2023 National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Season Launch

By SANFL Media

The 2023 National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Season Launch has been lauded as the biggest yet as thousands of children captured the excitement of the AFL’s Gather Round on Sunday morning.

With the music pumping and club colours being proudly sported by players of all ages, they rubbed shoulders with the likes of star Melbourne midfielders Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver and rookie sensation from North Melbourne, Harry Sheezel, at the Elder Park Festival of Footy live site.

There was also distinct South Australian flavour as MC Abbey Holmes chatted with Demons premiership mentor Simon Goodwin, Essendon ruckman Sam Draper and AFL Field Umpire Eleni Tee (nee Glouftsis).

”I still keep a close eye on the Panthers so hopefully they can get going and win the Grand Final,” Draper told the crowd in excess of 1500 people.

Glenelg Magarey Medallist Luke Partington and Double Blues ball magnet Isobel Kuiper were also among the SANFL stars telling the story of their football journey.

It was an electric backdrop as the nation’s largest junior Australian Football competition was launched, ahead of its Round 1 kicking off next weekend.

Known as the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors competition since 2020, the League is preparing to host close to 11,000 boys and girls aged between U7 and U17.5 in 2023.

Registrations for this season have increased by just under four per cent on 2022, with five new teams lacing up the boots for the first time, a total of 702 from across metropolitan Adelaide.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, SANFL CEO Darren Chandler and National Pharmacies CEO Vito Borrello all addressed the crowd, with Mr Malinauskas praising SANFL and National Pharmacies for the commitment shown to ensure thousands of children have the opportunity to play Australian Football each week through winter.

After posing for selfies with Mr Malinauskas, junior footballers from across the State got active with their heroes with interactive activities amongst circus acts, stilt walkers and face painters on the banks of the River Torrens.

There were also plenty of giveaways for the kids while also having the opportunity to experience the adrenaline rush of the Gather Round Zipline across Adelaide’s iconic expanse of water.