Somerset Leads the Charge as Junior Footy Ignites in Northwest Tasmania

There’s a buzz building around the grounds on Tasmania’s northwest coast. Footy fever is alive and well thanks to the arrival of the Tasmania Devils, with clubs like Somerset leading the charge in growing the game through the introduction of their first junior program.

Club President Curtis McGlone said the introduction of junior teams has been transformative for the club, bringing a fresh wave of energy and involvement from families and young players alike.

Since launching their first junior teams, Somerset has already seen positive impacts ripple through the club—so much so, they’re now planning to expand, with additional sides on the radar, including girls' teams. It’s a strong sign of what’s to come.

The club also partnered with the local school to launch its first Auskick and Superkick programs, supported by AFL Tasmania. The result? An impressive 62 enthusiastic participants—an outstanding outcome for a first-year initiative, and a bright sign of what’s to come for local footy in the region.

A big part of the club’s smooth transition into junior footy has been the guidance of AFL Tasmania’s new Junior Competition Manager, Kat Lee—a position introduced following the AFL’s landmark $360 million national investment into the game. That investment includes $126 million dedicated to game development and talent pathways, ensuring the sport is supported from grassroots all the way to the elite level for years to come. Somerset’s McGlone explained that with the assistance of Lee and AFL Tasmania more broadly, the juniors were able to hit the ground running.

“We’ve received great support from AFL Tas to introduce our junior teams,” said McGlone. “At first, being a senior club, we were a little bit in the dark with how things would work—but the AFL’s been great in helping us establish a junior program.”

Locally, this funding has also contributed to a boost in participation staff—one of those being Payton Connell, Participation and Programs Manager at AFL Tas, who has overseen a significant uplift in footy programs across the region.

“I really enjoy that the work gives me the ability to connect with kids from all sorts of upbringings and areas—from typical footy families to children who don’t always get the opportunity to engage with sport or their community.”

Northwest Tasmania may be the smallest region in the state, but it’s leading the nation when it comes to AFL’s latest initiative, ‘Superkick’, contributing an impressive 4% of the national total of Superkick participants—a testament to the region’s passion and commitment to the game.

Female participation has also seen a significant rise, supported by increased investment in women’s and girls’ football. Many Auskick and Superkick centres in the region now boast female participation rates over 45%, and the number of female Superkickers has more than doubled compared to this time last year.

This momentum continues with the launch of an Under-11 Girls’ Pilot Series, new school-based programs, and expanded holiday clinics—all of which are drawing in the next generation of players. In Term 1 alone, 146 children took part in the ‘Future Devils’ school holiday programs.

“A lot of that, I think, is due to the excitement around the Devils,” Connell said, “as well as having more staff on the ground to deliver more programs. We were able to introduce after-school programs, which have existed for a while on the mainland—but until now, we haven’t had the resources to run them in Tassie. These programs allow us to connect with a whole new cohort of kids who aren’t yet involved at a club level, removing barriers such as transport or cost, and resulting in a huge uplift in participation.”

The Tasmania Devils' influence has also made its way into the classroom. More than 3,000 students in the northwest have been engaged through school visits and programs, with the Devils’ brand striking a chord not just with kids, but also with teachers eager to inspire their students through sport.

Somerset Football Club is proud to be part of this exciting chapter in Tasmanian footy. With strong foundations, growing junior participation, and a community-first approach, the future of the game in the northwest looks brighter than ever.