Tasmania’s AFL ultimatum is the right move, but it places the entire sport in Tasmania at risk

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein believes his ultimatum to the AFL presents Tasmanians with the ultimate win-win — and he’s probably right.

Either the AFL gives Tasmania a date for entry to the league, or the State Government cuts funding to Hawthorn and North Melbourne, leaving multi-million-dollar holes in their balance sheets.

It’s a threat from the pen of a Premier in charge of a state that no longer has anything to lose, and a scenario the AFL surely doesn’t want to see happen.

But if the goal of a Tasmanian team is to resuscitate Australian rules football in Tasmania, the move is somewhat dangerous.

What if the AFL calls Tasmania’s bluff and says “no team for you”, leaving Tasmania either footy-less or having to pay other…