Responding to Hodgman's claim that Tasmania was "a hotspot destination for investment and the nation's premier tourism state", Cochrane said: "Oh come on, the only thing Tasmania has over the Gold Coast is unemployment.They talk about it as a basket state not a growth state.

"That guy is a riot ??? that Will Whatever-his-name-is," retorted Cochrane. "He should be appearing on Saturday Night Live. I thought April Fool's Day was last week."

Hodgman was quick to fire back however, taking to Twitter on Monday night to retort: "Qld unemployment 6.4%; Tas 5.8%. Tassie more natural tourism awards than Qld. You employ a Tasmanian as your coach".

While the Tasmanian Government has new five-year deals in place with Hawthorn and North Melbourne, sponsoring a taxpayer-funded two-team seven-game-a-season model until the end of 2021, and failed last year to push for a side in the AFLW, Hodgman told News Limited on Sunday his state could sustain its own team and would step in should the Gold Coast fail.

Cochrane's Gold Coast has struggled on and off the field and sits well behind the younger GWS in terms of sponsorship and boasts almost 8000 fewer members.

"If you look at where Brisbane and the Suns are sitting on the ladder you might say we're struggling," said Cochrane, "but football in this state is in great shape. And I don't think there's anyone in Australia who would say Tasmania's in better shape than Queensland."

Cochrane pointed to the jump in football participation, which he said had provided the biggest growth numbers across Australia with 280,000 registered players in Queensland, 87,000 of those women, and on the Gold Coast 10,000 registered in the under 15 ranks alone.

"You're looking at the opportunities in a state with well beyond five million people compared with a state of 700,000 where most of the population is either retired or unemployed.

"People say we're still being funded by the AFL. If we can't raise the money, how the hell would it work economically in Tasmania? The AFL, I can tell you, would have given this zero consideration.

"The Queensland Government and the Gold Coast City Council have over $200 million invested in our stadium. I suppose Will's going to write that cheque to move us is he? This is a nonsense story."

Gold Coast entered its round three clash against Hawthorn as significant underdogs after a week of on and off-field scrutiny following the 102-point loss to the Giants before upsetting the Hawks by 86 points. Disenchanted former captain Gary Ablett was among the best performers with both Suns players and supporters showing some contempt for the defecting Jaeger O'Meara.

"It's been tough," conceded Cochrane, "and it's still tough. But I love a challenge and if you think it's something I plan to fail on, then you don't know me. I don't do abdication. It's not in my dictionary.

"People like to kick us when we are down and say we are without a soul. Believe me, we are not soulless. You come up here and meet our medical people and our welfare people and all of our staff. And our leadership group were challenged and they responded strongly behind the scenes last week.

"We showed against Hawthorn what we'd hoped to show from the start of the season and for some reason we couldn't.

"We will shape the eight. We might not make the eight but will shape it."