Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein has taken aim at Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane, urging island state AFL fans to boo the footy club boss.
Cochrane created waves earlier this month by criticising the Apple Isle's bid for a licence, labelling it "insanity" from a business point of view.
The Suns, who have won just four matches this season, meet fellow cellar-dwellers North Melbourne at Hobart's Blundstone Arena on Saturday.
Gutwein described Cochrane as "one of the few detractors" of a Tasmanian side in the making.
"When he is here at Blundstone, and I understand he is coming, we as Tasmanians get the opportunity to show him first hand our passion for the game," Gutwein told state parliament on Thursday.
"Whilst I understand that the Suns aren't the most successful team ... I would make the point that we need to turn up on Saturday.
"There'll be a chance for all Tasmanians to go along to very politely, but very loudly, boo Tony."
Fans turned out in force at Launceston last weekend, with a sold out crowd of just under 15,000 watching traditional rivals Essendon and Hawthorn go head-to-head.
It was the first time the Bombers had played a top-line game in Tasmania since 1992.
Backers of an island state side have said the crowd figure, the highest of the round, is proof there is a strong appetite for top-line AFL in Tasmania.
Tasmania often welcomes lesser-drawing non-Melbourne sides as opponents to Hawthorn and North Melbourne, who are contracted to host four games each in the state per season.
State government negotiations with the two clubs for a 2022 arrangement are currently on ice pending greater clarity from AFL headquarters on a stand-alone side.
AFL commissioner and former Geelong President Colin Carter is assessing the business plan for a Tasmanian side and is expected to finalise a report by mid-July.
