'Lose their appetite': Eddie McGuire urges AFL to delay Tassie expansion amid stadium concerns

Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire believes the AFL should strongly consider delaying the entry of the Tassie Devils into the competition.

The 19th side is currently slated to debut in the 2028 season, with the state recently launching its VFL team, and targeting the acquisitions of a head of footy and a senior coach by the end of 2026.

But McGuire has urged the AFL to consider pushing back the timeline, amid concerns about the construction of their shiny new stadium.

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He says uncertainty remains around the Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart, which will seat 23,000 fans and have a roof, estimated to cost around $1 billion.

The state government ticked off on construction of the stadium in late 2025, but as the world economy teeters in line with fuel shortages caused by the United States and Israel's incursion into Iran, McGuire believes the cost of building the stadium could effectively double, pushing it towards $2b.

This could potentially lead to the state losing its desire to go through with the build at worst, or delay its construction at best, he says.

The Devils were already set to play their first few seasons out of UTAS Stadium in Launceston and Ninja Stadium in Hobart, with hopes Macquarie Point would be ready at some stage in 2030.

But if that is delayed, McGuire believes Tassie should enter the competition on a similar timeframe.

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"A serious discussion is starting to happen about looking at Tassie. Can I just say this, don't fall off your chair (Devils CEO) Brendon Gale, this is an adult conversation with no histrionics in it," McGuire told Nine's Footy Classified.

"The highest ranking people who you can talk to, who have been right in the middle of all of this over the years ... there is a real worry that the Tasmanian stadium has been pushed out to 2032. There's a worry that tomorrow never comes.

"If the world economy goes the way the world economy is going ... there's a worry about whether people will lose the appetite to build this stadium.

"Let's say they build it, they say there is no way known the Tassie team should come in more than one year off bounce of the ball in the new stadium.

"People are saying you have to get the Tassie team closer to the opening of the stadium and make sure everyone keeps their mind on the job.

"The point is, Tasmania's team is right on schedule. Tasmania's infrastructure has gone right out...

"The price of that stadium is going to double in that period of time. Tasmania's economy is not great, they've already got enough people pushing back on it and you get that team down there and they get used to playing in Launceston and Hobart, and good luck trying to change that scene."

The Devils' first VFL game was a smashing success, with 10,634 showing up to watch the side defeat Coburg in round one. Their entry into the AFL however remains predicated on the construction of Macquarie Point.

A source close to the Tasmanian side told Wide World of Sports that no timelines have changed as of yet and that the stadium is still on track to be completed by the end of 2030.

The next step for the state is engaging a builder for the construction, which will happen in 2026.