger an immediate election.

“This isn’t centred around footy nor the stadium, which for the time being has bipartisan support, but it could all get caught up in the politics. This has always been the risk.

“It’s one thing to have the numbers, it’s another to hold them through to the time that matters.

“It has the AFL and the Tasmanian Devils on high alert, and while entirely helpless the Devils were moved this morning to put out a statement speaking of their great concern.

“It’s not centred on football and the stadium but highly likely to have implications if the upheaval does unfold as the day progresses.”

Listen to the full story below:

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