Burnie Football Club quits Tasmanian State League, unable to field teams

Updated February 06, 2018 09:59:20

One of Tasmania's most successful football clubs, the Burnie Dockers, has withdrawn from the Tasmanian State League (TSL) because it does not have the numbers to field a team.

The Burnie Dockers will not be represented at any men's level in the state competition this year.

The club has informed AFL Tasmania it will not have enough players to field teams in the in the Tasmanian State League or Development League this season.

Last week, the Dockers flagged the possibility of pulling out of the competition for 2018 after only 15 players reported to training after Christmas.

The club held what was dubbed a "call to arms" function last Friday night, before making the final decision to withdraw from the league at a board meeting on Monday night.

The move follows fellow north-west club Devonport's decision to also drop out of the competition in 2018, and continue on in the North West Football League (NWFL).

The TSL competition will now have no representation on the north-west coast.

It will continue as a seven-team league, with five clubs from the south and two from the north.

The future of the Dockers is now in limbo.

It has no representation in the NWFL, with only a TSL women's team to take the field this season.

The club won 38 first division premierships across its 132 year history, including the TSL premiership in 2012.

First posted February 06, 2018 09:57:18