Australia’s best state league footballers to strut their stuff at the Bay

It’s been hard fought but we can now reveal which local club has won the right to host the long-awaited SANFL v VFL rivalry game during AFL Gather Round.

State football is coming to the Bay.

Glenelg Oval will host the much-anticipated SANFL versus VFL interstate clash on Saturday, April 6 during the AFL Gather Round Festival.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Stratarama Stadium (Glenelg Oval) with state footy,’’ Tigers chief executive Justin Scripps said after his club won the right to host the 12.40pm game.

“It’s also great for our state players to play against a traditional rival at one of the best suburban grounds in Adelaide.’’

The game will reignite South Australia’s fierce state football rivalry with Victoria.

It will be the first time the SANFL has played the ‘Big V’ since 2016, when a Graham Cornes-coached SA triumphed by 19 points at Adelaide Oval.

Cornes – a Glenelg and SA legend and Australian Football Hall of Fame member – described playing this year’s state game at the Bay as “pretty special’’.

SANFL state coach Jade Rawlings (left) and Glenelg legend Graham Cornes at the Bay Oval, where the SANFL will play the VFL in an interstate clash on April 6. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“State games are important wherever they are played – it’s always a big thrill for a player to pull on a state jumper – and Glenelg Oval will be a great venue for it, providing a good, intimate atmosphere,’’ he said.

Glenelg Oval has hosted state football once before – in 2012 when the SANFL beat the WAFL by 14 points under the guidance of coach Michael Godden.

Adelaide Oval is unavailable for this year’s clash because of Gather Round, which will see all 18 AFL clubs play games in Adelaide from April 4-7.

SA coach Jade Rawlings, who led the Croweaters to a come-from-behind, 13-point victory against Western Australia at Adelaide Oval in his first stint as coach last year, said he is looking forward to leading his charges into battle on a suburban ground.

“It’s a real positive and I think it’s great that the VFL wants to re-engage in a state game against South Australia after the success of our games against Western Australia in the past few years,’’ he said.

“To do it in Gather Round and have it at a venue like Glenelg should really engage a lot of South Australians, so it’s going to be really exciting.

“I know how our players feel about wearing the (red) jumper and representing the state and that the VFL has been keen to re-engage in matches against South Australia, so they’ll be striving to put a strong team together as well.’’

South Australia celebrates its state league interstate triumph against Victoria at Adelaide Oval in 2016. Picture: Tom Huntley

With only one SANFL round played before the interstate clash, Rawlings and his fellow state selectors – Port Adelaide great Tim Ginever, Norwood premiership player and former Crow James Gallagher and the SANFL’s Matt Duldig, Sean Toohey and Daniel Joyce – will be faced with the tough task of picking a team based on past rather than current form.

“Practice matches and Round 1 will have a bearing on it but the shape of the team, I would imagine, will be guided by the team that played last year while we’ll also engage with the clubs to work out where players are at in regards to their preparation,’’ Rawlings said.

“Last year Mitch Hardie (who was with the Eagles before being drafted by Geelong in the AFL mid-season draft) absolutely brained them in the practice games and that continued into the season, which led to his (state) selection and now he’s at Geelong, so things can happen pretty quickly if people perform well early in the season.’’

No SANFL league matches have been scheduled for the state game weekend, which follows Round 1.

While SA will play a second state match this year – its annual clash against WA, which will be held at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Sunday, May 19 – the Glenelg Oval clash will be the VFL’s first representative game since losing to the Croweaters eight years ago.

Zane Kirkwood kicks a goal for the SANFL against the VFL at Adelaide Oval in 2016. Picture: Tom Huntley

SANFL executive general manager football Matt Duldig said the SANFL-VFL clash would provide a unique opportunity to showcase state league talent on a national stage as part of AFL Gather Round.

“To reignite a rivalry that dates back to the late 1800s is really exciting and to do it over Gather Round, when football is on show in SA, will be a treat for footy lovers from

all over the country,’’ Duldig said.

The SANFL has won six of its past seven contests against the VFL, with the sole defeat being at Adelaide Oval in 2002.

In the states’ last clash in 2016, SA captain Zane Kirkwood starred for the Croweaters to win his second Fos Williams Medal while Willie Rioli and Brett Eddy both kicked four goals in the 16.10 (106) to 13.9 (87) victory.