- Bids prepared as AFL considers establishing 20th team
- It comes as Tasmanian Devils will be the 19th franchise in 2028
- Location outside the heart of football has thrown its hat into the ring
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Expansion in the AFL could happen faster than many football fans anticipate, and Canberra may end up being a surprising choice as the league’s 20th franchise.
With the Tasmanian Devils set to join the competition in 2028, the likes of Norwood in South Australia, the Northern Territory and a ‘Perth consortium’ are set to launch bids alongside the ACT.
The nation’s capital already boasts full-time sporting organizations such as the Raiders (NRL) and Brumbies (Super Pacific Rugby), and prominent figures behind the scenes are also believed to be eyeing an AFL team in the long term.
Norwood, a powerhouse club competing in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), will host two AFL matches during this weekend’s Gather Round.
After their attempt to join the AFL was overlooked in the 1990s, the ‘Redlegs’ believe they have already been.
Expansion in the AFL could happen faster than many football fans think (pictured, Tasmania Devils jersey, with the club joining the competition in 2028)
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon stressed that “expansion must be done in a sustainable way”
They also have the renowned local companies Wolf Blass and Coopers as main sponsors.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said he was aware of the club’s interest in securing a 20th licence.
“They have a great ground, a great history and are doing great things in the SANFL,” he said.
“I think a lot of people like even numbers, but there’s nothing that says it’s necessary (to have 20 teams).
“What we (AFL) want to do, if we expand… we want to do it in a sustainable way.”
Dillon also added that the focus of the code is to ensure the Tasmanian Devils are ready to hit the ground running before entering the competition.
The club is understood to already have a staggering 170,000 members.