Essendon Football Club has moved to further strengthen its national brand after it today announced a formal alliance with Lauderdale Football Club in the Tasmanian Southern Football League.

This latest alliance comes on top of the Bombers’ successful partnerships with the North Shore Bombers in the Sydney AFL and the Redland Bombers in the Queensland AFL.

The alliance will see the Lauderdale Football Club wear the Essendon jumper and use the club logo. Essendon will also provide Lauderdale with jumpers for its seniors, reserves, under 19 and under 17 teams in 2004 as well as all junior teams in 2005.

Of the 4,257 Auskick participants in Tasmania, 19% indicated they supported Essendon. Given this level of support for Essendon in Tasmania, such an alliance was a logical step, according to Essendon Football Club chairman Neil McKissock.

""We see this is another important step in this club establishing a strong brand presence throughout Australia,"" McKissock said today. ""I think it is important to note that we don’t enter into such partnerships lightly and we do so for the benefit of both parties.

""I think there is a real opportunity for Essendon to establish a significant support base in Tasmania and at the same time help Lauderdale Football Club establish itself in Tasmania’s premier football league,"" McKissock said.

The Lauderdale Football Club was formed in 1979 and it is now the largest football club in Tasmania, fielding 14 teams. Lauderdale FC is located in the fastest growing residential area in Hobart and it lies to the east of the city.

Lauderdale’s senior coach is Scott Allen who played 15 senior games with the Western Bulldogs. He was also captain of the Tasmanian VFL side in 2001. The club has 250 registered juniors and the local primary school is the largest in Tasmania.

""This alliance presents our football club and the local community with an enormous opportunity to learn from one of the best sporting clubs in the country,"" Lauderdale Football Club president Arthur Johnston said. ""The whole club is very excited by what lies ahead, particularly given the success of Essendon’s other alliances in NSW and Queensland.""