Excitement builds in Tasmania as state gets behind Devils ahead of AFL entry | Joe Moore

A hot start to the VFL season has attracted big crowds on the Emerald Isle to leave fans eagerly anticipating the step up in 2028

When the original rules of the game were being written in Melbourne, Tasmanians were playing footy, too. It’s taken 160 years for the state to get its first genuine chance at the elite level, but early signs indicate the Tasmania Football Club is thriving.

For now, the Devils are playing in the second-tier VFL competition, but that is only as a two-year pathway to a guaranteed place in the AFL and AFLW.