A TASMANIAN team in the AFL is back on the agenda.

While still shrouded in secrecy, it is understood the matter has been discussed at the highest levels of the AFL and AFL Tasmania, with a report being prepared to look at the social and economic impact on the state.

The failure of past bids, stretching back to the early 1990s, has been blamed on the state’s “North-South divide’’.

And despite public perceptions, outgoing AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou is understood to favour the team, as long as it is a team for all Tasmanians.

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To date, state partnerships with Hawthorn and North Melbourne have been a commercial success and provided some comfort to a footy-starved public.

But some argue the two-team strategy has created further animosity between the regions.

It is not clear whether the AFL would consider pursuing a full relocation of an existing club.

The Hawthorn partnership has obviously proved fruitful, pumping tens of millions of dollars into the Launceston economy, but the Hawks are unlikely to make a full-time commitment to Tassie, given their strong Victorian support and healthy bottom line.

The state’s best hope of getting a deal done now appears to rest with the AFL Commission and whoever replaces Demetriou as CEO.

Gillon McLachlan is clear frontrunner and has been heavily involved in the Tasmanian discussions.