Tasmania's efforts to land the AFL's 19th licence have received a major leg up following reports they will only need to sway one-third of the league's presidents during next month's acceptance vote.
Since a side from the Apple Isle was placed back on the agenda after the release of the Carter Report in July of last year, members of the state's task force had initially hit a plethora of impasses.
However, as reported by SEN's chief sports reporter, Sam Edmund, alterations to the expansion vote have fallen in the southern state's favour.
Edmund stated that while the meeting between the 18 heads of AFL clubs will take place in early March, the group chaired by Virgin Australia co-founder Brett Godfrey will only need to secure six nods instead of the previously reported 12.
"I’m told the AFL has been supportive of Tasmania’s bid for a 19th team at an executive level, so what this means voting wise - which has been very muddy, the voting process for this team - is with the AFL’s support, I’m told what Tassie needs from the 18 Presidents is only a one-third majority," Edmund told SEN listeners on Monday.
“Prior to this, if the AFL just fully delegated, it was a two-thirds majority, 12 of the 18 presidents had to say, ‘we tick the box and you’re in’.
“But with the AFL on board, I’m told it will take two-thirds of the presidents to actually vote it down."
Although Gold Coast president Tony Cochrane has previously made his feelings of opposition known, a report from The Advocate in September of last year claimed that both GWS and Brisbane were "open-minded" to inflating the competition.
Tasmania's AFL bid has previously received public support from media members in Tim Lane, Caroline Wilson and Andy Maher, as well as the backing of footballing masterminds Kevin Sheedy and Alastair Clarkson.
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Clarkson has since elevated his commitment to the cause, with The Age reporting the four-time premiership coach had recently been in San Francisco studying start-up sporting franchises.
A date for the AFL president's meeting is yet to be confirmed by any partaking parties.