Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has called for the AFL to be united on the Tasmanian football front.
Kennett believes the AFL want just one team to take control of Australia's southern most state and is adamant AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan wants the club to be North Melbourne.
Both North Melbourne and Hawthorn are contracted to play games in Tasmania until at least 2021 and while McLachlan has stated that contract won't be broken, Kennett believes the one-team conversation will only end in a negative way.
"I don't think anything positive comes from continuing that (one team in Tasmania) discussion," Kennett told afl.com.au.
"Hawthorn's been in Tasmania for well over a decade and we have built up a huge relationship with the Tasmanian community, both north and south.
"We are very much involved in education programs in a whole lot of aspects … and therefore I suggested to the chairman, Mr Goyder, and Gill that this sort of snickering, if you like, is self-defeating.
"Tasmania is big enough for two clubs playing down there. We play four games (each year), North Melbourne three.
"It works well, and rather than continue to divide, let's all work together for a common outcome. I have a very strong personal attachment to Tasmania."
Kennett's comments come following revelations that Hawthorn proposed to combine with North Melbourne for an AFLW team based in Tasmania.
"We would have shared the costs and the effort, but given Tasmania a team of their own," he said.
"They're not going to get a senior male team for a number of years, but they could have had a female team (based in Tasmania).
"It's something that would have inspired the Tasmanian community and … would have shown football working together for both a common football and social outcome."
North Melbourne were successful with their AFLW bid while the Hawks were not, something Kennett has moved on from.
