"We'll go after everything that is possible."
Tasmania's inaugural senior coach Ken Hinkley hasn't put a line through targeting any player from rival AFL clubs as the Devils begin piecing together their list.
Hinkley was officially announced as the Devils' head coach on Monday and has already stuck a stake in the ground regarding their plan.
The Devils will enter the AFL in 2028 with a host of draft concessions to assist with their entry.
Tasmania will get picks No, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 in the 2027 national draft, but they must trade picks 5, 7, 11 and 13 to other clubs for either players or other draft picks.
They can also sign up to 18 uncontracted players from rival clubs across 2027-28, with a maximum of one player per club.
"12 months from now we will be going into pre-season. We will be ready," Hinkley said.
"I've had an eye on Tasmania for a while now; I knew an opportunity was coming.
"We're going to aim for the top and aim for as big as we can. We'll go after everyone that's possible and make sure we give it a great shot. There'll be knock-backs, but there'll be some yeses. We won't out any limits on who we go after, we'll just go after the right people. But they have to be the right people, not just people.
"We've seen Geelong do pretty well as a community football club and this is very much a Geelong-type feel about it. It's got a community feel. There's a great opportunity for people to grow their families. It's not just a football place, it's a family place. There's a lot of people who will love the lifestyle of Tasmania.
"There's going to be plenty of people and plenty of players who are going to want to be a part of it and part of the start, and I've seen that in my previous life."
Hinkley alluded to the Devils eyeing local football talent to help build their list, but acknowledged the reality of competing in the AFL, and the need for athletes from all over the country.
"The numbers don't stack up to have a full list of Tasmanians," he said.
"You've got most teams, interstate teams in the competition, even in South Australia, we probably had 60 percent of our side from interstate. That will be no different in Tasmania.
"Typically, Tasmanian footballers have had to leave to play AFL football - we don't want that to continue. We want them to start in Tasmania, stay in Tasmania and grow. But we want to bring people to Tasmania and help grow the state in lots of ways."
Reports have indicated the Devils have got agreements from two players in the AFL, with Richmond's Rhyan Mansell tipped to be one.
Mansell signed a one-year extension for 2027 at the Tigers and hails from the Apple Isle.
Tasmania is also understood to be keen on luring Fremantle captain Alex Pearce to his home state, while Collingwood's Beau McCreery is also a target.
Hinkley will also draw on lessons he gathered from his time at Gold Coast during its expansion and entry into the AFL in 2011. Hinkley spent three years with the Suns before taking over Port Adelaide, and understood the need to balance the list, including getting in up-and-coming stars.
However, the Giants' entry into the AFL provides a stronger blueprint for how Tasmania can build its inaugural list.
"We need to nail our list allowances. And we get our development right," Hinkley said.
"I would say what GWS did was slightly better than the Suns. They got some experienced people in that were real leaders in standards, and I think they made a massive difference.
"They also got Callan Ward and Phil Davis, young 21, 22-year-old players who were just starting their journey, who led the standards too.
