'Flagship' school footy comp cut short. Here's why its future is uncertain

For 17 years, the Tassie Hawks Cup has given high school footballers the chance to claim statewide bragging rights on one of the country's best surfaces.

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But this year's edition was the last.

The Tassie Hawks Cup has been held over Tuesday and Wednesday at UTAS Stadium, bringing together the girls and boys premiers of the North, North-West, and South's high school competitions.

Despite Hawthorn's partnership with the state government ending after the 2027 season, the decision has been made to end the cup this year.

"We've been asked to make way for the Devils to occupy this space next year," Hawthorn's head of Tasmanian operations, David Cox said.

"We would have loved to deliver one final Tassie Hawks Cup (next year) and I think there could have been an opportunity to collaborate on a cup next year.

"That opportunity wasn't presented, and so we're putting our energies behind making [Tuesday and Wednesday] as great as we possibly can."

Prior to the cup's first iteration in 2008, there was not a competition that crowned a state champion.

Cox said he had "no doubt that there is desire to continue a competition in some capacity".

"It would make perfect sense. Our goal, in partnership with AFL Tasmania who has run this comp with us, has always been about growing participation in football and with the rise of the Tassie Devils participation is only going to increase," he said.

"So there'll probably be a role for a high school football comp which will build on what we've created and take it to the next level."

Sacred Heart claimed the state title in the girls competition, defeating St Brendan-Shaw College 6.4 (40) to 1.7 (13) and St Patrick's College defeated Mackillop College 8.3 (51) to 7.5 (47) to the boys cup.

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