Ground Up
2026 · ABC iview · 29 min · 1 season
S01E06 · Contested Possession
Fri, 12 June, 7:00 am
Alistair tells a Hobart Bishop the AFL provides superior moral guidance, Hugh's dog is kidnapped, the football department's database is hacked and a statue unveiling drops Alistair right in it.
About
Set in Tasmania, the series follows AFL administrator Hugh Shen, dispatched from Melbourne to establish the island's first-ever AFL team. But there's a catch: the locals must build a brand-new stadium and not everyone's happy about the $1.13 billion taxpayer-funded spend.
Hugh's mission? Win over a divided public, meet impossible deadlines, placate feisty protesters, and somehow find a coach, players, and a mascot that won't offend anyone. Should be a piece of cake.
Episodes
- E01
Offensive Pressure
Sun, 7 June· 28 minThe new CEO Hugh and the new COO Destiny feel each other out while trying to settle on a club song, a mascot and whether it's appropriate to have a salmon producer as a sponsor.
- E02
Taking Territory
Sun, 7 June· 29 minAFL CEO Alistair is in town to help secure a site for the club's new Training Centre. When the RSL rejects the use of the land at the war memorial, Alistair and Hugh turn their attention to the Governor's residence.
- E03
Too High
Sun, 7 June· 29 minDestiny is tasked with securing a sponsorship from an Opium producer, Hugh has to counter a Greens campaign about the economics of the stadium and the new coach's past proves problematic.
- E04
Ins and Outs
Sun, 7 June· 26 minHugh weathers protests against the proposed Training Centre site and against the club's salmon sponsorship. The President Catherine tries to buy some council support for the site, while GPS data implicates a player.
- E05
Boundaries
Sun, 7 June· 30 minThe Symphony Orchestra is unhappy with the proximity of the new stadium to their concert hall, the relocation of a waste treatment plant stalls, and a feel-good hospital visit by a player goes south.
- E06
Contested Possession
Fri, 12 June· 31 minAlistair tells a Hobart Bishop the AFL provides superior moral guidance, Hugh's dog is kidnapped, the football department's database is hacked and a statue unveiling drops Alistair right in it.
Cast
Sam Pang
Hugh Shen
Josh McConville
Alistair Penfold
Emma Harvie
Destiny Pitt
Dylan Murphy
Jameson
Lucy Durack
Angela Lipscombe
Marg Downey
Catherine La Fontaine