TASMANIA’S list management team are heading to the United States and United Kingdom next month on a research mission ahead of an important 2026 for the Devils.
Inaugural head of list management and strategy Todd Patterson, head of recruiting Derek Hine and GM of strategy, people and culture Lauren Jauncey are travelling to a range of organisations in America and England in November.
The Devils are sending the trio overseas to explore how clubs and institutions foster culture, innovation, technology, development, academy, recruitment systems, facilities and use AI tools, as they seek to fast-track the build of Tasmania Football Club.
Starting on the west coast, the Devils contingent will visit NFL franchise the Los Angeles Rams, Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy and Angel City FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Then they will head north to Stanford University, Meta, Google and University of California, Berkeley, before flying to Florida to spend time at the IMG Academy, the New York Yankees and University of Florida, where West Australian Alex Condon plays basketball for the Gators but has a unique arrangement with Collingwood.
Patterson, Hine and Jauncey will then fly to the UK to spend time inside English Premier League clubs Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanders, plus Championship club Preston North End to learn more about how those clubs run development and academy programs.
Much like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney have since their inception, Tasmania wants to focus on improving the development pathway in its own backyard to produce more AFL talent.
The Devils will also meet with Mindflick, the innovative mindset platform designed by performance psychologists and former England Test captain Sir Andrew Strauss.
Patterson and Hine will then travel to Ireland for a week to investigate recruiting opportunities across both AFL and AFLW, trialling players in the Emerald Isle before returning to Australia before Christmas.
Hine recruited a handful of Irishmen during his time at the Magpies, including Marty Clarke and Mark Keane, along with Kevin Dyas and Anton Tohill. Tasmania is expected to head down this path from the outset, following a similar model to Geelong, where the lifestyle of the region appeals.
Collingwood recruiting boss Derek Hine speaks with media during the 2023 AFL Draft on November 21, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos
The Devils’ recruiting department have been preparing to return to the VFL next season over the past few months by signing more than a handful of players since September, including Robbie Fox, Jye Menzie, Hugh Dixon and Caleb Mitchell.
More players with AFL experience are expected to commit in the coming weeks, with delisted Collingwood midfielder Fin Macrae a target, but the 2020 first-round pick is expected to land a lifeline at West Coast as a rookie.
Tasmania is set to play a full season in the VFL in 2026 and host home games across the state to continue to build momentum towards a planned AFL entry in 2028.
