AFL great Leigh Matthews expects the introduction of a 19th team in Tasmania will mean the competition expands again to 20.

Matthews, one of the game’s most respected commentators, is confident the island’s strong AFL tradition will mean the new team can weather their inevitable early growing pains.

With federal funding for the new Hobart stadium confirmed on Saturday, the AFL will move quickly over the next few days to confirm a 19th licence in the state.

The league expanded from 14 to 15 teams in 1991 when Adelaide joined, and stayed that way until Fremantle joined in 1995.

Gold Coast’s formation meant the AFL went from 16 to 17 in 2011, before GWS joined the following season.

Odd club out

The AFL is no fan of an odd-numbered league, especially given the weekly implications for its lucrative broadcasting agreement.

“We’re not going to have a bye for the rest of the competition’s existence,” a 3AW Tweet quoted Matthews as saying.

“We will be looking for a 20th team, won’t we?”

GWS and Gold Coast are the latest expansion teams and while the Giants made the 2019 grand final, the Suns are yet to make the top eight.

Matthews pointed out unlike those two teams, Tasmania’s team will have a strong supporter base from the start.

“The problem might be if Tasmania are like the Suns, and they are a perennial bottom-half team for the first decade … will the 25,000 still go?

“In Tassie they might, because they are football people. That’s the difference.”

Fellow commentator Matthew Lloyd also weighed in, defending Hawthorn captain James Sicily for his much-derided opinion he could not imagine moving to Tasmania for his playing career.

The Hawks have Tasmania as a major sponsor and play some home games in Launceston.

“What James Sicily said is a real factor for a lot of guys – he’s only saying what he believes,” Lloyd said.

“He’d stand by that 100 per cent, even though he can’t continue on with it.”

-AAP