Melbourne Demons stars Max Gawn, Jake Lever and Kysaiah Pickett spotted in Adelaide ahead of 2024 Gather Round

Two days before the launch of our festival of footy, some of the AFL’s biggest stars are already enjoying what Adelaide has to offer.

The country’s biggest festival of footy is set to roll into town and some of the game’s biggest stars are already out and about enjoying what Adelaide has to offer.

South Australia is preparing to host the second AFL Gather Round from Thursday with all 18 teams and the game’s biggest stars in town.

With clubs set to arrive for the SA-only round four fixture, some of the game’s big names have been here for a few days.

Fresh off their win over Port Adelaide on Sunday, Melbourne have stayed in Adelaide ahead of the Gather Round opener on Thursday night against Adelaide.

Star ruckman Max Gawn was spotted enjoying his time with family in Adelaide. South Australian Demon Kade Chandler and former Adelaide Crow Jake Lever were seen on socials hunting Easter eggs on Glenelg beach.

Melbourne Football Club captain Max Gawn enjoys an Easter egg hunt at Glenelg with his wife Jess and sons George and Louis. Picture: Instagram

Former Melbourne captain Jack Trengove with Tom and Ruby McDonald, current captain Max Gawn and his wife Jess and Jack's wife Sarah Clements at Down The Rabbit Hole winery in McLaren Vale. Picture: Instagram

Gawn and fellow Demons veteran Tom McDonald was also seen rubbing shoulders with former club captain and South Australian Jack Trengrove at the Down The Rabbit Hole winery in McLaren Vale.

Fellow South Australian and current Demons star Kysaiah Pickett enjoyed a touching moment with family at training.

The Demons trained on West Adelaide’s deck at Hisense Stadium on Monday and are due at the home of the Bloods again on Wednesday morning from 9.45am.

Earlier last month, Demons star Christian Petracca was busy on the promotion front with the AFL, enjoying some of South Australia’s best seafood, the famous Coffin Bay oysters.

While the Demons were early to the party, Adelaide Airport is preparing for a massive influx of interstate arrivals for Gather Round.

The airport is expecting more than 140,000 travellers to pass through the airport from Thursday until Monday.

Police are also preparing for heavy traffic coming in from the eastern border.

Melbourne defender Jake Lever's wife Jess took their kids to the Semaphore Kite Festival on the weekend. Picture: Instagram

Demon’s star Kysaiah Pickett at training at Richmond, Adelaide on Monday. Picture: Instagram

With eight Victorian teams in town, SA Police have joined with the SANFL and local football team the Coorong Cats to create a pop-up rest stop on the Dukes Highway at Coonalpyn.

Set against the famous Coonalpyn silo murals, the rest stop will operate over two days; Thursday, April 4 from midday to 5pm, and Monday, April 8 from 9am to 2pm.

Last year, Gather Round saw more than 25,000 visitors from Victoria and more are expected to make the road trip to Adelaide this year.

Inspector Mick Turnbull said the rest stop aims to combat driver fatigue on South Australian roads during Gather Round.

“Driver fatigue is a major factor causing road crashes and is more likely to be an issue in rural areas due to the long distances and periods of continuous driving,” he said.

“Taking a 15-minute break at least every two hours where you get out of your car, get some fresh air and exercise can go a long way to ensuring you get to your destination safely.”

The Coorong Football Club will run a barbecue for those who stop, while SANFL is offering activities for the whole family, including portable goalposts and handball targets.