Posted April 11, 2017 06:36:47

Photo: Tasmania is on track to join the AFLW's 2019 competition, Rob Auld has said. (AAP: Dan Peled)

Tasmania may soon have its long-awaited AFL side, but not the one it has been demanding for decades.

Tasmania's AFL chief executive Rob Auld said he was confident the state would have its own women's side up and running for the 2019 AFLW season.

The preference is for a standalone Tasmanian team, but a partnership with an existing AFL club — most likely the Kangaroos or Hawthorn — who have deals to play home games in the state up until 2021, is also on the drawing board.

The state would have to compete with other AFL clubs also looking to field teams in the expanded 2019 women's competition.

Mr Auld said Tasmania had an "excellent chance" of scoring a licence.

"It has been flagged the competition will go from eight teams, whether it's 10 or 12 is a decision that will be made by the commission and the AFL executive," he said.

"Tasmania will have a form of representation whether it's stand alone or whether it's a culmination of a licence which might be based here ... there's an excellent chance.

"I have had primary or preliminary discussions to ensure Tasmania is right front and centre."

He confirmed an AFLW Kangaroos affiliate was a live option.

"I'm going into territory which is more in speculation and is quite a fluid conversation, but that's exactly what I would refer to," Mr Auld said.

Facilities 'would need to improve'

Last month AFL boss Gillon McLachlan reportedly said he would like to see an AFLW team in Tasmania "sooner rather than later".

The word 'inspiration' is used too often in sport, but the first AFLW round was fairly labelled just that by those at both ends of the spectrum.

Last year four Tasmanians were drafted into the inaugural AFLW competition.

There has been a decades-long push for Tasmania to have its own men's side in the national competition, but it appears to be a while away.

Burnie Dockers (TSLW) coach Sophie Edwards said she would much prefer a standalone Tasmanian side.

"It would be great to have one that is actually owned in Tassie, which means you do get all of the home games down here, not just a couple," she said.

"[It would be] a great opportunity for people to walk into facilities that are already set up."

She said current training facilities would need to improve.

"In Tassie we'd have to put in the proper infrastructure to give them the elite environment," Edwards said.

Photo: Fans flocked to the inaugural ALFW match in such numbers many were locked out. (ABC News: James Hancock)

Topics: sport, australian-football-league, women, tas