Tasmania Devils news

State game will end Trent's career

By Robbo June 08, 2007
From Launceston Examiner
Reported by Luke Scott

VETERAN Tasmanian footballer Trent Bartlett will run on to the ground for the final time tomorrow, after yesterday announcing his retirement.

Bartlett will play his final game for the Tasmanian side in the representative match against Queensland at Aurora Stadium.

After 81 AFL games, and four years with the Tasmanian Devils' VFL side, Bartlett said he had not made the decision to hang up his boots lightly.

"It's been something that's been in the back of my mind probably for a couple of years, and particularly over the past month," the 31-year-old said.

"I thought, what better way to finish up than to get a game for Tasmania and bow out then?"

Originally from Deloraine, Bartlett was drafted to the Brisbane Bears at the end of the 1993 AFL season at number 45.

He played 22 games with the club over three years and another 17 for the Lions after the merger with Fitzroy.

In 2000 he was picked up by the Western Bulldogs, and went on to play a further 42 matches, before returning to Tasmania to play with the Devils in 2003.

Slug on Devils

By Robbo June 08, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by James Bresnehan

TASMANIA is facing a sharp increase in its VFL licence fee next season whether or not the Devils are a stand-alone team.

AFL Victoria plans to hit the Devils' hip pocket by upping their licence, which is already the VFL's most expensive.

That means an increase on Tasmania's $85,000 aligned licence fee, thanks to its partnership with the Kangaroos.

Or the non-aligned licence fee of $35,000, which the Devils would revert to if the alignment ends as expected at the end of the season.

But instead of paying more, AFL Tasmania wants its slice of the VFL pie.

"Next year will be our eighth season in the competition, so I would think after such a long time we ought to get the same deal as everyone else," AFL Tasmania's general manager Scott Wade said yesterday.

Stand-alone VFL clubs Frankston and Port Melbourne get a $140,000 "incentive" grant from AFL Victoria each year.

North Ballarat, which also has a partial alignment with the Kangaroos, gets $70,000 -- half the incentive grant.

Cressa blasts critics

By Robbo June 04, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

DEVILS coach Daryn Cresswell has hit back angrily at Port Melbourne president Peter Saultry, who advised the Tasmanian VFL side to cut its partial alignment with the Kangaroos.

Saultry said in Saturday's Mercury Port was like a new club after cutting its ties with the Kangaroos at the end of 2005.

"I think he (Saultry) should stick to running his own footy club and not worry about ours," Cresswell said.

"I thought the Kangaroos players were terrific (against Port Melbourne) and I have got nothing but praise for our involvement with the Kangaroos and the way they have gone about things in the way they have structured things with players coming down.

"I challenged the players coming down and today they stood up, every one of them."

Cresswell had the Mercury article pinned up on the white board in the changerooms prior to Saturday's 26-point loss to Port Melbourne in front of 1825 fans at Bellerive, with Saultry's comments highlighted and under a headline of "Everybody Read!"

Cresswell: Better times ahead

By Robbo June 02, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

COACH Daryn Cresswell is optimistic that Tasmania will be a much improved team in the second half of the season.

Cresswell has had a tough initiation to VFL coaching with the side languishing on the bottom of the ladder with one win from seven games.

"Although we are 1-6, at three-quarter time in three of those six losses we have been in front," Cresswell said.

"That's because we are so young, a new team. A lot of these guys haven't played much footy together."

Cresswell is among many Tasmanians angered at the state being overlooked in favour of a New South Wales-Queensland team in tentative plans for an AFL State-of-Origin series next season.

"It is pretty ridiculous. We are a traditional footy state down here," Cresswell said of the snub.

"Queensland and New South Wales get it served up to them on a silver platter, the money . . .

"We would beat Queensland (State-of-Origin team). They are a bit fragile.

Devils advised to ditch Kangaroos

By Robbo June 02, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

SCRAPPING its alignment with AFL side the Kangaroos gave VFL club Port Melbourne new life, and the Borough's president Peter Saultry says Tasmania should do the same.

After a successful alignment with Sydney ended for financial reasons after the 2002 season, Port entered a deal with the Kangaroos, before opting to be a stand-alone club after three unsuccessful years.

"It's a good feeling, there is a brightness about the club," Saultry said ahead of today's Devils-Port Melbourne game at Bellerive.

"There is just a feeling about the boys when they play. We are happy as a club. The decisions are made by our club, we have full control of what goes on.

"We have nobody interfering with anything we do. We give an opportunity to 22 players to play at this level."

AFL Tasmania is considering its future, which could include cutting the Devils' partial alignment with the Kangaroos after 1½ unsuccessful years both on and off the field.

"Tasmanian crowds have dropped off," Saultry said. "They are passionate about their sport and they don't see that passion with bringing these (Kangaroos) players in."

Future star's Devils debut

By Robbo June 01, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

FUTURE AFL draftee Aaron Cornelius will make his VFL debut for the Devils tomorrow against Port Melbourne, but for some Kangaroos-listed players it is their last chance.

Cornelius, who turned 17 during the week, has been in excellent form, kicking five goals for the Mariners last week as a marking forward, as well as impressing for Glenorchy in the Southern Premier League and the AFL-AIS under-17 team during the pre-season.

"He is just a very smart player and he knows where the drop of the ball is," Cresswell said.

"It is good he has got an opportunity at this level and I am sure he will be able to cope more than adequately."

Apart from playing for Glenorchy, Cornelius has already experienced playing senior-elite level, lining up on Fremantle's Michael Johnson while representing the AIS team.

"He gave Johnston a bit of a touch up, took 10 or 12 marks in the first half on him," Cresswell said. "He is very mature for his age and I spoke to his dad (former New Norfolk rover David) and he's really keen to have a crack at it and I'm sure he will handle himself very well."

But the pressure is on some of the Kangaroos players to help lift the last-placed Devils.

Dynamic Devil joins select few

By Robbo May 31, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Adam Smith

ABOUT the only regret in Cameron Thurley's football career is the fact he was never able to cement a spot in the AFL.

Drafted to Geelong in 2003 and traded to the Kangaroos in 2005, the 25-year-old managed just 12 games in his four years in the system.

But all that will be forgotten on Saturday when Thurley joins a select group of Tasmanians to play 100 VFL matches when the Devils clash with Port Melbourne.

Only three Devils before him -- Ian Callinan, Ben Atkin and current captain Brett Geappen -- have reached the magic three figures.

"Once you get over there (Melbourne) it's all exciting and it is great to play one game," Thurley said of his AFL experience.

Devils set to bite back

By Robbo May 30, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported By Adam Smith

MOMENTUM can be a wonderful thing but the Devils' free fall was such that a weekend off was a blessing in disguise.

Six consecutive losses put the Devils last on the VFL ladder and have left coach Daryn Cresswell with plenty of headaches.

In three of those matches the side led at the final change only to be overrun, so the break allowed the playing group to sit down and reflect where the club's season stood.

A main training session was held last Thursday at Aurora Stadium, with all the players encouraged to speak out and discuss any problems before the side's big match against Port Melbourne on Saturday.

"We just haven't been able to finish games off, which is a learning thing with a young group," Cresswell said.

"Maybe we do have a loss of confidence in those situations.

"Basically, we assessed the season, where we need to improve and make sure there are actions not just words.

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