SANFL releases 2021 fixture with Port Adelaide v Norwood to open the season

Two arch rivals will open the 2021 SANFL with a bang before other blockbuster matches. SEE the full men’s and women’s fixture plus a rule change here.

Port Adelaide’s Martin Frederick trying to get away with the ball during a match against Norwood at The Parade in April 2019. The Redlegs open their 2021 SANFL season with a clash against the Magpies at home. Picture: Dean Martin

The SANFL season will kick off with a grudge match between the competition’s most fiercest rivals before a raft of other blockbuster games to open the 2021 campaign.

Norwood will start its season hosting arch rivals Port Adelaide under lights on April 1 (Easter Thursday).

It will be the first clash between the Redlegs and the Magpies since round 10 2019 after Port and the Crows were forced to sit out last year due to the AFL’s COVID-19 rules.

This year’s fixture, which was released on Friday, has Woodville-West Torrens unfurling its premiership flag against Sturt at home in the opening round on Good Friday.

South Adelaide will start its season against Adelaide at home, Central District has a challenging round one match against 2020 runner up North Adelaide, while Glenelg hosts West Adelaide — all on Good Friday.

There will be a double traditional Anzac Day clash between grand finalists with 2019 premiers Glenelg battling Port on April 24, before a stand alone match between the Eagles and 2020 runner up North Adelaide on April 25.

Port’s Joel Garner tries to clear the ball during the Magpies clash with Norwood at The Parade in April 2019. Picture Dean Martin

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL MEN’S AND WOMEN’S FIXTURES.

Other highlights include Port taking on the Crows at Alberton Oval on Sunday May 2, before a state game between the SANFL and the WAFL which is slated for the weekend of Saturday, May 15.

A venue and time for the state game is still to be confirmed, pending coronavirus border restrictions.

The competition will also revert to a four-week finals series with a top five, which will be played at Adelaide Oval on the weekend of Saturday, August 28.

The grand final, also set to be played at Adelaide Oval, will be on Sunday, September 19.

SANFL general manager football Matthew Duldig was “pleased to give all 10 clubs certainty with a full fixture release”.

“We know the unpredictability of the coronavirus and the ongoing challenges this presents with the requirement for social restrictions and border closures,” Duldig said.

“The safety of our community is paramount and, like all sporting bodies, we accept the need to be agile with fixturing to ensure the 2021 season can be delivered safely for participants, volunteers and spectators.”

The women’s competition will begin on Friday, February 26 with a grand final rematch between reigning premier North Adelaide and South Adelaide.

The Eagles will unfurl their premiership flag during their round one clash against Sturt on Good Friday. Picture: Sarah Reed

In a huge boost for the competition, all eight teams will play at Adelaide Oval in round six on April 3.

The Easter Saturday quadruple-header headlines the 11-round campaign, which also includes a match for premiership points in the country with Central District hosting Sturt under lights at Tanunda Oval on Saturday April 24.

The minor rounds will end on May 15 before a three week finals series which will culminate in a flag decider on the weekend of Saturday June 5.

Duldig said it was exciting to have the women play matches at Adelaide Oval.

“It will be just the second time an official female football game has been played at Adelaide Oval, following Adelaide’s AFLW grand final victory against Carlton in 2019,” Duldig said.

“Not only is such a historic occasion a wonderful opportunity to showcase the competition but the girls also receive a memorable experience as they too aspire to play at AFLW level.’’

Meanwhile, players kicking the ball into play after a behind will be given more space under a rule change ratified by the South Australian Football Commission.

Aligning with the AFL’s new rule, SANFL players must now stand at least 15m from the centre of the kick-in line or the behind post, after an out-of-bounds penalty.

The rule change was brought in to reduce congestion and help with the flow of the game.

FULL MEN’S FIXTURE:

ROUND ONE

Thursday April 1

■ Norwood v Port Adelaide Coopers Stadium 7:40pm

Friday April 2

■ South Adelaide v Adelaide Flinders University Stadium 1:10pm

■ Central District v North Adelaide X Convenience Oval 2:10pm

■ Eagles v Sturt Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:35pm

■ Glenelg v West Adelaide ACH Group Stadium 4:10pm

ROUND 2

Saturday April 10

■ North Adelaide v South Adelaide Prospect Oval 2:10pm

■ Port Adelaide v Central District Alberton Oval 2:10pm

■ Sturt v Norwood Unley Oval 3:05pm

■ Glenelg v Eagles ACH Group Stadium 4:10pm

■ West Adelaide v Adelaide Hisense Stadium 4:10pm

ROUND 3

Friday April 16

■ Norwood v North Adelaide Coopers Stadium 7:40pm

Saturday 17 April

■ South Adelaide v Port Adelaide Flinders University Stadium 2:10pm

■ Sturt v West Adelaide Unley Oval 2:10pm

■ Eagles v Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:10pm

■ Central District v Glenelg X Convenience Oval 3:05pm

ROUND 4 (Anzac round)

Friday April 23

■ West Adelaide v Norwood Hisense Stadium 7:40pm

Saturday 24 April

■ Central District v Adelaide X Convenience Oval 2:10pm

■ South Adelaide v Sturt Flinders University Stadium 3:05pm

■ Glenelg v Port Adelaide ACH Group Stadium 6:30pm

Sunday 25 April

■ Eagles v North Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:10pm

ROUND 5

Saturday May 1

■ North Adelaide v Glenelg Prospect Oval 1:10pm

■ Sturt v Adelaide Unley Oval 2:10pm

■ West Adelaide v Central District Hisense Stadium 2:10pm

■ Norwood v South Adelaide Coopers Stadium 4:10pm

Sunday May 2

■ Port Adelaide v Eagles Alberton Oval 2:10pm

ROUND 6

Saturday May 8

■ Central District v Norwood X Convenience Oval 2:10pm

■ Eagles v South Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:10pm

■ Port Adelaide v Adelaide Alberton Oval TBC

Sunday May 9

■ North Adelaide v West Adelaide Prospect Oval 2:10pm

■ Glenelg v Sturt ACH Group Stadium 2:10pm

STATE GAME

Weekend of Saturday 15 May

■ West End State Team v WA Location, time TBC

ROUND 7

Saturday May 22

■ Port Adelaide v North Adelaide Alberton Oval 1:10pm

■ Sturt v Central District Unley Oval 2:10pm

■ West Adelaide v Eagles Hisense Stadium 2:10pm

■ Norwood v Adelaide Coopers Stadium 2:10pm

Sunday May 23

■ South Adelaide v Glenelg Flinders University Stadium 2:10pm

ROUND 8

Saturday May 29

■ Eagles v Norwood Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:10pm

■ South Adelaide v Central District Flinders University Stadium 2:10pm

■ Port Adelaide v West Adelaide Alberton Oval 2:10pm

■ Glenelg v Adelaide ACH Group Stadium 2:10pm

Sunday May 30

■ North Adelaide v Sturt Prospect Oval 2:10pm

ROUND 9

Saturday June 5

■ Norwood v Glenelg Coopers Stadium 2:10pm

■ Central District v Eagles X Convenience Oval 2:10pm

■ North Adelaide v Adelaide Prospect Oval 2:10pm

Sunday June 6

■ West Adelaide v South Adelaide Hisense Stadium 2:10pm

■ Bye — Sturt, Port Adelaide

ROUND 10

Saturday June 12

■ Eagles v Port Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 2:10pm

Sunday June 13

■ Sturt v Adelaide Unley Oval 2:10pm

Monday June 14 (Queens Birthday)

■ South Adelaide v Norwood Flinders University Stadium 2:10pm

■ Glenelg v North Adelaide ACH Group Stadium 2:10pm

■ Bye — Central District, West Adelaide

ROUND 11

Saturday June 19

■ Central District v West Adelaide X Convenience Oval 2:10pm

Sunday June 20

■ Port Adelaide v Sturt Alberton Oval 2:10pm

■ Bye — South Adelaide, Glenelg, Norwood, North Adelaide, Eagles, Adelaide

ROUND 12

Weekend of Saturday June 26

■ Sturt v South Adelaide Unley Oval TBC

■ Norwood v Central District Coopers Stadium TBC

■ North Adelaide v Port Adelaide Prospect Oval TBC

■ Eagles v Glenelg Maughan Thiem Kia Oval TBC

■ West Adelaide v Adelaide Hisense Stadium TBC

ROUND 13 (Indigenous round)

Weekend of Saturday July 3

■ Norwood v Sturt Coopers Stadium TBC

■ Central District v Port Adelaide X Convenience Oval TBC

■ South Adelaide v Eagles Flinders University Stadium TBC

■ West Adelaide v North Adelaide Hisense Stadium TBC

■ Glenelg v Adelaide ACH Group Stadium TBC

ROUND 14

Weekend of Saturday July 10

■ Sturt v Glenelg Unley Oval TBC

■ North Adelaide v Central District Prospect Oval TBC

■ Port Adelaide v Norwood Alberton Oval TBC

■ Eagles v West Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval TBC

■ South Adelaide v Adelaide Victor Harbor 2:10pm

ROUND 15

Weekend of Saturday July 17

■ Glenelg v South Adelaide ACH Group Stadium TBC

■ Central District v Sturt X Convenience Oval TBC

■ Norwood v Eagles Coopers Stadium TBC

■ West Adelaide v Port Adelaide Hisense Stadium TBC

■ North Adelaide v Adelaide Prospect Oval TBC

ROUND 16

Weekend of Saturday July 24

Sturt v North Adelaide Unley Oval TBC

Port Adelaide v Glenelg Alberton Oval TBC

Eagles v Central District Maughan Thiem Kia Oval TBC

South Adelaide v West Adelaide Flinders University Stadium TBC

Norwood v Adelaide Coopers Stadium TBC

ROUND 17 (Split round)

Weekend of Saturday July 31

■ Glenelg v Norwood ACH Group Stadium TBC

■ West Adelaide v Sturt Hisense Stadium TBC

Weekend of Saturday August 7

■ Central District v South Adelaide X Convenience Oval TBC

■ North Adelaide v Eagles Prospect Oval TBC

■ Adelaide v Port Adelaide Adelaide Oval TBC

ROUND 18

Weekend of Saturday August 14

■ South Adelaide v North Adelaide Flinders University Stadium TBC

■ Glenelg v Central District ACH Group Stadium TBC

■ Sturt v Port Adelaide Unley Oval TBC

■ Norwood v West Adelaide Coopers Stadium TBC

■ Eagles v Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval TBC

ROUND 19

Weekend of Saturday August 21

■ North Adelaide v Norwood Prospect Oval TBC

■ Port Adelaide v South Adelaide Alberton Oval TBC

■ Sturt v Eagles Unley Oval TBC

■ West Adelaide v Glenelg Hisense Stadium TBC

■ Central District v Adelaide X Convenience Oval TBC

VENUE KEY

■ ACH Group Stadium (Glenelg Oval)

■ Coopers Stadium (Norwood Oval)

■ Hisense Stadium (Richmond Oval)

■ Flinders University Stadium (Noarlunga Oval)

■ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval (Woodville Oval)

■ X Convenience Oval (Elizabeth Oval)

FULL WOMEN’S FIXTURE:

ROUND 1

Friday February

■ North Adelaide v South Adelaide Coopers Stadium 6:00pm

■ Norwood v West Adelaide Coopers Stadium 7:45pm

Saturday 27 February

■ Sturt v Glenelg X Convenience Oval 10:10am

■ Central District v Eagles X Convenience Oval 11:55am

ROUND 2

Friday March 5

■ South Adelaide v Norwood Flinders University Stadium 6:30pm

Saturday March 6

■ Central District v Sturt Hisense Stadium 10:10am

■ Glenelg v North Adelaide Hisense Stadium 11:55am

■ West Adelaide v Eagles Hisense Stadium 1:40pm

ROUND 3

Friday March 12

■ Central District v South Adelaide Coopers Stadium 6:00pm

■ Norwood v Sturt Coopers Stadium 7:45pm

Saturday March 13

■ Eagles v Glenelg Hisense Stadium 10:10am

■ West Adelaide v North Adelaide Hisense Stadium 11:55am

ROUND 4

Friday March 19

■ Eagles v Central District Hisense Stadium 6:00pm

■ West Adelaide v Glenelg Hisense Stadium 7:45pm

Saturday March 20

North Adelaide v Norwood Coopers Stadium 12:00pm

South Adelaide v Sturt Flinders University Stadium 5:00pm

ROUND 5

Friday March 26

■ South Adelaide v North Adelaide Flinders University Stadium 6:30pm

Saturday March 27

■ Sturt v Eagles X Convenience Oval 10:10am

■ Central District v West Adelaide X Convenience Oval 11:55am

■ Norwood v Glenelg Coopers Stadium 12:00pm

ROUND 6

Saturday April 3

■ Glenelg v Sturt Adelaide Oval 10:30am

■ Central District v North Adelaide Adelaide Oval 12:15pm

■ Eagles v Norwood Adelaide Oval 2:00pm

■ West Adelaide South Adelaide Adelaide Oval 3:45pm

ROUND 7

Friday April 16

■ Norwood v North Adelaide Coopers Stadium 6:00pm

■ Glenelg v Central District ACH Group Stadium 6:30pm

Saturday 17 April

■ Eagles v South Adelaide Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 9:40am

■ Sturt v West Adelaide Unley Oval 12:00pm

ROUND 8

Saturday April 24

■ North Adelaide v Eagles Prospect Oval 11:00am

■ Glenelg v South Adelaide ACH Group Stadium 2:00pm

■ West Adelaide v Norwood Hisense Stadium 3:10pm

■ Central District v Sturt Tanunda 7:00pm

ROUND 9

Saturday May 1

■ Eagles v Sturt Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 11:00am

■ North Adelaide v Glenelg Prospect Oval 3:40pm

■ West Adelaide v Central District Hisense Stadium 4:40pm

■ Norwood v South Adelaide Coopers Stadium 6:40pm

ROUND 10

Friday May 7

■ Norwood v Central District Coopers Stadium; 6:30pm

Saturday 8 May

■ Eagles v Glenelg Maughan Thiem Kia Oval 9:40am

■ Sturt v South Adelaide Prospect Oval 10:30am

■ North Adelaide v West Adelaide Prospect Oval 12:15pm

ROUND 11

Saturday May 15

■ Norwood V Eagles ACH Group Stadium 10:30am

■ South Adelaide v West Adelaide Flinders Uni Stadium 12:00pm

Sturt v North Adelaide Unley Oval 12:15pm

■ Glenelg v Central District ACH Group Stadium 12:15pm