It was another big edition of The Devil's Advocate with Brent Costelloe. He was joined by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and Robert Shaw.
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The Devil's Advocate Full Show (01/07/24)
(upbeat music) - Right across Tasmania on SCM Tassie. This is the Devil's Advocate with Brent Castella. Follow us online at SCM Tassie and text anytime. 0 4 3 7, double 5 2 5 3 5. - We've had to work hard to get our AFL license haven't we? For many, many years we did all we could to take our rightful place in the national competition. My favorite quote is this one from the late great Michael Kent, who pushed our case for so long. - I don't think they can continue to leave Tasmania out. It's a bit like leaving Greece out of the Olympic Games. - Our first real push came in the early 1980s when Alan Ailott visited the state for a series of meetings. At that point he was a VFL chairman. I spoke to him about it years later for a story I compiled for wind news. - I don't think it's really got to the throwing up contracts and signing on the dotted line. But there was pretty opportunity for it to happen. - But most of the time we ran into dead ends and it appeared those in charge at the AFL simply told us what we wanted to hear. Here's Ross Oakley. - There's probably only going to be a small window of opportunity when it comes, if it comes. - Once he left, Wayne Jackson had this to say. There is some attraction to the Sydney market, to another licence for the AFL, but we would anticipate that being post the Olympic Games. The Tasmanian proposal is certainly more advanced than any other. - Andrew Demetrieu then took on the top job. - I've always said that if there's another team down the track, our next cab off the rank would be Tasmania logically. - And of course there was Gillen McLachlan. - I'd love the Tasmanian to have an AFL team. I've said that before. - That's what I've said also, as I think Tasmanians deserve their own team. - One person that got sick of hearing excuses was former Premier Peter Gutwin. During the height of the COVID pandemic, he stood up to the AFL. - Quite frankly, I don't think is good enough. We're a football state. The AFL should be treating us with more respect. We will not finalise the arrangements for the next contract with Hawthorne or North Melbourne until we have clarity from the AFL in terms of our own licence. - And it was a move that worked to the point where on May 3rd last year, the state's long-awaited dream finally came true. - There are big days and then there are really big days. For our national game of Australian rules for ball and for the state of Tasmania, this feels really big, historic. - Of course the AFL has put a new CEO in place since then and for a wide-ranging chat on all things Tasmanian football, Andrew Dillon will be my very special guest here in the studio on today's edition of The Devil's Advocate. ♪ The Devil's Five ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ - Here's AFL CEO Andrew Dillon isn't too far away. My other feature guest on the show today is Tasmanian football royalty. It's former VFL AFL player and coach Robert Shaw, who I'm really looking forward to having a deep dive into all things football with. Thanks to our friends at Batrewell, we'll also whip around the country to see how our Tasmanian players fared in their respective competitions over the weekend. That's all coming up for you on a very big edition of The Devil's Advocate over the next hour. ♪ The Devil's Advocate ♪ - Right across Tasmania on SCM Tassie. This is The Devil's Advocate with Brent Castello. Follow us online at SCM Tassie and text anytime. Go for 37, double five, two, five, three, five. - Welcome back to the show. My first guest today is one of the most powerful people in Australian sport. Andrew Dillon was first employed by the AFL in the year 2000 as its legal counsel. Since then, he's gone on to act in several positions, including general manager of legal and business affairs, general manager of national and game development, general manager of legal integrity and compliance, and executive general manager of football operations. Then last year he was promoted to the organization's biggest job of all when he replaced Gilliam McLaughlin as CEO. - Football's been a defining part of my life. As it has for so many of our supporters and it's a privilege and an honor to be given the opportunity to lead the AFL. Every touch point in 40 should be positive and memorable. From a parent signing a kid up to Oski for the first time, to a player being drafted or an umpire to booing on a Saturday afternoon in community footy. Our game connects with so many and I'm gonna be driven to ensure we continue to make all of these moments unforgettable. It's really important and I can't stress it enough that we are a game for everyone. A game that isn't will remain accessible, affordable and safe, and a game where everyone feels welcome. I've been so fortunate to be involved at footy at so many levels throughout my life. From my first game as a five year old in an under 10's match at the Grange Road Reserve. Right through to junior club and school football. I umpire, albeit not very well in the old HDJFL during my high school years and then I played to community football for 16 years at a senior level. I've run an Oski Center, I've been an assistant coach at senior level for the old Zabs and I coach junior girls 40 at the Q comments for five years. It's not lost on me, the responsibility I have to the greatest game in the world and I want everyone to know I will always put the game first. There's certainly great words to hear if you're a passionate footy fan, Andrew Dillon, speaking there on May 1st last year when he was appointed to the top job. And I'm pleased to say he's sitting opposite me right now. I know you're a very busy man, Andrew. So thanks so much for giving up some of your time for us here on The Devil's Advocate. - Yeah, great to be here on The Devil's Advocate. - The brand officially came to life in March. How do you feel about it all a few months on? - Look, it's been a, it's been a bit of a whirlwind to be honest and the take up and the feedback and everything that the clubs got and then the AFL by extension from the launch of the brand but even going back another year to the announcement on the license has been nothing short of incredible and above and beyond any of the expectations that we ever had. - We've been pushing for years and years for a Tasmanian team. What changed the AFL HQ to get this done? - I think it was just, it was, I think you're right, it was just years and years of work and it was just persistence and then ultimately it was a force or it was a movement that became irresistible and so much hard work went into it. Years and years of people playing and advocating but then ultimately a business case that made sense to the AFL Commission, it made sense to the task force and which was led by Brett Godfrey, made sense for them to put it up to the AFL and then our other AD and clubs signing off on it. - How are the AD and clubs feeling about Tasmania's entry? - Yeah, I think they can see what Tasmania will bring to our competition and I think they'll add to it from the first day, they've added to it already. So I think our AD and clubs are, as excited, they'll have, it's another club for them to compete with but I think they see how important it's gonna be. - I think I'm right by saying you chased Brendan Gail pretty strongly to be your right-hand man at the AFL, once you got the top job, how do you feel about him coming into the CEO role here? - I think it's a great coup for the Tasmanian footy club and I think it's great for the AFL that Brendan's gonna stay involved in the industry, he's done incredible work at Richmond, delivered on every single thing that he said he would do and probably above and beyond that. And I think for a brand new club, albeit one with 150 years of history behind it, for them to be able to secure a CEO of his standing is fantastic and I look at it from an AFL point of view, how good? - I guess a big thing you need to work on is draft picks and things like that for the list build for Tasmania, are you close to finalizing that or has that still been worked on pretty hard behind the scenes? - I think that's been worked pretty hard behind the scenes. I know when Brendan gets his feet under the desk, it'll be one of the things that he's really focused on and I think one of the attractions for him for this role was the ability to shape the club in all areas and I think the playing list and how they set up is gonna be really important. So there's a fair bit of work to do there but yeah, we've done it before, it's a few years ago back now with the Giants and the Gold Coast but lots of learnings from that and I'm sure they'll play their way through. - Obviously Macquarie Point Stadium is a big key for our full license being granted. Are you really happy with how things are progressing with that? - Yeah, there's a process that's in place now but there's a power of work that's going on in relation to design at the moment. I'm really looking forward to seeing how that comes out and then the posse process will play itself out but I've said it a few times today but we're really excited about the team and about the stadium and it'll be incredible for the Tazzy Devils but I think having a stadium at Macquarie Point will be so additive for Hobart but also all of Tasmania. - You've just come from the site now. - Do you look around and imagine what it's going to be like in five, six years time? - Yeah, I mean creativity wasn't probably my strong point never has been but to be able to sit there, you can get a bit of an idea of what it might look like and to be able to walk from the CBD down in a couple of minutes reminds me, sort of reminds me of Adelaide Oval except it's probably a lot closer so it's got a bit of Marvel stadium. It's got a little bit of the best of all of our stadium in terms of the position and I can't wait to see what it's going to look like. - Mac 2.0 has been around the surface for a little while. Could we put a line officially through that? - If it hasn't been already, you can definitely do that. - Okay, okay. Good to know. There's obviously some timelines that need to be met as well in relation to playing the first game there in 2029 so a year at Bluntson and Utah's stadium but are you confident that can be done? The build of a stadium is a pretty big job but you're pretty happy with the timeline at the moment. - Yeah, look, the process is complex designing a stadium's complex and then building it's the same thing but we are confident that all the timelines that are in the agreement that we've got with the Tasmanian government are still going to be able to be here. - What about the people that say we've got a perfectly good stadium at Bluntson arena? Why can't we just use that rather than build a new stadium? Can you do the self-foruses to why we need a new stadium? - Look, I mean, yeah, Bluntson, Bell Reeve is a great stadium and it's been a good stadium for North Melbourne and also for Tasmanian cricket over a number of years but, you know, our fans, our AFL fans and the fans of the Tassie Devils and the fans of our AFL clubs will be coming down whether it's, you know, West Coast and Freo or Collingwood, Carlton, Messon and Richmond. The stadium that they're used to going to like the MCG and Marvel, like Optus Stadium, like Adelaide Overlau. These are stadiums that are some of the best in the world and yes, there's a great heritage in history with Bell Reeve or Bluntson but what we need for the Tassie Devils to come in and be successful. And I think what Hobart and Tassie needs is a stadium that's state of the art uniquely Tasmanian and I think what I'm hearing and what I'm hoping to see is something that will be like that. And when you have a stadium like that, a city the size of Hobart, a state the size of Tasmania, you want to be able to attract the big events. You don't want to have to always go over the mainland if you want to see a concert. And I think that's going to be really important for the stadium as well. And that's what that will bring to Hobart and Tasmania. - Andrew Dillon, the AFL CEO is my guest on the Devil's Advocate. I think Andrew, there's a perception by some here in Tasmania that the AFL are these big bullies from the mainland and come down and say we want this and we want that, is that fair? - No, I don't think it is fair. And in fact, the negotiation and where the AFL and the Tassie government ended up in relation to the introduction of the Tassie, who are now the Tassie Devils was a really robust negotiation and where we ended up, say, for instance with the stadium, that was, it was part of the business case for the club. But that was a business case that was originated by the Tassie task force who were working with the Tassie government. So in some ways it was almost the club coming to the AFL saying we need a stadium like this. And if we do that, then the business case for us stands up and the AFL negotiating with the Tassie government and accepting it. So, look, we are really excited about the team coming in. But we're, you know, great partners with the Tasmanian government. And what we're really happy with is that we've got a great board of the Tassie Devils now and they've got, you know, and now they're going to have one of the best CEOs in the competition. - $360 million from the AFL is wrapped up in the deal with Tasmania. Is that money started filtering through yet? - Yeah, we've started investing, or we've been investing in Tassie for a while, but that additional investment's starting to hit, you know, community and talent pathways in Tasmania now. And we're starting to see already, I think, the fruits of that and whether it's the investment or whether it's just the fact that the Tassie Devils are coming into the competition. We've got the boys and girls teams in the coach league, the boys a second on the ladder, the girls a third. I understand there's a really strong under 16s and under 15 boys teams that are coming through from Tasmania. I think that's all, I think, a part of the investment that we've made, but I think it's also part of the excitement that, you know, the young boys and girls now can sort of see and feel and almost touch that elite team that's going to be representing Tasmania in the national competition. And I think, you know, there's so many things to be excited about and look forward to, but the Tassie Devils will be so unique in our competition because it'll be a one club, one state team and there's no one else who's got that. And I think that provides so many opportunities for the club, but also for AFL-TAS Mania for them to be able to work so closely together and be so aligned to grow 40 at the elite level for AFL and AFL-W, but also from, you know, Oz kick all the way through. - There's a bit of talk and a perception that players won't want to come here and, you know, the little Tassie blah, blah, blah. Do you think that's a bit of a myth and do you think will be a pretty hot place to come for jobs for people in the industry? - Well, if the number of people who've come to me and also I know who've come to Brandon since he got his role is any indication, I think we'll be knocking people back for admin roles, coaching roles. And I think there will be a seriously strong cohort of players who will see an opportunity here to be part of something really special, playing in a great stadium in Hobart, but also up in, you know, a redeveloped Utah's stadium in Launceston, which will be great. And also a high performance center that's gonna be brand new and as good as anything in the competition. - What about the lessons we can learn from GWS in the Gold Coast century into the competition? Can you run us through something we need to get right that maybe they didn't do so well? - Well, I think from the things that we can control at the AFL, which something we touched on before, which is those list rules. I think what we want, what the competition wants, and I'm sure what the fans of the Tassie Devils will want is a team that's competitive from day one. So I think as we look at how that list is built and the draft concessions that are provided and access to players, I think that will be something that we'll look at is a team that can be competitive from day dot. - A couple more before I let you go. There's a bit of talk here in local footy with the state league finishing up at the end of the season. A couple of clubs in the north that are a bit hesitant about going back to regional footy. What's your message to them? And is it the right thing to be doing, getting rid of the statewide league? - Look, this is a piece of work that's being going on for a fair bit of time. I think particularly with Tassie being part of that, the league up there, the NTFA. And I think that's great for footy and Tasmania. And we want as many boys and girls, men and women to be able to play and to be playing at the highest level you can. And I think for next year, 2025, we'll be in your regional competitions. But for the top end of that talent, there'll be the VFL side look forward to in 2026. And I think we'll also have, I don't want to get ahead of anything, but I think what has been really good the last couple of years in Tassie is that rep footy against AFL Queensland, which we had last weekend, game against AFL, New South Wales in a couple of weeks. And maybe an enhanced rep program might be part of 2025 for us. - This is a team people have been waiting decades for. Do you feel the pressure yourself to get this right from day one? - Yeah, yeah, a little bit, but I think it's a great thing to be involved in. No, and I feel absolutely fortunate for my tenure, part of my tenure at the AFL will be in my role, will be bringing about or helping with the establishment of the Tassie Devils and being there in 2028 seeing him play their first game. - And just finally, what's the biggest challenge you think we need to overcome ahead of 2028? - For the Tassie Devils, I'd look, I think they're numerous. I wouldn't want to pick one because it's, I mean, I think it is, what it is is it's a really tough competitive competition. So, and I'm not just, I know no one would be underestimating it, but things are all looking really good. But there will be, there'll be twists and turns along the way. So, just everyone, come along for the ride. It's going to be really great. - Andrew Dillon, great to see you in Tasmania. I think we'll see a bit more of you in the coming years. So, yeah, great to see you again. And thanks so much for joining us here on The Devil's Advocate. - Yeah, thanks for having me, Brenton. Thank you so much for all your support of The Devil's, we really appreciate it. - My absolute pleasure. Thanks, Andrew. Andrew Dillon joining us in the studio for The Devil's Advocate today. We're off to our next break. Right after this, we're coming back with Tasmanian football royalty when Robert Shaw joins us here on The Devil's Advocate. ♪ The Devil's Advocate ♪ ♪ Right across Tasmania on SCM Tassie ♪ ♪ This is The Devil's Advocate ♪ ♪ With Brent Castella ♪ ♪ Follow us online at SCM Tassie and text anytime ♪ ♪ 0437 ♪ ♪ Double five, two, five, three, five ♪ - My next guest is Tasmanian footy royalty. He's a former VFL player and coach. It's Robert Shaw. Nice to see you, Rob. Nice to see you again. - Thanks for having me. - This is exciting. We're talking about a Tasmanian AFL team. Can you quite believe it? - Well, we've done it a bit and I'm still like recovering that I've come off the bench after Andrew Dillon, sort of, I thought I might be starting, but that's okay. It's all right. Do you have a high five on the way out the door? - Yeah, I did. - Hey, we'll talk about Tassie AFL team in a minute, but let's talk about you, first of all. You've had an unbelievable journey in football. - Do you sit back and reflect on that over time? - Yeah, I was very lucky that I think bringing up in a football family, the Sandy Bay family through mum and dad, and then having my first coach when I was at school, Rodney Olson, and then to be able to play with idols, like Roger Steele, Kerry Doron, Barry Joyce, et cetera, really did cement my passion for the game. And then, of course, the unexpected happened and I went to Essenen, and that, of course, opened up all sorts of possibilities and doors and moving to Melbourne, which at that time at 16, 17, was a pretty big issue. - So when you say unexpected, what do you mean by that? Did you not know you were going to end up there or? - I didn't know it was good enough, and when I left, I was about six foot one and 11 and a half stone, a half-word flanker, at Sandy Bay, going to play over there. Mum was particularly concerned, quite rightly, I was still at school, and she said, it was Dez Tudnam, and she said to Dez, I don't think he's ready, and Dez said, look, we'll give you another $1,000 and dad in the background yelled out, "What time does the plane leave?" So, a Tim's grandfather, yeah, so, Bert E got me on the plane and a lot of injuries, that was unexpected, I wasn't sure whether I could match it over there, but when I did settle down, I found that when I wasn't injured, I was played, but in the end of '26, I'd had enough, I'd had nine operations, and Kevin Sheedy gave me opportunity to watch opposition, to watch opposition in 1983, the year before I came to Clarence, and I'd report in and do all the tactics and all that sort of thing, and then, of course, I got a hunger for coaching and no leery ring map and said I'm giving it away, there's a good club down here at Clarence, would you like to, you know, cut your teeth, and of course, it also allowed me, after a year out of '83, it allowed me to also fit in a very good team, and without a lot of pressure on me, like I had Chris Rewalt, Sennar Ford, Scotty Adams, Robert Dutton, like Greg Farquhart, Sennarff back, and Noel at Fallback, so it allowed me to play and contribute, which was great, but it also allowed me to not have to, and I'll say this the right way, it allowed me not to have to win the game, it's the captain coach, others did that where I could coach on the ground, and it was a really good balance for us. Six games for Tasmania as well, across your career, must have been in such a joy to pull on the map, I know that what the map jumper means to you. - It was extraordinary, we stayed of origin, it was our first time we all came together, all, you know, the eads and Craig Davis, and the like, there's James, you know, it was just a great thing to be invited into state of origin, '79 and '80, and to represent, you know, the only disappointing thing was, and I know the players were very, very upset about it, we actually wore a version of the map, as you remember, with the Tasmanian, it's not a bad jumper, with the primrose stripes down the side, the traditional green, the colours were traditional, but it was a design for state of origin, and it didn't go over well, and I haven't got an actual state of origin jumper, I've got both of those jumpers, which is great, so I had to wait till I came back and played, played for Tezi against, in '84, when we played, I think, visiting Queensland and side, New South Wales, they played in that sort of, so, I've finally got my jumper. - Yeah, absolutely, yeah, it was wonderful, it was just great, and people talk about the rivalries, but north-west and all that, that's wonderful. And it's a great part of Tasmanian football, but I can tell you, once that jumper is put on, those rivalries go out the door, like I was at a great function at Glen Orkey, and through my great mates, you know, Danny Ling, Rolly Curly, Gary Linton, super rival, super competitive, you know, it was on out at KG5, but respected mates because we got the opportunity to play for Tasmania together. - Yeah, and that's what you also big on Tasmania's AFL team, wearing the map, you quite big on this, aren't you? - I'm big that up, not as big as I was, and I'll tell you why, because if you look at clubs now, like Tasmania, we will have, and off the top of my head, we will have a home, a jumper and a way jumper, we will have a class jumper, that's three, we will have an ANZAC jumper, we will have a Dreamtime jumper, I'm up to six, we will have a diversity pride engagement jumper, that's seven, so to people that worry, that's the nature of the game now. I want to see that jumper on a national stage, it deserves it for all the reasons, fabric, pride, history, and continuity with our kids playing in that jumper. I can, I'll balance myself back to it, look, I would be delighted, one game Tasmania versus Collingwood at the stadium, wear it, North Tasmania versus St Kilda for the Bulldog Stuart Cup, a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in that jumper, and maybe a game in Sydney to take that jumper, so I would like to take the jumper on tour, but I'm not absolutely hell-bent on it being every week, because it can't be, because of the nature of different type of jumpers. So if we got it four to six times a year on special occasions, let's make wearing that a special occasion. - Yeah, I don't mind that. - Yeah, you're right, there's a lot of different jumpers. - We have to wear them, we'll be designing jumpers every week, and there might be a, like Essen and through Adam Ramanaskis have the gold stripe on their shoulder, cancer recognition awareness, clubs have heritage jumpers, even though the heritage round has gone, so that way it comes down to practicalities of four to six times, so hand pick those games, hand pick them. - You live in Victoria these days, how is the feeling about Tasmania's entry on the mainland? - Yeah, family's there, Korea was there, you know, you wake up this morning, and I looked out the window, there's a beautiful covering of snow, not a lot, there's not a cloud in the sky, and you just wonder why the ignorance of people, why would you come and live here? Why would you play football there? How's that going to work? You need a roof because of the snow and the rain, no, you need a roof because you might actually get the rolling stones here or pink or indoor cricket, you might have the great passion. Imagine the jack jumpers playing in the stadium, I've done it at Marvel, they put the floor down, and as you know, more than I do, if it's 23 statey at 1,000 to watch the jack jumpers, there's tickets sold in five minute. - Big five, absolutely, yeah. - So it's a glorious part of the world, and I do miss it, but I've got my daughters and all that, and 12 grandkids in Melbourne, and in quite semi-retirement, but can't wait to get home, and can't wait to be somewhere involved in this, so, yeah. - And there's a lot of excitement about Tesla. - Well, that was to answer my quick, there is, and it's not just expats. I think Alistair Lynch on the board, as director of football, is doing an amazing job, a wonderful job in communicating and uniting, and bringing the expat players together. We've got a dinner, we've had one big dinner, with about 25 of us, board members, Henderson, all the players, and Lynchy and James Henderson got up, and they're providing respect to the past players, and we've got another one Thursday night at Southbank. - Oh, brilliant. - With another group of players, so we try and get together, and we're not after jobs, we're not after in pose, but we're there, if you want to pick up the phone, which they do, which Katha McCann's done, myself and Rodney Ead, James Henderson, Lynchy. So there's a really good line of communication between former state players and local players, and the new board. It's working really well. - Robert Shaw's my very special guest on the devil's advocate here in the studio. You were in St Helens, I think, on launch night back in March. Did you have a tear in your eye that night? - That was a fantastic function. One of, what I found with the launch and all that, you meet great people, and you understand what Jack Riwatt was attempting, not attempting to find out about the fabric of people, and that's why we do get a little bit upset by the naysayers and the negative people. I went to a function at Glonorky. Two years ago, Glonorky were nearly gone, as you know. There was 197 people there, this function. Me and Rodney Ead were there. There was a lot of Clarence people interacting. David Lewis brought a couple of tables. It was just a wonderful function. Football can be, it's not, but football can be alive and well, and this is the catalyst. I know there's a lot of work to do, and you know it more than I do, at grass roots, at State League. We're still discussing the State League and the three, all that. That's still ongoing, stadium, the high performance. There's a lot of debate on issues, but there is no debate on mainland passion, non-Tasmanians, they actually love the fact 'cause they're sick to death of the money going north. They're sick to death of what Gold Coast have got in promoting Northern states. And we are a very, very popular football team. No question about that. You've been a coach at the highest level before. What's the makings of a good coach and who do you think should be our inaugural coach here in Tasmania? That's a great question. And I'm with an emerging coach. I know our board and that are thinking the gray-haired people and all that sort of thing. It's hard to explain. Like, you've interviewed, let's not embarrass him, but let's use the Zane Little John model, Taylor Whitford, who's it right? Let's use their model. By the time our team comes in or the VFL team comes in, they're nearly 10 years into an apprenticeship. That we haven't just plucked them out in North Launceston. They've coached their own team. They've gone and done development. They've gone and done assistant coaching. They've done the whole model of an apprenticeship. And they will grow with the, this is the thing to me. They will grow with the team, with this young team. The older type, Clarkson, Hinkley, Chris Scott, Ross Lyon, et cetera, in their own right, superstar coaches. But in my opinion, they're not for Tasmania. They are not for Tasmania. We need an, and I'm not trying to be critical. I'm just using the two models and you ask me my opinion. And then you get an aide and a Fagan to support that. We have got serious talent. Jeremy Webley's doing a wonderful job. His, he'd make, he might make the coach of the team, but he'd make an outstanding development coach of an AFL club. So why are we having to, you know, support the superannuation payments of blokes that want to come down here? I said to the Glenorkey people, you don't want a bloke that's coming here to do a job. You want a bloke that'll come here and engage themselves, immerse themselves in our state, in our culture. And you don't have to be a Tasmanian, as Scott Ross shown, but you do have to follow the Scott Roth model of engagement community. And fortunately, our board, very fortunately, are on the path, as you know, about community. So I want to, I do want a Tasmanian coach that knows Smith, that knows the people of Scottsdale, that's happy to get in his car and go and take training in the middle of winter at Oaklands, right? And be part of us and not an overseer, not a hierarchical person that'll dominate or control. - Last time before I let you go, 'cause I could sit and talk the old day, I love your passion. What role would you like moving forward with the Tasmanian football club? - I like the job you gave me, 'cause I think people is so important. If we get the right people, we'll be an outstanding success. If we get the wrong people that see it as a stepping stone or a job for a job's sake, or beam down into Tasmania to do a job, just to look at it and then go somewhere else, I would like to be with Alistair Lynch on some sort of, but this is Brendan Gail's decision now. And what a decision that is. - Yeah, magnificent. - To get Brendan Gail at a Richmond in a team that hasn't even started, or hasn't even got a training ground, is superb. So to answer your question, don't want a job. I will continue to live in Melbourne. So with Lynchy, his footy subcommittee, I'm big on getting the right people. So if there's a group of people that decide, or interview, or research coaches, staff, and to ensure that Tasmania are well-represented for the right reasons, that's the role for me. - Well, it's great to see you, Rob. As I said, love your passion for all things Tasmania, particularly with me. - Is that a good job for me? - Magnificent, signing up now, I say. - Absolutely, I'm out here, Jack. That's my role, that's, you know, I be on, work with Lynchy, Rodney Ead, you know, this little veteran group that are sort of like, without sounding like I'm a smart ass, but like a bit of quality control. You with me, a bit of quality control officer. - There we go, no son, we don't need you. Have a spell, you know. - I don't mind it, I hope this will be close listening. - As I said to the function, Tassie people will see through you. If you're not here for the right reasons, they'll see through you. So let's get the right people at the start. Thanks, mate. And can you put me on before Andrew then? That was a little bit of a, you know. - Well, I'll get my people to talk to your people next time. - Thank you very much. - So that Robert Shaw joined me here in the studio on the devil's advocate. We're off to our final break. Coming back after this to whip around the country to see how our Tassie players fared over the weekend. Thanks to battery world here on the devil's advocate. ♪ The devil's advocate ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ - Now it's time for a Tassie footy update on the devil's advocate. This is where we look around the country to see how our Tass money and the players fared in their respective competitions. Thanks to battery world, book a free battery check at Battery World Hobart in the AFL, Northlawney's Toby Nankervis played his 150th game yesterday. The Richmond skipper was one of his sides, best in defeat with 17 disposals, 43 hit outs and equal team high nine clearances, four inside 50's in his first goal for the year. Dev important Northlawn's systems, Lockheed Cowan continues to look at home at AFL level, the second year blue finished with 17 disposals, seven marks, four score involvements and five intercept positions. Bernie's Brody My checkmate, his return from a hamstring injury and was an important presence up forward for the pies. The key forward finish with 11 disposals, two marks, four score involvements and two goals. Hobart and Dodger's Fairies, Jeremy Howe was one of the pies best in defeat. He started down back but was swung forward in the last quarter as part of Collingwood's failed comeback. The high fly had 19 disposals, four marks, seven score involvements, five intercept positions and kick the goal. And Northlawn's Liam Jones was terrific in the dog's win, playing the near perfect game as a key defender, matched up against one of the best forwards in the company. Larky, Jones kept him goalless and restricted him to just five disposals in contrast, the former blue finish with 16 disposals and an equal game high, 10 marks and nine intercept positions. In VFL, VFLW, Launceston's James Leake had an impressive second game back from injury as the Giants took down Southport. The first round pick finished with 23 disposals, seven marks, six tackles, five clearances and six intercept positions. Lauderdale's Hugh Greenwood was a force through the middle in North Melbourne's loss to the Bulldogs. The big inside mid finish with 25 disposals, 12 clearances, 13 tackles and seven intercept possessions. Launceston's Colby McCurcher starred once again in his second appearance for the Roosevelt Felside. Last year's number two pick had 26 disposals, three marks, three clearances, four inside fifties and kicked two goals. Clarence's Jesse Williams returned for her first game since round 15 in Port Melbourne's elimination final over Box Hill. Against the former side, Williams finished as the only multiple goal kicker for the game with two majors to go along with her 11 disposals, four tackles and six intercept positions. The Norkey Sarah Skinner was arguably the Western Bulldogs best in their qualifying final loss to Williamstown. The former AFLW swan had a game high, 18 disposals, four clearances, four inside fifties and four intercept possessions. The dogs will now take on Port Melbourne in this week's semi-final. And in Sanful, Sanful W, Deaf and Port North Onceston's Bane and Low had a day out in Norwood's big win over South Adelaide. The mid forward finish with a team high, 28 disposals, a game high, 15 tackles, four clearances and six inside fifties. Alveston's Candace Bellburn and Norwood threw to the SA and FLW grand final after defeating Glen Elgin's Saturday's prelim final. Bellburn finished with seven disposals, seven tackles and three clearances. And at the under 18 girls national championships, it was a tough day for the allies in the first game of the championship yesterday. They suffered a 94 point loss to Vic Metro, but some of our Tasmanian girls stood up in defeat. Prayer Bowering was one of her side's best with a team high 24 disposals, five clearances, three inside fifties and five intercept possessions. And Mr. Barwin was also good with 12 disposals, five marks, five tackles and three inside fifties. While Mackenzie Williams had 14 disposals, five marks and four intercept possessions. That Tassie footy update was thanks to Battery World is your car battery ready for winter. Book your free check with Battery World Hobart today. And that brings us to the end of another massive edition of the Devil's Advocate. Great to have Andrew Gillan and Robert Shaw in the studio with me. We'll do it all again next Monday. Until then, enjoy your week. (dramatic music)