SANFL, Adelaide Footy League and SA country leagues reveal post-lockdown season fixture plans
The majority of SA’s community football leagues will return to the field this Saturday. Find out how each plans to finish the 2021 season.
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The SANFL, Adelaide Footy League and SA’s country competitions have revealed their plans to finish the 2021 season following a two-week postponement due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Following the state government’s announcement on Monday that competitive sport can return from midnight Wednesday, the majority of leagues across the state will resume their seasons this Saturday.
Some have extended their seasons, shifted grand finals and called games as byes while others have elected to wait for more information from SA Health and the SANFL before making a call.
Here is the state of play for every competition as of Tuesday, August 3.
SANFL
The SANFL has announced it will extend the season by two weeks and return the grand final to the weekend after the AFL decider for the first time since 2013.
A revised round 16 – revealed on Friday – is planned to take place on Saturday, August 7 taking in the split round originally scheduled for the next two weekends has been.
Original round 16 matches missed during lockdown will be played at the end of the minor round.
The grand final, which was scheduled for September 19, will now be played on the long weekend on Sunday, October 3.
It will be the first time since the 2013 decider at Football Park’s that it will be played after the AFL grand final.
“For many years, the October long weekend was a really successful tradition for the SANFL grand final so both the league and clubs agreed this was the most favourable date to conclude what has been another unprecedented season due to the Covid pandemic,” SANFL chief executive Darren Chandler said.
The SANFL also confirmed that the a season of SANFL juniors will be played out.
The minors’ competition will be extended by two weeks, allowing full round to be played and will be followed by a revised finals fixture.
SANFL ROUND 16 FIXTURE
Saturday August 7
Glenelg v Norwood – Glenelg Oval at 2:10pm
West Adelaide v Sturt – Richmond Oval at 2:10pm
Central District v South Adelaide Elizabeth Oval at 2:10pm
North Adelaide v Eagles – Prospect Oval at 2:10pm
Weekend of August 7
Adelaide v Port Adelaide – Adelaide Oval, time TBC
ADELAIDE FOOTY LEAGUE
The Adelaide Footy League will wait for further advice before revealing its plans for the remainder of the season.
However, chief executive John Kernahan said earlier this week the league would prioritise completing the home and away season to ensure integrity for relegation, which was frozen last year.
Changes to the finals structure are also expected and the league has not ruled out cutting down the traditional top five.
It is unlikely grand finals for the competition’s seven men’s divisions will be played later than the weekend of September 18 due to the AFL grand final (scheduled for September 25) and the October long weekend.
There is an added complication to the division one fixture as it was in the middle of a split round when the lockdown came into force.
The remaining two games – St Peter’s OC v Brighton and Prince Alfred OC v Goodwood – would most likely be added onto the end of the campaign.
ADELAIDE PLAINS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The APFL will cancel its last two minor rounds and bring its finals series forward one week following a board meeting on Wednesday night.
Round 13 and 14 are planned to go ahead on August 7 and 14, after which the competition’s eight clubs will have played each other twice.
The APFL hopes to hold the grand final on Saturday, September 11 at Balaklava.
BAROSSA LIGHT & GAWLER FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
The BLGFA met on Sunday and decided to call its round 14 and 15 fixtures draws and continue as scheduled from round 16 on August 7. The grand final will be played on September 18 at Willaston.
EASTERN EYRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The EEFL will continue its fixture as planned from August 7, however matches missed on July 24 and 31 have been called draws and teams awarded one point each.
GREAT FLINDERS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The GFFL will return on August 7 and play its finals series as planned with a grand final scheduled for September 18 at Tumby Bay.
However the Home And Away fixture has been revised for the remaining three weeks to allow teams to play each other twice where possible and a total of 12 matches.
GREAT SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Following a meeting on Thursday night, the GSFL has called its missed round 14 and 15 games draws and will play the remaining three rounds as planned from next Saturday.
HILLS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The HFL has decided to continue its fixtures as planned and call all missed games from rounds 14 and 15 as draws.
Its finals series will also go ahead as planned.
In a statement from the HFL board, it said the rescheduling of the missed matches “was unrealisable due to conflicts with the HFL, SANFL and AFL Grand Final dates” along with the beginning of the cricket season in October.
KANGAROO ISLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The KIFL and its clubs met on Monday night and resolved to conclude the minor rounds and move straight to a top five finals series.
However the league will not return this Saturday and instead play its first games back – qualifying and elimination finals – on August 14 and 15.
The grand final will be played on September 4 at Paradana.
MID SOUTH EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
A grand final on September 18 remains the plan of the MSEFL, which plans to continue its season as fixtured from next Saturday.
The outcome of missed matches in rounds 14 and 15 is still yet to be confirmed.
NORTHERN AREAS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
The NAFA will continue as planned for rounds 13, 14 and 16 but has omitted round 15.
A grand final is planned for Saturday, September 11 at Crystal Brook.
NORTH EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The NEFL plans to play rounds 12-14 beginning on August 7 and add round 11 on to the end of the schedule before a September 18 grand final at Eudunda.
RIVERLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The RFL plans to continue its season as fixtured and call its missed round 11 and 12 matches as draws.
RIVER MURRAY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The RMFL has rescheduled its finals series to push all matches a week back and will now play its grand final on September 18.
Round 16 matches, originally due to be played on July 24, have been called draws and round 17 will be played as the last minor round.
SOUTHERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The SFL is yet to confirm its plans but has cancelled sub-juniors carnivals and will instead play rounds of sub-juniors (all grades) on August 8, 15 and 22.
SPENCER GULF FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The SGFL plans to postpone its missed rounds to the end of the season following rounds 14 and 15, beginning on August 7.
Rounds 16 and 17 have been cancelled with finals planned to begin on September 4 as planned.
WESTERN BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
A draft plan has been presented to clubs by the WBFL which involves the grand final being played on September 18.
Under the proposal round nine – missed earlier in the season due to border issues with Victorian club Casterton-Sandford – would be played on August 7 followed by rounds 13, 14 and 15.
YORKE PENINSULA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
A YPFL board meeting on Saturday, July 31 determined the competition’s round 13 and 14 fixtures would be called draws with originally scheduled matches to continue from August 7. The grand final will be played on September 18 at Yorketown Oval.
TO BE CONFIRMED
■ Far North Football League
■ Kowree Nararcoorte Tatiara Football League
■ Mallee Football League
■ Port Lincoln Football League
■ Whyalla Football League
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