Ken Hinkley officially has the keys to Tasmania. Now it’s time to build his dream team.

Hinkley has been officially unveiled as the Devils’ inaugural coach ahead of the 19th club’s first AFL season in 2028.

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The most important piece of the puzzle is in place and a feeling of what this team’s identity is going to be. Hinkley will now play a key hand in building this thing from the ground up.

Foxfooty.com.au has ran through Hinkley’s Tassie checklist including who will make up his footy department, trade and free agency targets and draft pre-list options.

Hinkley to coach Tasmania Devils | 05:39

FOOTY DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL: MULTI-FLAG WINNER, EX-PORT LIEUTENANTS

Hinkley preached that, while he’s the head coach, the importance of having the right team around him to help lead the club.

The head of footy is arguably Tassie’s next most important hire.

And Chris Fagan should be the dream target. Fagan and Hinkley are great mates as two of the most senior members of the coaching cohort over the last decade.

There’s long been noise around Fagan, a Tasmanian Football Hall of Famer, returning to his home state to play a key role for the 19th club.

It’s just a matter of whether the timing is right for Fagan, contracted at Brisbane until the end of 2027.

The 65-year old is arguably coaching at the peak of his powers, with the Lions coming off consecutive premierships including three-straight grand finals.

Given Fagan helped build this golden run at Brisbane from the abyss, that’d be a hard situation to leave right now.

While 2028 is still some time away, you sense the Devils will want to install their footy boss sooner rather than later.

So, Fagan could come on in a different role later down the track.

There’s talk that the Devils are pursuing former Essendon coach Brad Scott for the footy boss role.

Scott also fits the bill of an experienced football person who’s coached his own teams and played in Brisbane’s dynasty sides under Leigh Matthews in the early 2000s.

Another highly-respected member of that golden Lions era, Michael Voss, is available.

The ex-Blues coach worked with Hinkley for several years at Alberton before joining Carlton for his second senior coaching stint.

Michael Voss could be a target for Tassie’s footy department (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

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Voss said he won’t be going back into senior coaching, but you’d expect his good mate Hinkley will reach out to be part of the Devils in a senior role.

Brent Montgomery and Chad Cornes were also Hinkley’s at Port as options to join him in the coaches box.

If Montgomery misses out on the other senior coaching openings, the current Giants assistant could be an ideal senior assistant for Hinkley and help form the brain’s trust in his team.

Meanwhile, Cornes, who, like Hinkley, departed Port at the end of last season, was a foundation player for the Giants. So he ticks multiple boxes.

A few others to watch for coaching, development and leadership gigs.

Port Adelaide champion Travis Boak would surely be another one of Hinkley’s first calls as one of his most beloved players that he shared a close relationship with.

Hinkley and Boak personified that gritty Port Adelaide culture during their longstanding run together.

So Boak, who’s now at Carlton as its performance and culture manager, would be an ideal culture setter for Tassie, too.

In a similar vein, Giants legend Callan Ward is widely credited as being one of the crucial leaders for the expansion club as its inaugural co-captain.

GWS loved Ward so much that it retained him in a part-time role as business and football adviser after his retirement last year.

If you want a respected figure that knows how to get an expansion club off the ground the right way and set standards, Ward is your guy.

Speaking of good leaders and young blood for the footy department, Collingwood champion Jeremy Howe is Tasmanian and will surely be widely coveted when he calls time on his playing career.

Howe is playing well enough to play on next year, so the timing could be perfect for the 36-year old to join Tassie the following season.

Heck, depending on how is body holds up, it’s not crazy to suggest Howe could be a part-time player and coach for the Devils in a similar mould to inaugural Giants James McDonald, Dean Brogan, Chad Cornes and Luke Power.

Other highly regarded Tassie veterans in their twilight playing days include Demons forward Brody Mihocek and Richmond skipper Toby Nankervis.

Other Tassie blood around the comp includes Saints assistant Brendon Bolton, North Melbourne list boss Brady Rawlings and brother and Fremantle assistant Jade Rawlings.

Hinkley set for Devils | 01:54

TRADE, FREE AGENCY TARGETS TASSIE THAT CASHED-UP DEVILS ARE READY TO RAID

The Devils have been granted an aggressive start-up framework of concessions to help the club recruit players from rivals.

That includes a $5 million sign-on bonus that sits outside the salary cap spread over 2028 and 2029.

As well as the ability to sign one uncontracted player from each of the other 18 clubs across 2027/28 as ‘free agents’ without giving up a draft pick.

Those clubs that lose the player will still get a compensation pick.

And while Tassie will have a suite of first-round picks over those 2027 and 2028 drafts, it’ll be made to trade selections 5, 7, 11 and 13 in year one and Pick 5 in years two and three.

But the Devils has multiple years it can trade those picks, meaning it can roll them over within the next two drafts if they can’t find suitable deals.

The other mechanism is the rights to trade four mini-draft selections over two years to give rival clubs access to star 17-year olds for following drafts.

In simpler terms, look out rival clubs – Tassie is well armed to go shopping for players.

They’ll rightfully shoot for the stars with the biggest names out of contract in 2027.

It’s a crop headlined by Brisbane’s Logan Morris, Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron, Gold Coast pair Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, Giants duo Tom Green and Lachie Ash, Hawthorn’s Will Day, Port Adelaide’s Mitch Georgiades, St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Sydney’s Chad Warner.

With help from its sign-on bonus, Tassie could simply throw the $5 million kitchen sink at one of those names – or $2.5 million each to a couple.

Tom Green could be the ideal first captain of the Devils (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Though contracted through 2027, you also just have to ask the question of Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos. There’s been enough trade smoke around him.

Fremantle stars Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong are also contracted long-term but the types you’d love leading a new club.

Green is one that appears firmly on the Devils’ radar and he has inaugural captain written all over him.

The Giants bull, currently sidelined with an ACL injury, makes all the sense in the world to go chips in on.

If it’s not Green, Fremantle captain Alex Pearce is also out of contract next year and from Tasmania.

Pearce would be a great first skipper for the Devils, and if nothing else, a marshal for their back six and much-needed leadership presence.

Veteran Cats defender Tom Stewart also fits that mould and he too is set to come out of contract.

Having esteemed leaders like Pearce and Stewart around would be as important as having high-end talent.

As far as elder statesmen go, you’d also be looking at the likes of Ben Keays, Dayne Zorko, Patrick Cripps, Jamie Elliott, Luke Ryan, Touk Miller, Lachie Whitfield, Tom Lynch, Jayden Short, Brad Hill and Rory Lobb.

You couldn’t convince Max Gawn or Brodie Grundy to be your start-up ruckman, could you? Hinkley seems like a pretty compelling guy…

If not, you can picture Tasmanian Toby Nankervis battling out there in the myrtle green, if his body holds up.

Then there’s younger, long-term players.

The two most obvious names are Tassie products Ryley Sanders and Colby McKercher.

Sanders is due to come out of contract at the Dogs next year, so the Devils could snare him for nothing.

Tasmanian Ryley Sanders is out of contract at the Bulldogs next year (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

Meanwhile, McKercher is contracted at North through 2028, so Tassie would have to either acquire him via trade or sign him at the end of its first season.

Kangaroos young gun Finn O’Sullivan and Richmond former No. 1 pick Sam Lalor would be other dream targets. There’s already been strong links to fellow Tiger and Tasmanian Rhyan Mansell. In fact, the Tigers have a few Apple Aisle natives on their list, with Sam Banks and Seth Campbell also from Tassie.

Other Tassie players around the league include Adelaide’s Chayce Jones, Carlton’s Lachie Cowan, Collingwood’s Jeremy Howe, Geelong’s Jake Kolodjashnij, Gold Coast’s Lachie Weller, GWS’ James Leake and Melbourne’s Brody Mihocek.

Like Green, Pearce and Mansell, Collingwood’s Beau McCreery and North Melbourne’s Charlie Comben are other names that have already been linked to the Devils and set to come out of contract next season.

And, of course, those with natural connections to Hinkley.

You genuinely wonder if Zak Butters could’ve been Tassie bound, if he were out of contract next year.

Port Adelaide stars Georgiades, Miles Bergman and Aliir Aliir are out of contract in 2027 as three Hinkley and the Devils are sure to covet.

Other notable names out of contract in 2027

Lachlan MacAndrew, Sid Draper, Sam Berry (Adelaide), Kai Lohmann, Keidean Coleman (Brisbane), Jordan De Goey (Collingwood), Sam De Koning (Geelong), Jake Stringer (GWS), James Sicily, Karl Amon, Jack Ginnivan, Mabior Chol (Hawthorn), Harrison Petty, Trent Rivers (Melbourne), Josh Smillie, Taj Hotton (Richmond), Rowan Marshall, Max Hall, Jack Sinclair, Hugo Garcia, Alix Tauru (St Kilda), Hayden McLean, Tom McCartin (Sydney), Cody Weightman, Matt Kennedy (Western Bulldogs)

TASSIE’S PRE-LIST OPTIONS: THE ‘UNICORN’ AND THE FORWARD WHO COULD PLAY TOMORROW

Another key part of Tasmania’s list concessions is its extraordinary draft capital, as well as an ability to pre-list the best young talent in the country 12 months before being draft eligible.

The Devils can pre-select up to 12 17-year-olds across 2026 and 2027 before they become draft eligible, with all recruits signing mandatory four-year deals. The club can pre-select up to eight in either year — for example, eight in 2026 and four in 2027 — but are understood to be leaning towards an even 6-6 split.

It is the same mechanism that allowed the Giants in 2010 to add the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Dylan Shiel, Adam Treloar, Nathan Wilson and Jack Hombsch to their inaugural list.

On top of that, the Devils have been handed Picks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 in the 2027 national draft. Picks 5, 7, 11 and 13 must be traded to other clubs for either players or other draft picks.

AFL Media reported earlier this year the Devils sent out letters of intent to 22 young players in their 17th years. Those players – a mix of open-pool and club-tied 2027 draft prospects – can turn down the Devils and instead enter the open draft.

But becoming a pre-listed Devil would have ample perks.

CODE Sports reported last month the Devils can pay their 2027 pre-listed players $150,000 next year. It’s the same salary as the base wage top-10 national draft picks receive.

So it means pre-listed Devils could spend their ‘draft year’ developing in the club’s system and playing in the Talent League and/or VFL – all while earning a six-figure salary with great contract security.

And even if they turned down the Devils, there’s every chance they’d get picked by Tassie in the open draft anyway, considering the club would have three top-10 picks.

It’s a good year for Tassie to have draft access like this. While the 2026 draft pool is well regarded for its depth, the top-end of the 2027 class is absolutely stacked.

East Perth’s Axel Walsh is near the top of Tassie’s hit list. A 202cm star who looms as the AFL’s next unicorn, Walsh was outstanding as a bottom-ager in WA’s recent Under 18 national championships campaign, booting 3.5 and averaging 12.8 disposals, 4.3 marks and 10.3 hit-outs playing four games as a forward-ruck.

Hinkley is already familiar with Walsh as he’s the brother of Port Adelaide rookie Xavier Walsh.

Top WA prospect Axel Walsh could be on Tassie’s radar (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“I know Axel – I know his talent. I know what he’s about and I know how good he can be,” Hinkley said.

“We would love to think and hope he will be a part of the Tasmania Football Club in the future, but a lot of things to cross before that happens yet.

“But you’d be surprised, I’ve been watching the 17-year-olds a little bit.”

Fellow WA teammate James Artemis – the brother of Essendon mid-season draftee Jaxon Artemis – also played all four games for WA and impressed, highlighted by two-goal, 21-disposal outing against SA at the start of the carnival. It comes after Artemis claimed WA’s Under 16 MVP award last year. Artemis, who’s coincidentally a close mate of Walsh’s, is an exciting midfielder who breaks lines with his run and carry.

Then there’s a couple of Vic Metro stars in Jake Miller and Baxter Sruk.

In a dominant 4-0 Metro campaign, Miller was arguably his side’s best forward. A 197cm forward out of the Western Jets, Miller kicked 5.3 – including a haul of four goals against SA – and averaged 13 disposals and nine marks from three games – one year after he captained Vic Metro’s Under 16s side to the title. At times, Miller looked capable of slotting straight into an AFL side this year, such was the confidence and authority he played with. He covers the ground well, while he’s a strong mark and a beautiful left-foot kick at goal.

Young guns star for Essendon v GWS | 03:34

Sruk is an exciting left-footed ball magnet out of the Eastern Ranges. A busy and powerful 182cm prospect with a great workrate, Sruk had 18 disposals against SA in his sole Under 18s game for Metro this year. Last year at the Under 16 carnival, he won Vic Metro’s MVP award and claimed the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the Pool A best and fairest after averaging two goals and 27 touches per match.

Crafty Bendigo Pioneers forward Max Thompson is another name on the Tassie radar. Thompson was Vic Country’s Under 16s MVP last year after kicking a carnival-high 10 goals – including five against Vic Metro – while averaging 15.7 disposals and 5.7 marks from three games. He then featured in all four games for Country as a bottom-ager at this year’s Under 18 champs, switching between the forward and defensive halves with great effect.

Other names to watch out for include Sandringham Dragons’ Angus Brown, Gippsland Power duo Cohen Dent and Oscar Henwood, Sturt key defender Harvey Chapman, Norwood forward-midfielder Kai Ivins, Sturt on-baller Taj Garrett and Perth’s Flynn Tomasini.

The Devils can also pre-list any club-tied players – and there’s a lot at the top of next year’s pool. From the north there’s Cooper French (Giants academy), Taj Murray (Gold Coast academy) and Jackson Bridge (Brisbane academy), while there’s an array of NGA and father-son prospects like Zemes Pilot (Port Adelaide), Louis Salopek (Port Adelaide) and Koby Bewick (Essendon), who could choose the Devils or their own clubs.

The Devils can also pre-select eligible Tasmanian-based players in advance of each of the first four national drafts (2027 to 2030) in which they participate. Glenorchy’s Jake Beams, the son of former Demon Ben Beams, would be close to the top of the state’s 2027 talent pool with his elite kick, along with Benji Russell.