Alastair Clarkson says he would entertain the prospect of teaching a Tasmanian AFL membership, ought to the league give the state its personal crew.
Key factors:
- Clarkson helps Tasmania with its bid to have an AFL crew
- He says the AFL will solely be a nationwide competitors when Tasmania and the Northern Territory have groups
- Clarkson is taking a 12 months away from teaching in 2022
Clarkson, a four-time premiership coach with Hawthorn, is having a 12 months off from full-time teaching in 2022 and one among his initiatives is to assist Tasmania’s push for its personal aspect.
He stated a affected person method was essential, explaining 5 or 6 years could be required to determine native expertise pathways.
Clarkson stated it was essential a big proportion of the taking part in group have been Tasmanian home-grown merchandise.
The 18 AFL golf equipment will vote subsequent 12 months on whether or not Tasmania ought to have its personal crew.
Requested on SEN radio if he would think about being the crew’s inaugural coach, or taking part in a big function, Clarkson replied “undoubtedly”.
“Actually from this far out, if I used to be unemployed like I’m now, I might be placing my hand up massive time to get entangled in such an thrilling enterprise,” he stated.
“I believe it is a no-brainer.”
However Clarkson additionally nominated former Hawthorn colleagues Chris Fagan and Brendon Bolton as Tasmanian natives who would have so much to supply if there was a neighborhood AFL crew.
He additionally referred to the expertise of enlargement groups Gold Coast and GWS coming into the league, saying there was a widespread feeling among the many golf equipment that they missed out on an excessive amount of taking part in expertise to the newcomers on the time.
In contrast to Gold Coast or GWS, Clarkson famous Tasmania is a heartland Australian guidelines state.
“Do not be impatient, let’s simply do it steadily and take 5 or 6 years to construct up the grassroots, construct the material of the membership,” he stated.
“Contact into the very cloth of the Tassie historical past.
“We do not need to be a aspect that simply limps into the competitors and will get smacked within the first two or three years or first 5 years of existence.
Clarkson stated the AFL must also be centered on having a crew primarily based within the Northern Territory.
“I genuinely consider the nationwide competitors needs to be actually nationwide,” he stated.
“It isn’t a nationwide competitors till Tassie are in it and it is not likely a nationwide competitors till, dare I say it, the Northern Territory are in it as effectively.
“That is [a Northern Territory team] additional away. That is so much tougher, that one.
“Tassie for my part ought to have already got a crew within the competitors and since it hasn’t, effectively, let’s roll up the sleeves.”
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein stated he would meet Clarkson subsequent week to additional talk about his involvement in Tasmania’s bid for an AFL crew.
Mr Gutwein stated Clarkson’s involvement within the course of added important weight to the state’s bid.
“Clarko desires to throw his … very appreciable weight behind a bid for an AFL licence, and we’ll be catching up once more subsequent week, trying on the strategic plan,” he stated.
Clarkson is acquainted with Tasmanian soccer, given Hawthorn usually performs matches in Launceston.
He started teaching the Hawks in 2005, earlier than main the membership to its first premiership in 17 years in 2008.
The Hawks gained three straight premierships beneath Clarkson between 2013 and 2015.
Clarkson left the Hawks on the finish of this 12 months’s home-and-away season after it was determined he wouldn’t see out his contract in 2022 as a part of the succession plan involving Sam Mitchell.
Mitchell was to take over as Hawks coach in 2023 however as an alternative will assume the reins a season sooner than deliberate.
Carlton had chased Clarkson to switch David Teague as its head coach, however the 53-year-old declared earlier this week he was dedicated to spending at the least a 12 months away from teaching.
AAP/ABC