ByBRETT STUBBS
Queensland receives more than $10 million a year from the AFL's Next Generation funding in addition to millions more in game development, while the AFL throws some relative loose change at Tasmania in the form of $1.5 million a year.
And to top it off, AFL has just handed Queensland its second license for the Gold Coast to enter the national competition while Tasmania still begs for its first.
Tasmanian co-captain Justin Plapp, 31, said if the cash-flushed Maroons can expect an easy game against the budget-strained battlers at Bellerive they would be in for a surprise.
``When you break it down like that, that has got a factor in it,'' Plapp said of the financial discrepancies.
``But I can guarantee what effort you are going to get from the players I would think the Tasmanian state teams represent their state very well and history tells us that.
``We've had some terrific state games where we have been not the favourites and just spirit alone has been a massive factor in that.
``If they are coming down spruiking they have got a really good bunch of kids and an even spread of players, they are going to get a rude shock.''
Tasmania has not won a state game since 1998, but has only played one since, losing to Queensland at Aurora Stadium in 2007.
Plapp warned the visitors they would face a much tougher local team this time.
``The last state game they have played in 2007, I don't think it was a true indication of where football was at at that stage,'' he said.
``There were players that probably should have played who weren't picked. I think this year it has got a lot more substance to it, it has got a lot more flavour to it. The players they have picked are in good form, they deserve to be in the team and I don't think there are going to be any passengers. What they fielded last time was pretty hot and cold.''
A veteran of the 1996 state team, as well as the Devils and AFL clubs Richmond and St Kilda, the high-flying forward said he had not seen a side come together so well in such a short period of time.
``When you talk about state football, you talk about morale and team spirit and how you gel together and any rep team I've been involved in, the morale amongst this group surpasses anything I've been involved in before. They have got an understanding of what state footy is,'' Plapp said.
Last Modified on 07/06/2009 09:33