Club presidents could vote again on Tasmania’s entry into the AFL

Brendon Gale is the inaugural chief executive of the Tasmania Devils. Credit: Getty Images “There is a fair bit of alignment over the fact a deal has been done, and hopefully that deal gets done.” Asked if the Tasmanian team should only go ahead if there is a new stadium, Bassat replied: “It’s not my call to say. That’s what the AFL is working through.” ‘We need to get off welfare’ North Melbourne ($26.4 million) and St Kilda ($26.1 million) received the highest funding of Victorian teams last season.

“We absolutely know we need to get off welfare … we have done some things poorly in the past, but we are getting better at that,” Bassat said. “Football being good is the biggest part of that ... But there is a part of it that’s not our fault.” AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon speaks to the media ahead of the start of the season. Credit: Getty Images The Saints, who missed finals last year, have only one home game at the MCG, against Carlton in round nine. Bassat said: “We have said to the AFL, and we have said publicly, ‘Give us four MCG games a year, and we will dramatically reduce our reliance on variable funding.’ The answer is, ‘No, we need the product at Marvel.’ Our response is: ‘Why the hell is that our problem? Why is that not Richmond’s problem, or Melbourne’s problem, or Collingwood’s problem, or somebody else’s problem? Why do we have to live with that?’

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon with club president Andrew Bassat. Credit: Getty Images “That leads to financial disadvantage. Also, we get no marquee games. We play in Adelaide three times in the first five weeks.” ‘I have a lot of sympathy for Luke’ Bassat, the co-founder of Seek employment website, is also a major investor in the Sayers Group – the ex-Blues president’s consultancy business. Sayers quit the top role at Carlton after a lewd photo was posted to his social media account in January, leading to an AFL investigation that found his X account had been compromised and he was not responsible for posting the image.

Former Carlton president Luke Sayers. Credit: Elke Meitzel Bassat said he had been in regular contact with Sayers. “I am in quite close touch. He is going OK. It’s been a tough episode for Luke,” Bassat said. “Luke is a friend of mine. I have a lot of sympathy for Luke. Luke is a very good person and loves the club. It was a tough position for him to find himself in. “ Luke was a formidable foe, but I think he realised the noise would not abate until he stepped down from Carlton.

“He was giving the media a chance to keep going and, in the context of a season, that noise would only increase. To protect his family, and protect himself, he realised that was the only call he could make.” Bassat said AFL chairman Richard Goyder was doing a good job, but the issue of his successor was a discussion point. This masthead reported in November that Goyder had surprised industry figures by revealing plans to remain in charge until the end of 2028. His latest three-year term expires in March next year. “I am not sure he has come out and said that quite fully. So I am not sure,” Bassat said of Goyder’s intention to remain until 2028.

“I think Richard is doing a good job. Richard is actively working on succession, and I think at the right time, that will happen.” Bassat said clubs were open to Goyder extending his term. Asked if there was a natural successor on the commission, Bassat said: “That’s a question for Richard more than me. I think there are a few people that probably won’t put their hand up for various reasons.” Drugs policy must strike the right balance The St Kilda president said the clubs were ready for a “mature debate” on illicit drugs policy, which needed to strike the right balance between welfare and deterrence.

The AFL is proposing an immediate “co-contribution” of $5000 for a first strike to help fund drug and mental health treatment, which is viewed as a fine by the AFL Players Association. Loading The players have also said they won’t compromise on privacy. A government report revealed this week that the AFL provided the anti-doping watchdog, Sport Integrity Australia, with a list of 51 footballers to be target-tested in 2023-24. “I think there is a balance – you want to protect the player, particularly when there is mental health involved and all sorts of things,” Bassat said. “But also you don’t want people taking liberties, and taking advantage of the system.

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