Eddie McGuire pitches hybrid North Melbourne-Tasmania AFL side, but government minister 'not interested'

McGuire presented a plan on network TV on Wednesday night which included having North Melbourne - or just the "Kangaroos" - play 11 games in Melbourne and 11 in Tasmania.

He suggested three years of draft concessions to make the club "sensational", $20 million upfront, an academy in Tasmania to give access to local players, discounted memberships for North fans to travel to Tasmania, Alastair Clarkson to coach outside of the salary cap and premium broadcast slots.

In regards to the bid for Tasmania as the 19th team, McGuire said at the moment "it's not going to happen".

He claimed that having a combined side would allow big clubs like Collingwood, Richmond, Carlton and Essendon to play in Tasmania, which would ultimately build the business case for a new Hobart stadium.

McGuire said the hybrid side would both ensure North's survival and give Tasmania a side it could have a sense of ownership in.

"If they have a standalone Tasmanian team, the team that will get crunched is North. They'll lose their Tassie games, they'll lose the money for those Tasmanian games and their sponsorship, which is probably $5-$6 million a year," he said.

"This is not relocating North Melbourne or Tasmania, or Tassie missing out on a team. It means we have 18 teams. The TV rights money, they want to have blockbuster games. We don't have another 50 players to come into the competition.

"We've all been screaming about the standard of the game. This keeps the same amount of players, and gives us the best opportunity, and spread it right around the country and looks after Tasmania."

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His proposal received an instant blunt response from Tasmanian Sport and Recreation Minister Nic Street, who said "we want our team, in our colours or don't bother".

"You've listened to nothing we've said for the last 2 years Ed," he wrote on social media.

"We're not interested in being part of your solution to one of the AFL's other problems.

"Every other entity in the AFL universe argues from blatant self interest including your club that is oozing money but is still worried about protecting its AFL handout at the expense of giving us what we deserve. Spare us your crumbs off the side of the table proposal mate."

AFL boss Gil McLachlan last week said it was only looking at the Tasmanian bid in terms of it being the 19th team, rather than relocating or merging with an existing club.

He said the Hobart stadium - with a price tag of $750 million, which appeared to be an underestimate based on initial government advice - was essential for Tasmania's bid.

It will be taken to the AFL Commission in August before going to a vote with AFL club presidents.