Mitchell said Hawks players enjoyed their time in Tasmania, where they play four home games a year as part of their sponsorship deal with the state.

Sicily was among a group of Hawks who stayed behind after the weekend’s game in Launceston to play golf in Barnbougle.

“We love our time in Tassie,” Mitchell said.

“More than half of the players actually stayed in Tassie, including James, after the game and spent some extra time there.”

The fallout from Sicily’s comments on RSN’s breakfast show gained momentum through Wednesday, with Paine and Wade among the more prominent voices.

As the social media kerfuffle grew, Sicily became frustrated with himself for making comments that did not represent his views, according to multiple people at Hawthorn.

Despite the clear sensitivities of having a club captain speak disparagingly about a major sponsor, the Hawks say they did not force Sicily to apologise.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff weighed in on Thursday morning to berate Sicily.

“Nothing brings Tasmanians together like being spoken down to by entitled mainlanders, ignorant of our beautiful state,” Rockcliff tweeted.

“Looking forward to doing our own talking on the footy field. In our colours. Singing our song. Our time has come.”

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, who was an adviser for Tasmania’s bid, said the state’s quieter lifestyle could become an advantage for the club.

“I just look at the Geelong footy club and the significant strategic advantage they’ve got by offering something different,” Clarkson said on Thursday.

“They are an AFL professional team playing in a rural community. There’s something special about that.

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“You say, ‘Oh, that’s not going to be too attractive for people, they just want the bright lights’.

“Jeremy Cameron didn’t want the bright lights, neither did Paddy Dangerfield. If they set their club up in the right way down there, I don’t see it as an impediment, I actually see it as a competitive advantage.”

Meanwhile, Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says he would love to be involved with a Tasmanian AFL team, with the proud Tasmanian looming as a logical target to become the new club’s first senior coach.

The 61-year-old stressed he remains content and committed to the Lions but was open to playing a role at the potential expansion team in the future.

“In 2028 I’ll be 67, 68 - getting too long in the tooth to be the coach,” he said. “But you never know what the future holds. I love the Lions but if I’m not coaching by, then I’d love to help Tassie out in some way.”

Fagan hoped the stadium’s impact could be similar to that of the redeveloped Adelaide Oval. “[Hearing the deal was done] brought a smile to my face. Long overdue,” he said. “It’s going to take a bit of work, you probably won’t see a team until the stadium is built. Maybe 2028 ... that’ll give a good amount of time to set it up in the right way.”

‘Zero doubt’: Petracca ultra-confident that Pickett will stay a Demon

Marc McGowan

Melbourne midfielder Christian Petracca has added to the wave of optimism about young forward Kysaiah Pickett re-signing, saying he has “zero doubt” he will remain at the club.

No deal has been agreed upon yet but Pickett and his management have made clear throughout the process their preference was to stay at the Demons, despite Port Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle all expressing strong interest.

Pickett’s agent, Peter Rohde, and Melbourne are still thrashing out specifics, with a source familiar with the situation telling The Age one was the 21-year-old’s willingness to sign a long-term deal, with the Demons tabling a four-year offer.

A contract of that length would tie Pickett, who has kicked 97 goals in 66 matches, to Melbourne until 2027 – when he would be a free agent – and is expected to be completed soon.

The rising star has kicked 40-plus goals in each of the past two seasons, while providing a physical and defensive presence in attack and being a valuable centre-square, pinch-hitting option for coach Simon Goodwin.

“He is a gun, absolute star. He should be signing. He should be fine. I have zero doubt at all,” Petracca told KIIS 101.1 of Pickett.

“We are really close. We lived together for a year, and he was awesome and great to live with – super easy, chill. Nothing to worry about [with the contract].”

Pickett has kicked nine goals in four games this year, missing two others through suspension after a brutal bump on Western Bulldogs on-baller Bailey Smith.

He was drafted No.12 overall in 2019 from South Australia, where he lived with his uncle and ex-Demons, Kangaroo and Power footballer Byron Pickett.

Pickett also spent his early years in Western Australia, hence the Eagles’ and Dockers’ attempts to prise him out of Melbourne.

The Demons have enjoyed great success retaining their top-shelf talent, aside from Western Australian ruckman Luke Jackson, who was taken nine picks before Pickett but joined Fremantle on a big-money deal last year.

Clayton Oliver (2030), Petracca (2029), Angus Brayshaw (2028), Brodie Grundy (2027), Bayley Fritsch and Christian Salem (2026), and Max Gawn, Steven May and Jack Viney (2025) are among those to commit long term.

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