Latest news with #BrendonGale
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
I love Tassie footy and we need a team. But the AFL's stadium ultimatum takes a special kind of arrogance
The question is not whether the introduction of a Tasmanian team to the AFL could have been handled better, but whether it could possibly have been handled worse. The two people I feel sorry for right now are Brendon Gale, the CEO of the newly formed Tasmania Football Club, and Grant O'Brien, its chairman. Both emerged from the Penguin Football Club, a great little Tasmanian footy club that battled the odds and won occasional premierships because they were a formidably tight unit. I believe Brendon and Grant love Tassie footy, as do I. The paradox at the heart of Australian football is that it's a great game by world standards played by a tiny percentage of the world's population. It's also a 19th century game. The art of keeping it alive in the 21st century is a measure of its leaders. Right now, in Tasmania, the organisation demonstrating this art with zest and conviction is the NBL 2023-24 premiers, the Jackjumpers. Head coach Scott Roth crisscrosses the state meeting locals and talking about his game. People are impressed. I hear his stories being retold. You could write a footy TV drama, a black comedy, and title it The Stadium. It would tell the story of a proud little footy state that battles away for well over a century – and, for a period in the 1960s, produces the best and most exciting talent in the country – and then finally gets its chance to play in the big time BUT … a condition is attached. A condition never attached before. The Stadium. Tassie will build, and basically pay for, a new stadium. Along with nearly all the AFL's brainstorms, the idea comes from America. It's a way of divorcing investors from the social costs of sport. The Stadium was also awarded – again, no one seems to know exactly how – the Macquarie Point site. Hobart's renowned beauty has two obvious aspects, the mountain and its colonial waterfront. The Stadium will dwarf the colonial waterfront, sitting behind it like a giant hamburger bun. (And good luck with the glass roof on days when the fierce old Tassie sun, unhindered by the ozone layer, breaks through). The first question my TV drama will ask is – whose idea was this? The AFL, you see, insist it is not theirs. They say it came from the presidents – that is, the 18 AFL presidents who meet on Tuesday to consider whether the Tasmania Football Club's invitation could be withdrawn in light of the ongoing trouble over this idea of theirs which has now precipitated a state election in which the two major parties will support The Stadium and a majority of Tasmanian voters will oppose it.
The Age
a day ago
- Sport
- The Age
I love Tassie footy and we need a team. But the AFL's stadium ultimatum takes a special kind of arrogance
The question is not whether the introduction of a Tasmanian team to the AFL could have been handled better, but whether it could possibly have been handled worse. The two people I feel sorry for right now are Brendon Gale, the CEO of the newly formed Tasmania Football Club, and Grant O'Brien, its chairman. Both emerged from the Penguin Football Club, a great little Tasmanian footy club that battled the odds and won occasional premierships because they were a formidably tight unit. I believe Brendon and Grant love Tassie footy, as do I. The paradox at the heart of Australian football is that it's a great game by world standards played by a tiny percentage of the world's population. It's also a 19th century game. The art of keeping it alive in the 21st century is a measure of its leaders. Right now, in Tasmania, the organisation demonstrating this art with zest and conviction is the NBL 2023-24 premiers, the Jackjumpers. Head coach Scott Roth crisscrosses the state meeting locals and talking about his game. People are impressed. I hear his stories being retold. You could write a footy TV drama, a black comedy, and title it The Stadium. It would tell the story of a proud little footy state that battles away for well over a century – and, for a period in the 1960s, produces the best and most exciting talent in the country – and then finally gets its chance to play in the big time BUT … a condition is attached. A condition never attached before. The Stadium. Tassie will build, and basically pay for, a new stadium. Along with nearly all the AFL's brainstorms, the idea comes from America. It's a way of divorcing investors from the social costs of sport. The Stadium was also awarded – again, no one seems to know exactly how – the Macquarie Point site. Hobart's renowned beauty has two obvious aspects, the mountain and its colonial waterfront. The Stadium will dwarf the colonial waterfront, sitting behind it like a giant hamburger bun. (And good luck with the glass roof on days when the fierce old Tassie sun, unhindered by the ozone layer, breaks through). The first question my TV drama will ask is – whose idea was this? The AFL, you see, insist it is not theirs. They say it came from the presidents – that is, the 18 AFL presidents who meet on Tuesday to consider whether the Tasmania Football Club's invitation could be withdrawn in light of the ongoing trouble over this idea of theirs which has now precipitated a state election in which the two major parties will support The Stadium and a majority of Tasmanian voters will oppose it.
Mercury
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mercury
AFL news 2025: Tasmania Devils team latest, Macquarie Point Stadium updates, Premier Jeremy Rockliff no-confidence motion
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Devils chief executive Brendon Gale says the 'no stadium, no team' condition for Tasmania's AFL entry remains crucial, stressing Hobart and Launceston's major venues are still 'not fit' to 'underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. Gale on Fox Footy's AFL 360 on Tuesday night remained defiant his club was still 'on track' to enter the AFL in 2028, despite a state government bombshell this week casting doubt over the Devils' future. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday morning was hit with a no-confidence motion, which will continue to be debated in state parliament on Thursday. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Opposition leader Dean Winter, who filed the no-confidence motion, wrote to AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon amid the parliamentary chaos on Wednesday and reaffirmed the Labor Party's support for the new Macquarie Point stadium build and the Devils' entry into the AFL. But Winter's move was based off claims the Rockliff Government had mismanaged the state's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed stadium. Should Rockliff fail to stave off the no-confidence motion, it's possible Tasmania will be pushed to a snap election, which could derail the new stadium plans and put the 19th AFL licence in jeopardy. The AFL on Wednesday reiterated it remained steadfast that a 'clear requirement' for Tasmania's inclusion is 'a new 23,000 seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point'. That agreement is between the AFL and the state government, with the stadium needing to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. Premiership Brisbane Lions coach – and Tasmanian football hall of fame legend – Chris Fagan said the AFL 'should let the team come in and then sort the stadium out' in the long-term, saying the Devils should just 'use facilities that are available' in Launceston and Hobart. 'It would be such a tragedy if the team itself doesn't go ahead because there wasn't a new stadium when there are other football fields down there that AFL footballers currently play on,' Fagan told the Herald Sun. 'The surfaces are fantastic. 'But I think it is only a noisy minority who don't want it (new stadium) anyway. The vast majority of Tasmanians I think do want it. 'Once you have the team in there, then these things become easier.' Tasmania Football Club CEO Brendon Gale. Picture: Linda Higginson When asked on Fox Footy's AFL 360 if the 'no team, no stadium' policy to introduce Tassie was 'too ambitious' and that 'too many stumbling blocks' had been placed in front of the key stakeholders, Gale said: 'No, I just think it's been a difficult concept to explain. 'Firstly, there's no good time to build a stadium around the world. They're always big and they're expensive, and there's always a whole range of other priorities … Whether it's Adelaide or Perth Stadium, they're difficult to get through and get popular support. 'I guess that's compounded by the fact that people in Tasmania think: 'Well, we've got two perfectly good stadiums in Hobart and Launceston, why can't we just have those?' And they're reasonable stadiums and they've been fit for purpose. But they're not fit for the purpose of providing sustainable commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis. 'It's hard to explain in seven or 10 seconds, but once you do have the time and space to explain, you know, why it is important – and then also the whole range of other benefits that will be created and will be unlocked – people tend to come around. But it's not easy.' The anguish of the impact of the political turmoil on the Devils was personified on Wednesday by club general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact Kath McCann – the Devils' longest-serving official – who broke down in tears at a press conference. 'This club is powered by our future generations, by our kids and by our grandkids,' a teary McCann said. 'It's an opportunity to bring this state together, it's an opportunity to create pathways. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day — and they will keep doing that and we're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' Premiership Eagle Will Schofield was blown away by McCann's passion and 'powerful words'. 'This is more than just a footy club. This is something for an entire state, an entire generation of Tasmanians coming up behind it,' Schofield told Fox Sports News' AFL Tonight. 'It's a real instance of politics getting in front of people. This is a move that's going to change the state – and the football followers specifically in Tasmania, the people. So whether it be adults now or kids in future generations, being able to put this stadium together and this team together, it's more than just a game of footy. 'The cheques and balances will get done, but what's really sad is it seems like politics is getting in front of the people – of which I think a lot want this stadium and this team to come through. 'Knowing how big a football state Tasmania is, it'll be really sad for that to be lost.' Originally published as 'Politics in front of people': Great in awe of 'powerful words' as boss explains roadblock to Devils' stadium alternative
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Politics in front of people': Great in awe of ‘powerful words' as boss explains roadblock to Devils' stadium alternative
Devils chief executive Brendon Gale says the 'no stadium, no team' condition for Tasmania's AFL entry remains crucial, stressing Hobart and Launceston's major venues are still 'not fit' to 'underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. Gale on Fox Footy's AFL 360 on Tuesday night remained defiant his club was still 'on track' to enter the AFL in 2028, despite a state government bombshell this week casting doubt over the Devils' future. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday morning was hit with a no-confidence motion, which will continue to be debated in state parliament on Thursday. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Opposition leader Dean Winter, who filed the no-confidence motion, wrote to AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon amid the parliamentary chaos on Wednesday and reaffirmed the Labor Party's support for the new Macquarie Point stadium build and the Devils' entry into the AFL. But Winter's move was based off claims the Rockliff Government had mismanaged the state's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed stadium. Should Rockliff fail to stave off the no-confidence motion, it's possible Tasmania will be pushed to a snap election, which could derail the new stadium plans and put the 19th AFL licence in jeopardy. The AFL on Wednesday reiterated it remained steadfast that a 'clear requirement' for Tasmania's inclusion is 'a new 23,000 seat roofed stadium at Macquarie Point'. That agreement is between the AFL and the state government, with the stadium needing to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. Premiership Brisbane Lions coach – and Tasmanian football hall of fame legend – Chris Fagan said the AFL 'should let the team come in and then sort the stadium out' in the long-term, saying the Devils should just 'use facilities that are available' in Launceston and Hobart. 'It would be such a tragedy if the team itself doesn't go ahead because there wasn't a new stadium when there are other football fields down there that AFL footballers currently play on,' Fagan told the Herald Sun. 'The surfaces are fantastic. 'But I think it is only a noisy minority who don't want it (new stadium) anyway. The vast majority of Tasmanians I think do want it. 'Once you have the team in there, then these things become easier.' When asked on Fox Footy's AFL 360 if the 'no team, no stadium' policy to introduce Tassie was 'too ambitious' and that 'too many stumbling blocks' had been placed in front of the key stakeholders, Gale said: 'No, I just think it's been a difficult concept to explain. 'Firstly, there's no good time to build a stadium around the world. They're always big and they're expensive, and there's always a whole range of other priorities … Whether it's Adelaide or Perth Stadium, they're difficult to get through and get popular support. 'I guess that's compounded by the fact that people in Tasmania think: 'Well, we've got two perfectly good stadiums in Hobart and Launceston, why can't we just have those?' And they're reasonable stadiums and they've been fit for purpose. But they're not fit for the purpose of providing sustainable commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis. 'It's hard to explain in seven or 10 seconds, but once you do have the time and space to explain, you know, why it is important – and then also the whole range of other benefits that will be created and will be unlocked – people tend to come around. But it's not easy.' The anguish of the impact of the political turmoil on the Devils was personified on Wednesday by club general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact Kath McCann – the Devils' longest-serving official – who broke down in tears at a press conference. 'This club is powered by our future generations, by our kids and by our grandkids,' a teary McCann said. 'It's an opportunity to bring this state together, it's an opportunity to create pathways. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day — and they will keep doing that and we're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' Premiership Eagle Will Schofield was blown away by McCann's passion and 'powerful words'. 'This is more than just a footy club. This is something for an entire state, an entire generation of Tasmanians coming up behind it,' Schofield told Fox Sports News' AFL Tonight. 'It's a real instance of politics getting in front of people. This is a move that's going to change the state – and the football followers specifically in Tasmania, the people. So whether it be adults now or kids in future generations, being able to put this stadium together and this team together, it's more than just a game of footy. 'The cheques and balances will get done, but what's really sad is it seems like politics is getting in front of the people – of which I think a lot want this stadium and this team to come through. 'Knowing how big a football state Tasmania is, it'll be really sad for that to be lost.'
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Tassie Devils CEO Brendon Gale responds to AFL club's ‘giant mess'
Tassie Devils chief executive Brendon Gale put on a brave face on Wednesday evening amid explosive reports the expansion AFL club is fighting for survival. While a 'very optimistic' Gale spoke confidently about the club being 'on track' and even ahead of schedule, he did float the possibility the club's controversial stadium – if it does go ahead – may not be ready to launch in 2028. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The AFL's 19th franchise went public with a plea to state government figures after Tasmanian Labor on Tuesday filed a no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff. The extraordinary development means Tasmanians could be heading back to the polls if another election is called. The move comes amid allegations the Rockliff Government has mismanaged the Apple Isle's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium. That's the venue the Devils hope to call home when they enter the AFL in 2028. Rockliff has been one of the emerging football club's strongest supporters — even in a climate where there has been widespread anger towards the planned $1 billion stadium. Kath McCann, the Devils' general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact, on Wednesday broke down in tears at a press conference. Pressure is seemingly building on the club's entry to the competition, but 56-year-old Tasmanian Gale adopted a confident tone when he discussed the precarious situation on AFL 360. 'There's some uncertainty around the leadership of government and … there's a vote of no confidence in the premier,' he began. 'But as far as we're concerned, it's business as usual. 'We're getting on with the business, we have to, of building an organisation and building teams. 'Clearly our existence is conditioned upon the delivery of a stadium and that's an agreement between the AFL and the state government and that stadium needs to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. 'That process is underway at the moment and that process will run its course, that hasn't changed. 'There's some uncertainty around leadership and maybe the composition of parliament, but that really hasn't changed. 'We've just got to get on with the job and controlling things we can control.' The AFL has always maintained a Tasmanian team entering the AFL was dependant on a new stadium being built in Hobart. The Macquarie Point project has been highly divisive right from the start and that was before estimated costs first began to blow out from an initial figure of $755 million. It was revealed last month the total cost of the project has blown out to at least $945 million. The Tasmanian state government has pledged $375 million towards the roofed, harbour-front stadium, while the federal government has committed to $240 million. The AFL body's $15 million contribution has also been made public, leaving more than over $300m remaining to be funded through state borrowings. Gale was asked if he felt any unease about the budget blowout. 'Not really,' he said. 'Sorry it's a significant amount of money, but I was aware, I had line of sight. 'And to be fair, when I saw the original quotes three years ago, anyone who's anyone involved in any form of construction or development would be aware of escalation rates the last three or four years. 'So that number was always skinny and always going to be a bigger number. 'It's a big cost, but it's a huge investment, it's a really important investment and it's an investment the government has deemed to be worth making. 'We need as a state to continue to invest in growth.' Gale then talked through the obstacles facing the club in relation to the stadium and the Tasmanian government. 'At the moment it's on track,' he said. 'It's in parliament now, the legislation which enables the whole development is in parliament and it's been debated and scrutinised. 'It'll need to clear the Lower House and enter the Upper House in late July and if it's cleared, the government walks away with a set of planning approvals really. 'In that respect, were that to take place, it's probably ahead of course. 'It may not be ready by round one, 2028, but there's a process to accommodate that as well. 'As soon as possible is best for us and the AFL and the Tasmanian community, but it's on track.' Gale remains confident the club will proceed as planned, regardless of who leads the state, declaring it has 'broadbase political support'. He also emphasised the opportunity the Devils can provide. 'It's not about football, it's about the potential to lift this whole state, and we believe in that,' he said. 'You just saw the response of Kath McCann, it's a responsibility that sits heavily with us.' An emotional McCann had to compose herself before addressing the media earlier on Wednesday. 'This club is powered by future generations,' she said. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day and they will keep doing that. 'We're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' The football club also released a media statement confessing the political turbulence is threatening the club's survival. Leading Tasmanian sport journalist Brent Costelloe on Tuesday night told Channel 9 it is a 'giant mess'. The ABC's Chris Rowbottom also described the precarious position the club finds itself in on X. 'Tasmania's AFL license hangs by the barest of threads,' Rowbottom posted. 'There's an acceptance that an early election spells the end of any stadium, including alternate proposals, and the Devils.' He earlier reported there was a widely held view the 'Devils will be dead' if a state election is called. Gale spoke at length about the difficulties in convincing Tasmanians of the stadium proposal, describing them as 'always big, they're expensive and there's always a whole range of other priorities'. He also said existing stadiums in Hobart and Launceston aren't 'fit for the purpose of providing a sustainable, commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. But the former Richmond player and chief executive reiterated his confidence in the project moving forward. 'Recent events might create some more uncertainty, but no I think parliament is very supportive,' he said. 'Even this motion brought in the last 24 hours, wasn't about football or about the stadium, it was about some budgetary concerns, but I guess it sparked this chain reaction. 'So I'm confident the more people in the community understand the importance of the stadium, how it's critical to meet the commercial, financial requirements of a team in the biggest sporting competition in Australia, the more they understand how it will unlock a whole range of other financial, economic, social, cultural benefits, the more people are open to changing their minds and supporting of it.
