Tassie guernsey reality emerges after criticism as whopping 75k ...

The Tasmania Devils have already signed up a whopping 75,000 foundation members, as it becomes clear the guernsey unveiled at their team launch won’t be the one they wear each week.

The club announced on Tuesday morning they had hit the figure though it is worth noting these memberships are just $10, and include a “digital Founding Membership card”, a “sensational Founding Member sticker”, access to buy merchandise and the promise to list all foundation members at their club HQ in the future in some capacity.

It is still an impressive number given the state is only planning to build a 23,000-seat stadium.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

However AFL clubs almost always have much higher membership figures than the number of fans who actually show up to their games, due to special promotions and cheaper membership options which do not necessarily include game tickets.

READ: Everything we know about AFL’s 19th team, and how Tassie becomes an instant winner

Meanwhile the actual guernsey worn by the first Tasmania Devils team may not be the one shown at the club’s launch, and it appears certain they’ll wear a different design most weeks.

Some AFL commentators were critical of the decision to use the traditional state guernsey design, with a yellow map of the state and a red T on a green top, including AFL 360 host Mark Robinson.

“I thought it could’ve been a bit more dynamic, that’s all,” he said on Fox Footy.

“I do like the traditional parts of our game but I thought it could’ve been a bit more dynamic.”

Matthew Richardson poses with The Tasmania Devils inaugural jumper during the Tasmania Football Club Launch at Paranaple Convention Centre on March 18, 2024 in Devonport, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

While the AFL’s promotion of the Devils launch event proclaimed the “name, logo, guernsey and colours” would all be revealed, it now seems that guernsey is merely the “foundation guernsey”.

This is similar to how GWS had a blue, red and white foundation guernsey when it began play in the under-18 competition in 2010, before donning the orange and charcoal for their AFL debut.

“Just for clarity purposes. The Jumper reveal from last night featuring the famous map of Tassie foundation jumper will be worn sparingly, perhaps once or twice a year,” Tasmanian broadcaster David Lithgow tweeted on Tuesday morning.

“The home and away Devils jumpers will be the mainstay.

“They will be released later down the track in due course.”

It is unclear why this was not explained during the team’s launch.