St Kilda hold talks to play games in Tasmania

St Kilda has held talks with the Tasmanian government about a deal to play games in the state from next year.

The Saints are keen to explore a new formal arrangement for games down south as Tasmania threatens to dump $8 million worth of contracts with Hawthorn and North Melbourne.

Tasmania is still awaiting a response from the AFL after premier Peter Gutwein delivered his ultimatum – a timeline for a Tassie team or no negotiations with the Hawks and Roos on contracts that expire at the end of 2021.

But a shake-up of how AFL footy is played in the state could take place regardless of the AFL’s response.

And St Kilda, who had a deal to play games in Tasmania in the early 2000s, are positioning themselves behind the scenes.

St Kilda has lost China and New Zealand and last year struck a deal with Tourism and Events Queensland to host a game in Cairns this season.

There is some lingering regret at Moorabbin over the decision to walk away from Tasmania and a viable second market all those years ago.

The Saints have strong ties to the state, with club legends Darrel Baldock, Ian Stewart, Nick Riewoldt, Jim Ross, Barry Lawrence and Verdun Howell all hailing from Tasmania.