Tasmanian Devils (2001–2008)

The Tasmanian Devils was an Australian rules football club based in Tasmania that competed in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Owned and run by AFL Tasmania, the club took part in the VFL from 2001 to 2008 as the only non-Victorian club in the league.

The club participated in 157 official VFA/VFL matches during its eight season tenure recording a 59-96-2 playing record, recording its highest finish of Preliminary Finalist in 2004, where they were defeated by eventual premier, Sandringham.

The Devils played the majority of their home games at Bellerive Oval in Hobart alongside regular fixtures at York Park in Launceston. At the end of the 2008 season, AFL Tasmania decided to withdraw the Devils from the VFL in favour of restarting a new Tasmanian league encompassing the entire state.

Tasmania will return to the VFL in 2025 or 2026 after a successful Tasmanian AFL bid in 2023, with the new AFL team, Tasmania Devils, to field a side before entering the AFL in 2028.

History
During the 1990s, Tasmania had shown strong interest in joining the Australian Football League (AFL), and after rejected bids in 1995 and 1997, the AFL instigated the formation a Tasmanian team for the newly re-constructed Victorian Football League (VFL). The Tasmanian Devils formed in 2001 and were admitted into the VFL in its inaugural season the same year. The AFL continued to own the club.

The nickname "Devils" was chosen as the moniker for the club after the tenacious marsupial predator the Tasmanian devil, which is indigenous to the island of Tasmania. The club colours of green, red, gold and black were inspired by the original State of Origin "map" guernsey and are also Tasmania's sporting colours.

The Devils established home grounds in both Hobart and Launceston to deal with the long-standing north–south rivalry. Originally, northern home games were played at Launceston's York Park, while North Hobart Oval hosted games in the south. Occasional games were played in the north west, with Ulverstone, Devonport and Burnie each hosting a couple of games across the club's tenure.

The Devils' first two seasons brought mediocre results, but, under the direction of coach Matthew Armstrong, they made the finals for the first time in 2003, finishing third. The 2004 and 2005 seasons saw the Devils again make the finals. At the end of the 2005 season, the team moved from North Hobart Oval to Bellerive Oval for home games in the south and began playing all northern home games at York Park.

Following the trend of AFL clubs aligning themselves with VFL clubs for the match fitness of reserves players, in 2005, the Kangaroos expressed intentions to align with the Devils. A deal was struck that allowed a capped number of players from the Kangaroos to compete with either the Devils or North Ballarat in the VFL, starting in the 2006 season. This arrangement lasted two years and was unpopular among local fans, significantly harming the popularity of the club.

2006 proved to be a disappointment on-field, with the Devils finishing ninth and missing the finals. During the season, Armstrong had stepped down as coach due to internal pressure from the playing group, ending his six-year term in charge of the Devils. North Hobart premiership coach and former Devils player Brendon Bolton was made stand-in coach for the remainder of the year.

Tasmanian and former Sydney player Daryn Cresswell was named coach of the club for 2007, after a successful career as an assistant coach at Geelong and the Brisbane Lions. However, hampered in part by Cresswell's off-field issues, which included a gambling addiction and eventual fraud conviction, the club finished wooden spooners both seasons he coached the team, winning only six of a total 34 games.

At the end of the 2008 season, AFL Tasmania decided to withdraw the Devils from the VFL in favour of restarting a new Tasmanian league encompassing the entire state.

Coaches

 * 2001–2006 Matthew Armstrong
 * 2006 Brendon Bolton
 * 2007—2008 Daryn Cresswell
 * 2008 Lance Spaulding

Individual awards
Alastair Lynch Medalists (Best and Fairest):
 * Leigh Walker (2001)
 * Cameron Blight & Ben Atkin (2002)
 * Jordan Doering (2003)
 * Matthew Jovanovic (2004)
 * Ian Callinan (2005)
 * Brett Geappen (2006)
 * Leigh Adams (2007)
 * Cameron Thurley (2008)

JJ Liston Trophy Medallists:
 * Ian Callinan (2005)

Sponsors
Major Jumper Sponsors: Apparel Sponsors:
 * Wrest Point Hotel Casino (2006–2008)
 * Patrick (2001–2005)
 * Burley-Sekem (2001–2008)

Ball Sponsors:
 * Jetstar