Glenelg and South Adelaide to clash in Good Friday footy at the Bay

THE SANFL will open its 2015 season with two stand-alone games at Easter including Glenelg hosting South Adelaide at the Bay on Good Friday.

THE SANFL will open its 2015 season with two standalone games at Easter including Glenelg hosting South Adelaide at the Bay on Good Friday.

Reigning premier Norwood will begin its title defence against Sturt at The Parade on Thursday night, April 2 in the official season opener, while the Good Friday game will move from its home of the past two years at Noarlunga to Glenelg.

The SANFL season opens the same weekend as the AFL but with only two matches and the remaining six clubs will start a week later and have one less bye during the year.

A feature of the 2015 program will be a double-header on Anzac Day eve with Glenelg hosting Adelaide and the grand final re-match between Norwood and Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on April 24.

The Magpies will continue to play their home games at Alberton Oval while the Crows play all of their games away - including taking their Round 7 match against Port to Balaklava.

The competition will break for the state game against the WAFL in Perth on May 23, while all finals will be held at Adelaide Oval culminating with the grand final on Sunday, September 27 - a week before the AFL grand final.

“We think the Round 1 fixture is a fantastic way to start the season,” SANFL general manager Adam Kelly said.

“There’s the reigning premier against Sturt and then Glenelg hosting Good Friday football against South Adelaide.

“Those two clubs have agreed to rotate the Good Friday game from now on. Obviously South Adelaide were the pioneers of the concept and now there’s a chance for Glenelg to host it so it will become a traditional part of the fixture.”

Kelly also expects bumper crowds for Round 4 over the Anzac Day weekend following the success of this year’s matches.

“Anzac Day this year we had over 20,000 people watching SANFL footy so the recipe is there already,” Kelly said.

“Next year on the Friday night before Anzac Day we’ll have the grand final re-match between Norwood and Port Adelaide bringing people to Adelaide Oval then Glenelg and Adelaide who drew 10,000 people to the Bay this season.”

Three-time reigning premier Norwood will still feature in night football but the number of games it hosts under lights will drop from six to four.

But chief executive Geoff Baynes said the Redlegs were pleased with their fixture which includes the grand final re-match against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Anzac Day eve.

“We’ve ended up with five telecast matches which is up on last year,” Baynes said.

“Night football is ideal for us and it also gives flexibility to the league to work around the AFL schedule.

“We’d like to play Port Adelaide in a marquee game from now until forever, it’s a really significant game and to attach it to Anzac Day we really appreciate the chance to do that.”

Glenelg will again host North Adelaide on the Queen’s Birthday Monday, June 8 which will feature a double-header with South Adelaide hosting Woodville-West Torrens at the same time.

The venue for West Adelaide’s Round 10 game against Port Adelaide on Saturday, June 13 is still being finalised but there are plans to hold it in the Riverland.