IT HAS taken Hawthorn 10 years to attract 8000 Tasmanian members but North Melbourne chief executive Eugene Arocca says the Kangaroos are hoping to reach that mark in half the time.

In June this year North sealed a three-year deal to play two 'home' games a season at Hobart's Bellerive Oval from 2012.

Hawthorn has played home games at Launceston's Aurora Stadium since 2001 and, as of August 3, had 8484 Tasmanian members.

But as North prepares to take on Hawthorn in a clash of Tasmania's future co-tenants at Aurora Stadium this Sunday, Arocca told afl.com.au North's Hobart venture would be a "failure" if it did not net the club 8000 Tasmanian members within five years.

"In a mathematical sense, one would think we would not have succeeded if we did not have 8000 members in five years' time," Arocca said.

"Hobart is a bigger market than Launceston. The north and the north-west of Tasmania has about 150,000 people, but in the south of Tasmania we'll be able to engage with about 250,000 people.

"Even though we're only playing two games as opposed to the four that Hawthorn play, one would think that logically we should be able to engage with that supporter base and achieve as many, if not more, members than Hawthorn."

However, Arocca stressed there was plenty of room for both North and Hawthorn in Tasmania, saying there was no lingering tension between the clubs over a proposal late last year for the Kangaroos to play seven games a season in Launceston and Hobart.

That deal ultimately fell over - at North's annual general meeting in February, chairman James Brayshaw said the club's refusal to entertain an eventual relocation had been a factor - with the Hawks' lucrative Launceston deal subsequently extended for five years.

This week, Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett posted an online letter to Hawks members, in which he said the AFL had "actively worked to remove" Hawthorn from Tasmania in favour of North.

But Arocca said Hawthorn had been supportive of North's prospective move into Hobart.

"Hawthorn have made it very clear that they don't believe there should be any reason for competition between the two clubs," Arocca said.

"I have a fantastic relationship with (Hawthorn chief executive) Stuart Fox … and even Jeff Kennett has been complimentary of North Melbourne's arrival in the state.

"Ultimately, I would think they'll look after their people in Launceston and we'll look after our people around Hobart."

Arocca said the two-hour-plus drive between Launceston and Hobart meant it was likely North supporters in the north of the state would buy a Hawthorn Tasmanian membership and attend their games, and vice versa in Hobart.

North and Hawthorn also agree there is no place for an intra-state derby in Tasmania, Arocca said.

Last month, Kennett said an annual Apple Isle clash between Hawthorn and North would be "self-destructive", entrenching the state's north-south divide.

Arocca agreed, saying this Sunday's game would most likely be the last time North would play Hawthorn in Tasmania.

Arocca said North was committed to entrenching itself at Bellerive Oval and within the Hobart community over the long term. However, he said it was unlikely the Kangaroos would ever play more than three games a season there, given their commitment to their Melbourne base and the AFL's commitment to fixturing a minimum number of games at Etihad Stadium and the MCG.