“Cut the crap”: Footy legend’s annoyance with Tassie bid

Leigh Matthews is becoming vexed with the push for a Tasmanian team.

The VFL/AFL great has an issue with the constant recommendations and the forcing of the agenda from key advocates.

While he would like to see Tasmania gain an AFL licence, Matthews says some of the talk is becoming too much.

“I hope Tasmania gets a team, but I’m getting a little bit annoyed,” he said in Sportsday.

“I feel like saying, ‘Can you cut the crap?’

“Alister Nicholson, who is supporting Tasmania, said on the weekend, ‘The abandonment of Tasmania would be an absolute national sporting disgrace’.

“It would make a difference to Tasmania, I don’t think it would make a difference to the rest of Australia.

“Even Brendon Gale said if we don’t have it we’ll be on the wrong side of history.

“I mean seriously. There are some people who are really keen on Tasmania getting a team, that’s fine, but it’s not the be all and end all of what’s happening in the footy world, I wouldn’t have thought.”

The AFL was reportedly recently “blindsided” by comments made by Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff over the jostling over a stadium in the state.

As a result, the Tassie bid momentum has taken a hit.