Tasmania still wants its own AFL team.
Premier David Bartlett today said the state was thrilled Hawthorn, the Melbourne-based AFL team it sponsors, won the 2008 premiership.
But while that success represented good value for money, Bartlett said that having a Tasmanian-based team in the AFL was more important to the state.
"Notwithstanding our AFL bid, we are really excited about having a team with `Tasmania' on the guernsey taking out the premiership," Bartlett said today at a Hobart reception for the Hawks.
The state government is the Hawks' major sponsor, with a five-year $15 million deal to play four games per season in Launceston until 2011.
Cutting across the Hawks' endeavours to be an ongoing Tasmanian presence is the government's push for a team permanently based there in the next wave of AFL expansion in 2011 and 2012.
Bartlett remained firmly committed to that cause amid today's excitement surrounding the Hawks' lightning tour of the state that drew hundreds of school children from classes to see the Hawks.
"This just goes to show how much Tassie people love football," Bartlett said.
"We want a team of our own and that's what we are going to continue to fight for."
The AFL is pushing ahead with plans for new teams on the Gold Coast and western Sydney.
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett said Tasmania's bid would be with the AFL within weeks.
But he wants the enthusiastic Tasmanian football community to fully embrace Hawthorn.
No Tasmanian team would garner the same level of national publicity that Hawthorn gives Tasmania, he says.
"I'm very confident that what we've developed with Tasmania now is of so much value that together we can stand tall whatever the AFL reports about the bid," Kennett said.
"We are going to let it run. It's not our report. We are very proud to be the Tassie Hawks."
Kennett told Bartlett his club was very grateful for the state's support and took seriously its obligation to promote Tasmania as a tourist destination.
So seriously, he joked, that Hawthorn utility Grant Birchall gave his two front teeth for the cause.
The Tasmanian-born Birchall lost half of his two front teeth in a clash during Saturday's upset grand final win over Geelong.
The Hawks made a whistle-stop tour of Hobart and Launceston with the AFL premiership cup today, attracting about 500 fans in the south and 4,000 in the north where they signed autographs and posed for photographs at Aurora Stadium.
Crowd favourite, Hawks veteran Shane Crawford, has yet to decide whether to retire or play on for one more season.
"I still feel fit and healthy and capable of contributing to the side," said the 34-year-old Crawford.
"I'd need to sit down and work through it, but at the moment I'm just enjoying being premiers."
Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said his team had to beat the most formidable team in the league to claim their 10th premiership.
"Any runner-up in the last 150 years of footy is disappointed when they have just fallen short of the great prize," he said.
"Grand finals are difficult to win. We are fortunate we were able to salute this year.
"Over the course of the year the Cats were the most formidable team in the competition.
"It took a special effort from our players to get over the line Saturday."
