The Tasmania Devils have stormed onto the VFL stage, thumping Coburg by 17 points in front of a packed North Hobart Oval in their first-ever match as a club.
The Devils ran out 96-79 winners on Saturday, with over 10,000 fans packing the ground to witness history – the first VFL game in Tasmania since 2008.
Sam Siggins etched his name into the record books early, kicking the club’s first-ever goal and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Before the match, former Essendon player Jye Menzie said the side was eager to make an impression.
“Hard at it, tough, competitive,” Menzie told Channel 7 of the Devils’ brand of footy.
“We’ve got a great group. It’s a very young group, but I think we’ve built that cohesion, that bond.”
He said the team wanted fans to leave knowing the Devils would be a force going forward.
Captain Robbie Fox was a notable absentee after being ruled out with a calf injury.
In the stands, the atmosphere matched the occasion.
Kate Young brought her family along after learning her eldest daughter’s boyfriend’s cousin was playing.
“Amazing. I can’t believe how many people are here,” she told Pulse.
Young said her four children were loving the experience and the family planned to return for future games.
Former AFL player Jordan Doering, who played for Carlton before a stint with Tasmania in its previous VFL team, said the day brought back familiar faces he hadn’t seen in over 20 years.
“That’s what footy does when you play sport, it brings you back together,” Doering told Pulse.
He said the buzz around the ground was unmistakable.
“Obviously it’s the first step towards the AFL in a few years’ time. Everyone’s up and about, you can see that,” he said.
“The crowd’s huge, which is pretty special.”
The sold-out clash, broadcast live on Channel 7, marked the Devils’ first step towards their AFL entry in 2028.
The Devils next host Port Melbourne at UTAS Stadium in Launceston on March 28.
