Representative football needs to be one of the first things put on AFL Tasmania's calendar for next year.
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The state's football community banded together on Saturday for a fantastic spectacle at North Hobart Oval, with 7189 people watching Tasmania face Queensland in men's and women's action.
There were no politics [well, minimal], no negativity - just football - it was exactly what Tasmanian football needed, even if it was just for a day.
Imagine how good it will be every week, not just with an AFL team (provided we get it in the end) but firstly with the VFL team in 2025.
A team full of passionate Tasmanians playing for the jumper every week.
Names like Sam Siggins (more on him later), Jake Hinds, Brodie Palfreyman and even late inclusion Bailey Boag - it's going to be genuinely exciting.
It's also worth noting that the crowd at North Hobart Oval was bigger than both of the figures given for North Melbourne games in Hobart this season (6310 and 5025 for those counting).
Something that struck me in the lead-up to the match was the genuine excitement from players even just thinking about wearing Tasmania's famous jumper.
Whatever coach Mav Weller was selling them, they were buying in - not that it would've taken much according to captain Brad Cox-Goodyer.
![Abbey Green celebrates a goal late in the game for Tasmania against Queensland on Saturday. Picture by Solstice Digital
Abbey Green celebrates a goal late in the game for Tasmania against Queensland on Saturday. Picture by Solstice Digital](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/cdb8806c-32bf-4c4b-bed8-a19039820718.jpg/r916_246_6070_4006_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"You talk to players and it's something everyone wants to do," he said.
"It's not something that they go 'I don't want to play' and I know that sort of happens at the NWFL and NTFA level where guys don't necessarily want to do it.
"But I think when you're talking about the whole state. I think people want to do it. We've obviously got guys from outside the TSL playing in Jordan Cousens and Luke Russell as well [Bailey Boag was named emergency and also played] ... and I think that can inspire good performances.
"I think Ben [Simpson] is the perfect example of that, he was named outside the squad to begin with then he sort of had a chip on his shoulder and then his performances over the next three weeks are outstanding and he forced his way."
It wasn't just the captain who had fantastic awareness when it came to wearing the map. One of the sub-stories to the game was brothers Josh and Jordan Arnold facing off for the first time.
Coaching Glenorchy this season, Josh spoke about the history of the jumper and that it's not just for the players wearing it now.
"This is my first time wearing the jumper, I've been close before but it's obviously a great opportunity to wear the map," he said.
"There's been plenty of talk over the last few weeks at training about the build-up of the day and with everything that's going on with the stadium and the AFL licence etc, there's obviously a lot of hype throughout the state.
"It's not just us that wear the jumper, it's everyone that has worn it before us and not just the people that have worn it before us, it's the community and the state that we're representing as a whole."
It's the community and the state that we're representing as a whole.
- Tasmanian representative Josh Arnold
The players wearing it now wore it pretty bloody well however.
Siggins was named the Lefroy Medallist as Tasmania's best on ground, giving those who were there - and maybe even those who weren't - a moment they won't forget.
Having already changed the flow of the game with two consecutive goals earlier, the former Crows recruit kicked the sealer - snapping truly before being mobbed by his teammates.
While another crack at AFL football is probably beyond him, given he's 29, Siggins would be the perfect person to build a foundation for our VFL side in 2025.
He wasn't the only one that nailed the moment.
Commentator Andy Cooling, who has previously been praised by one of my colleagues for his round-ball efforts, showed why he is one of the best in the business - with his voice to be synonymous with Siggins' match-winning goal.
The reaction around the ground and around the football community, showed the appetite for Tasmanian representative footy is there and we may as well strike while the iron is hot.
So AFL Queensland, warm up the Gabba (or a smaller venue if that's unavailable) and prepare the troops for round two, because I have a feeling players will want to don the map for a second time around.
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