The fate of the Tasmanian Devils is up in the air after a report from the Tasmanian Planning Commission recommended against a new stadium being built.
But respected broadcaster Gerard Whateley believes there’s a “legitimate chance” a stadium is built without a roof to cut up to $300 million in costs.
A roofed stadium is a condition from the AFL to grant the Devils the league’s 19th license ahead of their planned entry into the competition in 2028.
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The state’s planning commission on Wednesday released its final report into the “monolithic” $945 million Macquarie Point venue, estimating costs could blow out to $1.8 billion.
Despite this, Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff said they’re not bound by the report and a vote in parliament would determine whether the project goes ahead.
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Fox Footy AFL 360 co-host Whateley forecasted “five possible outcomes” on where things go from here.
“The stadium gets built,” he began on Wednesday night’s program.
“It’s compromised and the stadium gets built without a roof an they save $200-300 million, which is not to be sneezed at.
“Is there an alternative if this is not seen as not the answer?
“Would the AFL allow the team to have its license without the stadium, which we know is a condition for the time being.
“Or it all gets scrapped and there’s a day the AFL announces the Tasmania team won’t go ahead.”
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Whateley believes the Devils will ultimately enter the competition as planned.
“I think it’s a legitimate chance the stadium gets built without a roof as a compromise. I also think in my heart, there won’t be a day where the AFL cancels the license,” he added.
“So if everything goes awry, I still think the team will play.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has confirmed his interest in the Devils’ coaching role, should it be offered to him, after going deep in Melbourne’s search.
“Yes. The answer is yes, and I probably wasn’t there until the Melbourne process, ironically,” Buckley told SEN on Wednesday.
“I’m not sitting here saying ‘I assume that … I expect that’. This is all open, spit balling, sharing more than a normal candidate would because they don’t have a microphone in front of them every second day, and I’m trying to be as respectful to those processes as I possibly can.
“One, I’ve determined that I’d love to coach again. If Tassie feel that I’m a fit, then I’ll be there, but that’s up to them to work out. Beyond that, if that doesn’t work out, then I go back to the drawing board.”
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