Division one amateur football reigning premier Goodwood Saints to meet Port Adelaide Magpies

AMATEUR football club Goddwood Saints will battle AFL players and on Adelaide Oval before the end of pre-season.

GOODWOOD Saints will battle AFL players and on Adelaide Oval before the end of pre-season.

Port Adelaide last week announced the Magpies will take on the Saints – division one amateur football’s reigning premier – at Thebarton Oval on April 2.

As they are the Power’s reserves, the Magpies will likely feature a host of AFL-listed players.

Goodwood then faces off against the state country team as a curtain-raiser to the Power’s game against Sydney at Adelaide Oval on April 11.

Saints coach Trent Mills said his side was excited.

“We’ll get a guide where we’re at and give the guys an opportunity to see what they could potentially aspire to,” Mills said.

“There wouldn’t be too many (Saints footballers) that have played on Adelaide Oval.”

The Magpies match was locked in after chats between Power football manager Chris Davies and amateur league chief executive John Kernahan.

Magpies coach Garry Hocking said Port wanted to acknowledge community football’s contribution.

“It’s something that I think we should look at from a SANFL perspective,” Hocking said.

“Can you get out there and take football back to a grassroots level and a community, and have those teams play against you?”

Kernahan said Goodwood was offered the games first because it was the reigning premier.

“It’s good exposure not just for Goodwood and their players but for our league in general,” Kernahan said.