CHIEF Northern Territory Minister Paul Henderson has promised to establish a task force into Northern Australia fielding an AFL team if his Labor Party is returned to power in tomorrow's election.

That's if his Labor Party is returned to power in tomorrow's election.

While the AFL has indicated Tasmania will form the next club if the league continues to expand, AFL Northern Territory chief executive Tony Frawley believes a team representing Northern Australia should be first.

Frawley said Tasmania probably did not need a side as Hawthorn played five games there and North Melbourne was also looking to play five.

"They will have a game every second week and they won't need a team if that happens," he said.

"What we are saying is that Northern Australia should be next. I have had talks with Paul Henderson about the task force, but he has to get re-elected on Saturday to see it through. It is more what we call the Northern Australia strategy more than just Darwin or the NT."

Polls show the election is a 50/50 battle between Labor and the Country Liberal Party.

Frawley said the task force would look at a team playing in the AFL which would also represent Northern Queensland, Cairns and the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

"There is some really good stuff going on up there," he said.

"Paul Henderson wants to put a group together for a task force and the AFL is aware of it. Economically, it's flying up here."

Frawley conceded that an NT side in the AFL was a long way off, but said planning had to start.

"It's probably 10 or 15 years off, but the economics of northern Australia is unbelievable with the gas and mining."