New NTFA structure confirmed ahead of TSL's dissolution

The NTFA has announced that Tasmanian State League clubs Launceston and North Launceston will join the association in their new premier league competition starting 2025, following the TSL's dissolution at the end of this year.

The meeting has marked the beginning of the next, equally rigorous journey for NTFA president Damien Rhind.

"Everybody's been frustrated through this process in the last three or four months, the NTFA community, North Launceston and Launceston," he said.

"We're just working towards a clearer picture for 2025."

They also discussed the rest of the association's league structure, and it was determined that a division one and division two underneath the premier league will be established.

"It's a small step for all of the NTFA and the clubs because it's a small step towards more clarity for next year," Rhind continued.

"[It's] great for everybody to have that small step, but there are so many more steps to go in such a small amount of time, so we've still got plenty to do."

Rhind did not confirm whether promotion and relegation would be used in the new system, but said stability for clubs was of paramount importance.

"Football clubs are starting to think in the manner of being businesses or organisations that ebb and flow and they need the ability or the flexibility to be able to ebb and flow," he said.

"History tells us that sometimes football clubs are super successful for a period of time and then sometimes not, so it's important for the NTFA in consultation with its member clubs to try and find a balance that works, especially in times of change.

"We're not sure what that [structure] looks like yet, but we're working together to come to a position."

Despite the suspensions now being behind the two State League clubs and with progress now in motion, Rhind was not expecting the rest of the process to be smooth sailing.

"There's always going to be strong and robust discussions between all clubs and all NTFA community members, and that's the sport that we're involved in," he said.

"We're involved in a passionate sport and that's why we love this sport, because we get that opportunity to display that emotion.

"It'd be naive of me to think that everything would be smooth sailing from now on and as I indicated, it's still a great period of change and a lot of unknowns, a lot of uncertainty and sometimes uncertainty is difficult to manage."

The NTFA is yet to announce which clubs will be in each division, or how many clubs will be in each league.

"The formal process of these two divisions will be undertaken in due course," an NTFA statement read.