Gather Round
Gather Round is back, bigger and better in 2024 and SANFL is proud to work in collaboration with the AFL and State Government to ensure its packed with excitement and opportunities for our entire footy community in SA.
Immerse yourself in the thrill of getting up close to your cherished AFL team as they train at a SANFL club, or engage in the excitement at a footy clinic, where you can kick and catch with AFL players. Elevate your understanding of the game with coach and umpire education and learn from football industry experts at the Footy Forum.
And that’s not all! Gather Round also sees the much-anticipated return of the SANFL v VFL state footy at Glenelg’s Stratarama Stadium, as well as a female footy talent showcase with the SANFLW All Stars game at Propsect Oval. At the AFL Festival of Footy live site at Elder Park there will be a chance to celebrate the start of the footy year at the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Season launch.
With Gather Round back in action, there is something for everyone, and 2024 promises to be an unparalleled celebration of footy action!
2024 Events & Activities
The AFL and SANFL are pleased to announce the return of the Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow in 2024.
The Roadshow will connect footy fans right across South Australia with the excitement of the month-long festival of footy. It is a key curtain-raiser to AFL Gather Round and will travel to more than 30 regional towns across 21 days, covering more than 4,000km.
Fans will have a chance to get up close with the 2024 AFL and AFLW Premiership cups and the perpetual SANFL Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy and the SANFL Women’s League Premiership cup.
CLICK HERE for more information
Fancy a Kick & Catch with your favourite AFL Team? SANFL is delivering 13 clinics featuring 14 AFL Clubs throughout Gather Round.
CLICK HERE to register for a clinic!
Want to know where and when your AFL Club is training?
Visit the AFL Gather Round Hub for the full event schedule!
The Gather Round Footy Forum is a combination of a training & education event for local club administrators/volunteers and a coach development conference for community coaches. This year’s event features a suite of industry leaders presenting on relevant topics for community football stakeholders.
Tickets will provide access to all seminars and include catering (lunch provided). The first 150 individuals to register will also receive a double pass to the Saturday Gather Round double header at Adelaide Oval (valued at $35pp).
CLICK HERE for more information.
SANFL is preparing to reignite its fierce rivalry with the VFL through a highly-anticipated State League clash to be held in Adelaide during the 2024 AFL Gather Round festival.
The highly-anticipated contest – pitting the two bitter enemies against each other for the first time in eight years – will begin at the Bay from 12.40pm on Saturday 6 April , allowing fans to then journey to Adelaide Oval for the AFL’s Gather Round double-header.
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.
Join us to celebrate the start of the footy year at the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Season Launch at the Footy Festival in Elder Park from 10:30am on Sunday 7 April.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Check back here shortly for details!
As part of the AFL Gather Round, The AFL & SANFL umpiring teams are collaborating to put on events for umpires (or prospective umpires) from across the country.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Learn from leading experts Damian Hough (Head Curator, Adelaide Oval) and Darryl Sellar (Agronomist, Living Turf) on best practice turf management planning and maintenance, including case studies of community venues all the way through to AFL standard, such as the rapid transformation of the surface at Norwood Oval for Gather Round in 2023.
This not to be missed event will also feature a tour of Adelaide Oval’s turf management equipment and workshop, as well as an opportunity to walk on the hallowed turf of Adelaide Oval.
Attendance is welcome from a broad range of the sport and recreation industry, however the event is most suitable for turf management professionals across private industry and local councils, as well as individuals involved in the planning and maintenance programs of sporting infrastructure.
CLICK HERE for more information.
The footy world is once again descending on Adelaide in April and we have secured the best money can’t buy experiences to giveaway to the SA football community.
Pre-game changeroom access, coin toss, ball delivery, official signed guernseys, and much more. This really is the ultimate Gather Round Giveaway.
There are 36 prizes to win for both adults and juniors registered to play, umpire or coach SA footy in 2024 with a total prize pool valued at over $96K!
Enter the draw by registering with to play, umpire, or coach in an AFL community football competition, NAB AFL Auskick Centre, or SANFL Schools for the 2024 season. Anyone who has registered for the 2024 season prior to the Promotional Period is also automatically entered into the draw.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Gather Round in 2023
In addition to the nine games of football played in SA during Gather Round 2023, two of which were played at Norwood Football Club, SANFL with the support of the AFL, also delivered:
- 16 free clinics with AFL and SANFL players reaching over 3000 kids
- Gather Round Giveaway competition with 6000 entries from registered football participants in the to win over 20 ‘money can’t buy’ match day experiences and prizes
- 16 AFL Captain’s Runs and player appearances
- The Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow – 21 days, 2,500km, 52 schools, 12 regional clubs, five community venues, 1600 footballs donated to clubs and 5000 fans reached right across the State.
- National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors season launch, attracting more than 2000 juniors/kids to the Festival of Footy live site in Elder Park with
- Eight Torrens University SANFL U16s and U18s matches played in front of national recruiters, showcasing SA elite boys’ talent
- Coach development workshops at SANFL venues connecting 400 community coaches with AFL head coaches.
- 50 Local Governments hosted at the inaugural Festival of Facilities forum and tour of The Summit, Mt Barker
- Community Club Development Day attended by almost 200 club and league volunteers, as well as live streamed across the nation
- Half-time Auskick experiences for approximately 800 boys and girls
- Umpire workshops and match day experiences connecting 500 community and junior umpires with elite AFL umpires
- 500 AFL Gather Round branded kits to schools in metropolitan Adelaide
- Creation of a new Ultimate Football Membership space at the David Hookes Bar in the Western Stand of Adelaide Oval for local and interstate attendees to enjoy.