The Devils have been called out for overlooking Tasmanians who moved interstate with a new sticker sent to mainland members.
Tassie are just over a year away from their AFL debut and building an impressive supporter base, drawing big crowds for the team’s VFL games.
But they’ve found themselves offside with Tasmanian fans based elsewhere in Australia.
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Newcastle-based breakfast radio host Rohan Edwards renewed his foundation membership but said it felt like “a slur” to receive the club’s latest merchandise.
The Australia-shaped sticker featured the Devils logo and a contested slogan: “This Mainlander supports Tasmania Devils.”
“I was excited to support an AFL team that we always wanted,” Edwards said on The Hit Network’s Jess & Rohan.
“They’re sponsoring the Hawthorn Hawks and then all of a sudden North Melbourne (play) in Hobart, so they (Tasmania) don’t have to pay for an AFL team.
“Finally the Tasmanians get what we deserve — a team.
“You know what I got in my member pack the other day for $25? I got one sticker. This is a sticker I will not be putting on the back of my car.”
Edwards was born and raised in Tasmania.
He acknowledged the club had only sorted memberships by addresses but still took issue with copping a sticker featuring that slogan.
Edwards said: “Um, where I’m from, that’s a slur.”
Co-host Jess Farchione said: “Is it? You don’t want to be called a mainlander? But you are on the mainland!”
Edwards: “Ah, I’m a Tasmanian who lives on the mainland.”
Farchione: “They don’t know you’re sixth-generation (Tasmanian).”
Edwards: “Interesting, interesting. So this club, who the whole thing is about let’s be local is calling the people who care and support the most ‘mainlanders’.”
“Brendon Gale, if you’re listening, this is bulls***,” he added.
Tasmania replied to Edwards on Instagram.
“Certainly sounds like a mainlander, we’ll send you a new sticker,” the club wrote.
The Devils famously drew more than 200,000 sign-ups when they launched a $10 foundation membership in 2024.
The club moved on to formal memberships this year and had more than 20,000 by April.
The $25 offering replaced the foundation deal while an $80 membership was linked to the VFL side and a place in the queue for guaranteed AFL memberships.
Tasmania will enter the AFL with home games at Hobart and Launceston’s existing venues before the move to Macquarie Point Stadium.
