SA’s AFL Gather Round has proved me wrong | Graham Cornes

Fortunately my myopia was not shared by the AFL, our state government, the hordes of interstate visitors and the local supporters, writes Graham Cornes.

I confess. When the concept of a festival of football was first mooted it sounded ridiculous.

Why just randomly insert another round of football into the already packed football calendar? And bring every AFL team in the country to the one state and play the nine games over four days?

And play an AFL game at Norwood Oval with that ominous brick wall? And on the side of a hill in Mt Barker? And our state government is going to pay money for this experiment?

Who would embrace such a concept?

Well just about everyone if the ticket sales and the levels of interest are any indication. I was wrong.

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Fortunately this myopia was not shared by the AFL, our state government, the hordes of interstate visitors and the local supporters who have sold out each of the nine games.

However, it is more than just the footy crowds, although they create a unique atmosphere. There is a feeling that has invigorated the whole city and state. Such an emotion is hard to manufacture. It has to happen spontaneously, as it has.

AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan with Premier Peter Malinuaskas at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

No one commanded it, although our Premier Peter Malinauskas has morphed into the role as cheerleader and choreographer without losing that statesmanlike charisma that will surely carry him beyond North Terrace and our state’s borders.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, told the guests at the official AFL pre-match function on Thursday evening as much. The Premier had lobbied passionately to have the first “Gather Round” in Adelaide, making persistent representation to the key AFL executives and commission members as well as the clubs’ leaders. McLachlan and Malinauskas obviously share a warm professional relationship.

They are from such diverse backgrounds but South Australia is a common connection. We will miss Gillon McLachlan when he eventually stands down.

100 pics! Friday’s Gather Round madness

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Despite the inclement weather there is palpable pride in our city and our state and an intent to show South Australia in its best light.

Who of us hasn’t been surprised at the commitment shown by the national media, sponsors and general football supporters to have a presence here in Adelaide this weekend? To see the legends and the old characters that made football in SA great, touched a nostalgic nerve. Tony Modra made an appearance on the Front Bar, as did the Jarman brothers, Gavin Wanganeen and Ken Hinkley.

Mods still has it. No longer the shy country kid who paled at the sight of a microphone, he held his own with the professional comedians on the panel. Long-time Crows fans saw his spectacular football exploits in person at the old Football Park – but we had forgotten just how many there were.

The highlight reel brought those memories flooding back. There have been some great exponents of the high mark, football’s most exciting feature, but none as consistently brilliant as Tony Modra. He was listed by the Crows at the end of 1991, the club’s first season, the same year another Riverland boy, 16-year-old Mark Ricciuto, was listed. However, it wasn’t till 1993 that he consolidated his position as an exciting full forward. Gary Ablett was spectacular but in 1993, Mods flamed more brilliantly. For a time, fame and public adoration overtook him but he was always a delight to coach, even if discipline was needed on a couple of occasions. Gather Round brought him to us again.

The big test of Gather Round was always going to be the public acceptance and the standard of the football. Australia was watching. Heck, the world was watching. Thursday’s game was even broadcast in Arabic by commentators Fouad Andrawos and Nadal Najar – nationally and internationally by NEMBC as part of the AFL’s Multicultural and Inclusion programme.

Importantly, all nine games have sold out. The official crowd at Adelaide Oval for the opening game on Thursday night was 47,395. It looked and sounded more. And it was a different crowd. Carlton supporters were well represented, either by those who had travelled from interstate or those who lived locally but there seemed to be a harder edge to the Crows crowd. Maybe it was because many more Crows fans had the opportunity to get tickets rather than just the rusted-on members, but the crowd was certainly more passionately involved.

Of course, that extra crowd involvement could be for the simple reason that Adelaide dominated from the first bounce. It was a big test for the Crows. They were showcased in a stand-alone game on the national stage against Carlton who were unbeaten. Plus, they carried a responsibility to the state to prove to Australia that South Australia is worthy of hosting this extravaganza of elite football. We need not have worried.

There have been times throughout the history of the Adelaide Football Club when the game unfolds beautifully. Inevitably they have been home games where the players were fuelled by the energy of the crowd and the occasion, but not always. Matthew Nicks has had a tough introduction to senior coaching and there have been few highlights. Victories over premiership teams Melbourne and Geelong as well as two Showdown wins stand out, but nothing has been as emphatic as this one. Somehow the players knew their responsibilities to the state.

Huge gallery: Did we snap you at the Oval?

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No doubt Matthew Nicks would have mentioned it; this was one of his “bright lights” moments. However, as much as anything they would have absorbed it, almost by osmosis. They didn’t need to be told. It is the team’s most significant win under Matthew Nicks and a sign that winning can become the norm rather than the exception. Perhaps the AFL and the broadcasters would have preferred a closer encounter and a more thrilling finish but this was the opportunity for the Crows to emphasise South Australian excellence. “We have the spotlight, we can’t waste it.” They didn’t.

No one knows for sure how much the South Australian government paid the AFL for this weekend’s hosting rights. The figure being bandied around by informed media types is $20 million. Given the interstate visitors, the bursting hotels, motels, caravan parks, Air B’nBs and the hospitality activities it would seem the money is flowing back, but only the economists could calculate that.

However, there are also other ways to measure success. If the investment can stimulate more football tourists; if it can show the rest of Australia just how great SA is; more importantly if it can inspire pride in our state and a love of its football, it is money well spent. Regardless of the naysayers!