Matthew Rhodes - the person behind Tassie Football Central
Matthew Rhodes, Tassie Football Central - photograph taken by Nikki Long
Tassie Football Central has become a fixture of Tasmanian football life.
On weekends, thousands of people refresh the page for live scores, results, short reports and recognition. It is often the fastest, sometimes the only, place where matches across the state are acknowledged in real time.
But pages do not run themselves.
Behind Tassie Football Central is Matthew Rhodes. Consistent, present, largely unseen. I wanted to speak with Matthew not about reach or algorithms but about the person who shows up every week and why.
What follows is Matthew’s story, largely in his own words.
Football as constancy
“Football has pretty much been my life. Apart from my children and family, it’s one of the most important things in my life.”
For Matthew, football is not something that comes and goes.
“It gives me satisfaction seeing people get recognition in all the leagues around the state, which I believe TFC offers.”
Before Tassie Football Central existed, he saw a gap.
“We didn’t have an independent page on social media where we could discuss football issues.”
The page itself began simply.
“I just got an impulse one day to start the TFC Facebook page. To be honest, I never thought it would go past a couple of hundred members.”
It didn’t stop there.
When people start relying on you
“No, I never thought it would achieve anything like it has. It’s quite humbling.”
Last season alone, Tassie Football Central recorded more than five million views.
A typical matchday starts early.
“The day starts at around 6.30am when I post the statewide scorer board.”
It ends late.
“It probably doesn’t finish till about 10pm because there is always something going on after a day of football.”
Between those hours, Matthew moves between games, updates scores, approves posts, watches live feeds and writes reports.
“The site was created to give the most exposure to every club in Tasmania for free.”
“It’s humbling knowing so many players, families and clubs depend on what you post. I never take anything for granted. I try and improve the coverage every year so it feels new and different for all the members.”
Showing up, staying separate
Matthew’s voice online is direct and unfiltered.
“No, it’s just me. It’s just pure emotion I am feeling at the time.”
That honesty comes with distance.
“To give an honest opinion you have to stay separated and detached, if that makes sense.”
For Matthew, neutrality is not accidental. It is a principle.
The separation shows up in small moments.
“My youngest son asks me who you going for today and I say no one.”
While teams socialise after matches, Matthew goes home.
“I pretty much go to a game, come home, update the scoreboard and watch the live feed for my post-match reports.”
Criticism comes with the role.
“I’ve learned to accept criticism. If you have an opinion, I believe you should always hear someone else’s opinion. Like anything, sometimes it’s tough.”
It can also be lonely.
Recognition, quietly held
Matthew spends much of his time recognising others.
When asked whether anyone had recognised his work in a way that stayed with him, he paused.
“I spent a lot of time communicating with Peter Mies and he used to say ‘keep them honest’. That saying stayed with me.”
There were others.
“Cathy Hancock supporting me in the early days was tremendous. And Vicki yourself has always been a great support.”
He also speaks about the community itself.
“The 8.5 thousand followers is something that I treasure as well.”
And then, the work itself.
“Football Tasmania starting the Hall of Fame was ten years’ work for me. I wrote over a hundred emails and stories. That is something I am very proud of.”
Day to day
In the last two years, Matthew’s life changed suddenly.
“Two heart attacks. The last one involved a six-hour operation and a huge recovery.”
He was forced to retire from work.
“I’ve gone from earning about seventy thousand a year to around thirty thousand.”
Tassie Football Central did not stop.
“Huge role in my rehab. It took a lot out of me, so TFC was huge in my healing.”
Matthew now lives day to day.
“A good day is I wake up. For me that’s a gift. I suppose I’m one of those people that have died and come back, so every day is a bonus.”
That reality has sharpened how he experiences football.
“I get excited every time game just in case it maybe my last. I don’t take anything for granted.”
Asking for help
After ten years of running Tassie Football Central for free, Matthew recently asked for voluntary support.
“To be honest, I hated doing it.”
The site has given away more than five thousand dollars in prize money over the years, funded by Matthew and sponsors.
“I like to provide the best coverage possible. I started doing live video match reports. People asked for better lighting and sound, so I spent seven hundred and fifty dollars to make it happen.”
The subscription remains voluntary.
“If I receive nothing, that’s fine. But twenty-seven people have taken it up so far, and it all helps.”
“I am also very grateful to the sponsors who support the site. Without them, a lot of the coverage and awards simply wouldn’t be possible.”
Loneliness and identity
When football is quiet, Matthew’s world narrows.
“I live alone so sometimes it would be great to have a partner to bounce off when it’s been a hard day.”
He is honest about how he sees himself.
“I suppose I am just a guy. Nothing exciting about me.”
What grounds him is simple.
“I do love my sport and spending time with my kids.”
Football helps him on the hardest days.
“A reason to leave home and get out amongst people.”
Mental health and cost
Matthew has been open about mental health challenges.
“It’s no secret I have mental health issues. Football plays a huge role in keeping me mentally well.”
His advice to others is practical.
“When it’s dark, reach out for help. That can be tough with the stigma, but it’s important. Talk to a friend or support services, but either way seek help.”
There has also been a cost.
“For a long time I was never invited to season launches, end of year dinners or included on the media list.”
“That was why I started my own awards,” he says. “Most people would have walked away after that.”
That exclusion mattered.
“As a person I am human.”
He kept going anyway.
“I paid for awards, paid for people to do blogs, covered everything myself. There’s a lot people don’t know.”
At times, it took everything he had.
“I’ll be honest, sometimes I just broke down in tears. But I was always there to fight the next battle for the clubs.”
Things have changed in recent years.
“The last two years the relationship with Football Tasmania has turned around. We don’t agree on everything, but I am included now and treated with respect. That has meant a lot.”
Why he keeps turning up
Matthew is clear about motivation.
“Anyone who does anything for legacy or recognition is doing it for the wrong reason.”
What drives him is simple.
“The people in the game. Supporters, players. It’s important to me to keep them in the loop.”
When asked what he would miss most if Tassie Football Central stopped tomorrow, his answer isn’t about reach or influence.
“I’d miss the people. Going to football and listening to football people is fantastic.”
And when asked about stories that matter most, he doesn’t hesitate.
“Somerset in the Northern Women’s Championship. I had covered them for five years and they never won a game. This season they won their first game. That was my favourite story of 2025.”
Matthew does not seek recognition, nor does he expect to be remembered. That may be true in the formal sense. But every weekend, across grounds and touchlines and group chats around Tasmania, his presence is already felt. Not loudly. Not perfectly. Simply, consistently. And sometimes that is enough.
Matthew reviewed this piece prior to publication and approved it as written.
About the author
I’m Victoria Morton. I’ve spent 20 years in Tasmanian football as a volunteer, club leader and advocate.
I’m writing a personal record of what I’ve seen, what I’ve learned and what Tasmania’s football community lives every week.
👉 Read more about me here: About Victoria