Blockbuster Easter opening round to highlight 2024 SANFL season with four Good Friday matches

The 2024 SANFL fixture has been announced and with two state games, four Good Friday matches, and key regional clashes, see what’s coming in 2024.

The 2024 SANFL season will start with an Easter bonanza.

In a blockbuster opening round where Glenelg will unfurl its sixth premiership flag at home,

beaten grand finalist Sturt will kick off the season on the road against 2022 premier Norwood in a Thursday night clash at The Parade on March 28.

The SANFL will then take centre stage on Good Friday, with four matches starting at different times, beginning with the 1.40pm clash between North Adelaide and Central District at Prospect Oval and finishing with the Tigers playing Port Adelaide at the Bay at 4.40pm.

Other Round 1 fixtures pit South Adelaide against the Crows at Noarlunga (2.10pm) and the Eagles against West Adelaide at Woodville (2.30pm).

The clubs will then have a bye the following week as the SANFL hosts the VFL in Adelaide in the first interstate clash between the bitter rivals for eight years.

Glenelg players celebrate their 2023 SANFL grand final win against Sturt. The Tigers will unveil their premiership flag at the Bay oval against Port Adelaide in Round 1 of the 2024 season. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

The highly-anticipated match-up will be a feature of the AFL Gather Round and be played at a suburban SANFL venue, with Glenelg looming as the favourite.

The SANFL will play two state matches next season, with the second against the WAFL at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Sunday, May 19, as a curtain-raiser to the West Coast versus Melbourne AFL match.

Norwood premiership mentor Jade Rawlings will again lead the SA side after he successfully guided the Croweaters to victory against Western Australia at Adelaide Oval last year.

The SANFL will again hit the road, with four regional matches scheduled, including the much-anticipated Neil Kerley Memorial and Russell Ebert Tribute games.

The Kerley clash will be played between West and Adelaide in Murray Bridge in Round 17 while the Bloods will host the Ebert game against Port in the Riverland in Round 2.

In the other regional clashes, the Panthers will play the Roosters at Victor Harbor in Round 14 as part of the SA Country Championships and the Redlegs will play West in Port Lincoln for the third consecutive year.

2023 grand finalists Glenelg and Sturt will meet in the traditional Anzac Day clash, with the stand-alone match to be staged at the Bay on Thursday, April 25.

Sturt’s Will Coomblas is tackled by Adelaide’s Riley Clamp during this year’s SANFL preliminary final. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Last year’s King’s Birthday game between the two clubs attracted a home-and-away season-best crowd of 7285.

Glenelg and North (at the Bay) and the Double Blues and Norwood (Unley) will go head-to-head on the King’s Birthday holiday Monday this year.

Sturt will start the season on the road as it completes work on Unley Oval’s playing surface.

It won’t play at home until Round 5.

A four-week finals series will be played at Adelaide Oval, starting on September 1 and culminating with the grand final on September 22.

‘’We are really excited about the marquee match-ups, particularly in the opening rounds,’’ SANFL head of football operations Sean Toohey said.

“It promises to be an intriguing start to the season while we are also really excited to be showcasing the competition in South Australia’s regional areas, providing our country followers with a chance to watch their favourite teams up close in familiar locations.’’

The SANFLW season will begin on Friday, March 1, with West playing South at Thebarton Oval and Norwood hosting Central at The Parade from 7.40pm.