Excitement builds in Tasmania as state gets behind Devils ahead of AFL entry | Joe Moore

Matches are not concentrated but dispersed. The Devils play in Hobart, Launceston and soon Penguin, where a mid-season doubleheader will be staged as a weekend-long community event.

Last year, when political turmoil threatened the club’s existence, 15,000 Tasmanians rallied in support. In addition to the record-breaking Anzac Day crowd, 107,000 Tasmanians tuned in to the television coverage, out-rating the state’s viewership of the traditional Collingwood v Essendon AFL match.

McCann speaks of milestones happening almost every day. “I think we would all agree that the Devils have come along at a time Tasmanian footy needed it most,” she says.

“We’re building a footy club, and now the community and the fans actually have some footy to engage with, and it’s really shifted the conversation and engagement. It’s super exciting.

“But, we’re not planning and preparing the organisation to play Coburg. We’re planning and preparing to play Collingwood. The next two years are so fundamentally important for pressure-testing the organisation.”

Community is at the core of everything they do. The finer details reflect it. The ever-popular mascot, Rum’un, was created by a local puppeteering company and made using fabric from recycled Tasmanian school uniforms.

Rum’un, the Tasmania Devils mascot, interacts with fans during the round two VFL game against Port Melbourne. Photograph: Tasmania FC

The club has also been instrumental in developing the Tasmanian Academy of Leadership and Sport, which provides young Tasmanians with a pathway into the elite sport sector. “We’ve got 90 students this year, and without these opportunities, some would’ve left the island,” McCann says.

They are creating a tangible connection that Tasmanian footy fans like Tiana Brown gravitate toward. On Sunday, the dedicated Devils’ supporter who, alongside Mark Brown, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity while driving the “Yes Stadium” movement, travelled north along the Midlands Highway to Launceston. After the Devils sealed victory over Sandringham, she said: “We deserve this.”

“People have come and gone and died waiting for this team to happen. But now, we’re sitting here in the cheer squad with kids all around us, waving flags, shaking pom-poms, and joining in the chants. I am so immensely proud to be Tasmanian.”

While the debate surrounding the proposed new stadium on Hobart’s waterfront has lingered – the project quoted to cost $1.13bn prompted a “No Stadium” campaign just as visible and vocal as its counterpart – Salamanca’s streets are now filled with myrtle green. Pubs and cafes are alive with footy chat, and the state appears energised by what lies ahead. You can even order a pair of custom-designed Tassie Devils Blundstone boots. This is the club fans have been waiting for.