Updated ,first published
In today’s AFL Briefing, your wrap of footy news:
- Mason Redman has spoken about the Bombers’ horror display against the Dockers.
- The AFL has announced the list establishment rules for the Tasmania Devils.
- Hawthorn won’t play home matches in Tasmania from the end of 2027.
Tasmania list establishment rules finalised
Peter Ryan
Tasmania will have priority access for their first 10 national drafts to the sons of AFL players who were born in the Apple Isle and played 100 matches under list establishment rules finalised on Tuesday.
The generous concessions will only fuel the growing debate about access to talent, with clubs anchored at the bottom of the ladder concerned about the impact Tasmania’s entry will have on their lists.
The father-son rule means the Tasmania-born Nick Riewoldt’s sons would be eligible to become father-son recruits for either the Saints or the Devils.
Players born in Tasmania who have played 100 AFL matches also include Fremantle club captain Alex Pearce, Geelong premiership player Jake Kolodjashnij, Collingwood premiership player Brody Mihocek, and Richmond great and Nick’s cousin Jack Riewoldt (who retired in 2023).
The new team will also have father-son access to 200-game Tasmanian State League players for the next 30 seasons. Jack Avent and Brad Cox-Goodyer are two players who recently reached the 200-game milestone in the Tasmanian State League. Cox-Goodyer plays VFL with Tasmania.
The Devils, who are due to start in the AFL in 2028, will also be able to pre-select eligible Tasmanian-based players from their academy ahead of the drafts held in 2027-2030.
They will also be able to pre-select players who meet the same eligibility criteria after the first round in the 2031-32 national drafts, before such players enter the normal bidding system for academy graduates.
The list-establishment rules are aimed to make Tasmania a competitive team from the start and have been modelled on the concessions given to the Suns and the Giants when they entered the AFL in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
They include the capacity to pre-list 17-year-olds ahead of the national draft, access to 18 uncontracted players from AFL clubs who are not otherwise free agents, a sign-on bonus of $5 million to be spent over two seasons, two mini-drafts, and stable list sizes which mean the club won’t be forced to delist players so early in their build as the Suns were when they entered the competition.
Players such as the Lions’ Logan Morris, Collingwood’s Beau McCreery, Richmond’s Sam Lalor, Adelaide’s Izak Rankine and Melbourne’s Blake Howes are out of contract at the end of 2027. Clubs who lose uncontracted players receive a compensation pick in return.
The Devils will also have selections one, three, five, seven, nine , 11, 13 in the 2027 national draft and the first pick of each subsequent round that year. Selections five, seven , 11 and 13 must be traded. In 2028, they will have selections five and nine and a pick at the start of each round in addition to their natural draft hand. They also have access to the first three selections in the 2027 rookie draft.
They will also have access to players from their VFL team (they have promised to rookie at least two players from that squad) and players who nominate for the draft but are not selected.
The AFL updated their draft rules earlier this year to make clubs pay a higher price for father-son and academy talent through the draft.
‘He’s the man for the job’: Redman throws his support behind Brad Scott
Scott Spits
Mason Redman says the Bombers will bounce back hard in Friday night’s Dreamtime clash against the Tigers after his side’s woeful start against the Dockers on Sunday that he described as “not up to AFL standard” and which attracted a stinging bake from coach Brad Scott.
Fremantle opened that game by waltzing clear for goals from the first two centre clearances, eventually winning by 43 points in a result that was never in doubt.
“The contest is the non-negotiable part of it and … in the first quarter, nowhere near where it needed to be,” Scott said afterwards as the Bombers slumped to a 1-9 record with matches against the lowly Richmond, West Coast and Carlton in the next three rounds.
Broadcast cameras on Sunday picked up Scott’s savage address to the Bombers at quarter-time. Redman said his “message got through”.
“He put it on us, and the boys went out there – led off the back of the midfield [and changed our approach]. They got cracking and the rest of us followed suit,” the hard-nosed defender said on Tuesday.
In the post-match on Sunday, Redman told ABC radio that the Bombers “got found out”.
“Early in the game we were not up to AFL standard in the contest, well, not up to any standard to be honest,” Redman said.
“It’s just so disappointing, if you don’t bring that [hard approach] from the first bounce, particularly on a day like today when it’s a contest day against a quality side like Freo, you get found out, and we got found out.”
Essendon and the injury-ravaged Tigers will clash at the MCG both off a five-day break. Therefore, Redman said there wasn’t much the players could do physically in preparation.
“Obviously today in the meeting we got to see a lot of the footage that I was talking about, mainly in the first quarter,” Redman said.
“Post the first quarter, I think our numbers stacked up.
“I stand by what I said [on Sunday] – like [in] the first quarter, our contest work wasn’t up to scratch.
“I think we got beaten by 13 in contested possessions, and when you do that against the quality side like Fremantle, you saw what comes from that on the scoreboard.”
Club legend Matthew Lloyd warned the Bombers are in “crisis”, outlining concerns over Scott’s future as coach in a crucial time for the beleaguered club.
But Redman was adamant that the fourth-year Essendon coach Scott, who also coached more than 200 games at North Melbourne, was “the man for the job”.
“I think, as players, we’ve never wavered off the track we’re on – obviously performances haven’t necessarily been at the level that we’ve wanted them to be this year, sitting at 1-9,” he said.
“But Brad fills us with belief week-in, week-out. And, yeah, he’s the man for the job.
“That’s how I see it.”
Essendon chief executive Tim Roberts would not answer questions about Scott’s future should the Bombers slump to a 1-12 record.
“I’m not into speculation,” Roberts told Channel Seven on Tuesday night.
“Our focus at the moment is to continue to build and develop our players.
“That’s not going to happen overnight. We’ve set a strategy, and we’re going to stick to it.
“Brad is part of the strategy. He’s totally aligned. From where I sit, absolutely, Brad Scott is going to be our coach [in 2027].”
This masthead reported on Monday that former captain and star player Zach Merrett was again weighing up his future at Tullamarine, with rival clubs increasingly of the belief the midfield star will seek a trade at season’s end after last year’s failed push to join Hawthorn.
Last year, Redman expressed his disappointment ahead of the trade period of Merrett’s push to join Hawthorn while contracted at Essendon.
When asked on Tuesday if he was aware of the fresh report, the 28-year-old Redman said: “I haven’t seen anything.
“I’m sure Zach will cross that bridge when he gets to it.”
Pressed on whether the club was confident they could again keep the 30-year-old, six-time Crichton medallist Merrett, Redman said: “Yeah, of course, he’s a contracted player. I’d imagine that we would be looking to keep him.”
Later on Tuesday, Merrett reiterated that he understood the club’s predicament – the Bombers are in a rebuilding phase, a message that was given to him during the trade period.
“We’re obviously a win-loss industry, and I play to win games of footy, but I was very much aware clearly through the trade period [and] off the back end [of that] where the club was at,” Merrett said on Fox Footy.
“It was clear that it was rebuilding and backing-in the draft.”
Asked if Essendon’s situation was “enough” for him, Merrett said: “That’s sort of where I am now.
“That’s sort of what it is. I’m going to make the most of my current situation, and where I’m at and where the club’s at,” he said.
“I still feel like it’s a big responsibility, and I have an ownership to make sure I deliver on that – to give those kids every opportunity to be successful Essendon players for the long haul.”
Friday’s Dreamtime clash could potentially feature only one Indigenous player – Essendon’s Jade Gresham (if he’s selected) – with Richmond’s Maurice Rioli sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Gresham could return to the Bombers’ line-up after playing five AFL matches earlier this season.
He lamented the low number of Indigenous players across the AFL, highlighting that some of the programs he took part in as a teenager are no longer available.
“Every year it’s declining. I think we need to do a lot in the AFL, in the industry, to get that back up,” he said.
“I think there’s a lot of talent out there. We just need to find it and get some of these programs back in for Indigenous boys and girls.
“I think a lot of the programs I did coming up as a 15, 16, 17-year-old, aren’t there any more.
“I think they really paved the way for myself – a stepping stone into the AFL.”
‘Kicked out of home’: Hawks to lose Tassie fortress so Devils can take over
Hannah Kennelly, Sam McClure
The AFL has booted Hawthorn from playing home matches in Tasmania from the end of 2027, as the league prepares for the Tasmania Devils’ entry into the competition the following year.
Ahead of Thursday’s home game at Launceston’s York Park (known as UTAS Stadium) against the Crows, Hawks coach Sam Mitchell expressed his club’s disappointment about the end of their 26-year tenancy at the ground.
“It feels like we’ve sort of been kicked out of a home,” Mitchell said.
“I understand it, I guess, from the AFL’s perspective, but for the Launceston people in particular [it’s disappointing].
“It’s easy to group all of Tassie together, but really we’ve spent the vast majority of our time in Launceston, and we love our time there and are enormously disappointed that we won’t get the opportunity to continue to be part of that community.”
The Hawks first played at the venue in 2001, and – outside of the COVID-19-interrupted 2020 season – have played at least one game there every season since, averaging four games per season in recent years. In total, their record at the ground stands at 87 games for 66 wins, 20 losses and a draw; an emphatic winning percentage of 76.4 per cent.
But on Tuesday, the AFL – in a decision endorsed by its commission – confirmed Hawthorn would “transition out of playing home matches” in Tasmania by the end of next year, so that the Tasmania Devils could start their life in the AFL in 2028 with clear air.
“With the Tasmania Devils entering the AFL competition in 2028, it is appropriate that the Devils become the primary focus for football in the state, giving Tasmanians their own team to support on the national stage,” AFL chief operating officer Tom Harley said in a statement.
As a player in Hawthorn’s 2008, 2013, 14 and 15 premiership teams, Mitchell played 41 of his 329 career games at Launceston, and took part in his club’s post-grand final celebrations in the city.
Hawthorn guernseys are emblazoned with Tasmanian branding under a sponsorship deal with the state’s government that will net the club about $5 million a year in 2026 and 2027. The AFL is yet to indicate if the club will be compensated for losing that sponsorship, but further conversations are expected to happen this week.
“We’ve still got seven games to go, so we’ll do our best to show them [the people of Launceston] how much they mean to us on Thursday night,” Mitchell said at his weekly media conference.
“We love playing there, we do feel like we have a little bit of an advantage. But those games, I assume some of them at least will be taken back to the MCG, and we’re pretty comfortable playing there, and for the Melbourne fans that will be great; for the Tassie fans, obviously not so much.”
Harley acknowledged the Hawks’ connection to Tasmania.
“Hawthorn and Tasmania have shared a long and successful partnership over many years, one that has delivered significant benefits for the state, the club, the AFL and, most importantly, Hawthorn fans across Tasmania, particularly in Launceston,” he said.
“The AFL acknowledges and thanks the Hawthorn Football Club for its outstanding contribution to footy in Tasmania, and for the role it has played in growing the game and building connection with the Tasmanian and Launceston communities.
Thursday’s game against Kuwarna (Adelaide) will be Hawthorn’s second in Launceston this season, with further games to follow in round 17 against Melbourne and round 21 against North Melbourne.
In a statement, Hawthorn said they were extremely disappointed in the AFL’s decision to “force an end to our relationship” with Launceston and northern Tasmania post 2027.
“The club put forward a strong argument that it should continue to play games in Launceston into the future,” the club said.
“Over the past 25 years, Hawthorn have made a significant contribution to the strong foundations of AFL football in Tasmania, with an undeniable benefit to the Launceston and Tasmanian economy, strong attendance at AFL games and a loyal following of Tasmanian members.
“Our removal will have a material impact on the club, both on and off the field.”
Hawthorn thanked their Tasmanian fans and members but said they would aim to return their games to Melbourne.
The AFL and the Tasmanian government remain adamant the Devils will enter the AFL in 2028, despite some concerns around the construction of Tasmania’s controversial Macquarie Point stadium.
Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.
Sam McClure is an award-winning AFL journalist and broadcaster.Connect via X or email.
