"There's a lot less work involved in making the State League better than a complete restructure."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
After the Tasmanian State League comes to an end in 2024, it will be replaced by a three-region model - splitting the North, South and North-West.
Stephens, who has held coaching roles at both North Launceston and the Blues, believes a change like this should be "a generation away".
!['Time frame not feasible': Launceston legend on TSL restructure 'Time frame not feasible': Launceston legend on TSL restructure](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/36e5e05b-e7dc-40a9-8e10-53d54f163640.jpg/r0_31_2571_1478_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"In the time frame that they want, it is not feasible for our NTFA clubs to get to that level," he said.
"[AFL Tasmania] are proposing that they want them to rise to the level and it's just not feasible ... because with raising the standards you need funding, you need resources and you need people.
"Not only do you need resources and people, you need skilled resources and with all due respect to [the NTFA], they don't have enough skilled resources at this point in time.
"The resources are a byproduct of the Tasmanian State League because who ends up being their coaches? Ex-TSL players. And who ends up coaching the TSL? Ex-VFL players. For instance, you look at the last generation post the Devils in 2008 - how many coaches have come out of that mould."
Having played more than 200 games at Launceston, Stephens described the decision to end the TSL "without any consultation" as "a little hard to swallow" - agreeing with North Launceston president Thane Brady that these discussions should have occurred before the May announcement.
Brady put 37 questions to AFL Tasmania that he and North Launceston felt should have been addressed before Wednesday's workshop - declining the chance to attend on that basis.
"A number of Thane's questions that he published still do need to be answered and we made sure that was crystal clear before we left yesterday that a lot of his questions are 100 per cent valid and we support and we need answers from.
"But it was a good discussion, somewhat healthy and it was respectful but there is just so much work involved in this."
While admitting that the current TSL model has its challenges, the former Devils VFL player said the ball is in the state body's court following the meeting.
The follow-up meeting is planned for August.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Sign up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @TheShawThing and @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner