North Adelaide Football Club wants 2026 Gather Round game as plans for new lights boost hopes, Glenelg also keen
More SANFL clubs have flagged their interest in hosting Gather Round matches with the AFL’s footy festival locked in for South Australia until at least 2026.
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Other SANFL clubs are hoping to join Norwood in holding a Gather Round fixture.
North Adelaide has officially thrown its hat in the ring to stage the AFL footy festival in 2026, while Glenelg is also keen and will talk to the AFL about its hosting prospects.
The Roosters are believed to be well positioned and further advanced than the Tigers because Prospect Council plans to upgrade Prospect Oval’s lighting to AFL and cricket broadcast standards.
Glenelg’s lights are capable of staging SANFL games but may need upgrading to meet AFL requirements.
Norwood, North Adelaide and the Tigers are considered the likeliest SANFL clubs to host Gather Round matches while South Australia has the event until 2026.
Central District, South Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens are viewed as outside chances.
The Redlegs held two in last year’s inaugural festival with two more to come in April.
Roosters chief executive Craig Burton believed Prospect Oval had plenty of positives that would appeal to Gather Round organisers.
“From a pure logistics point of view, Norwood and us are both pretty similar distances from the CBD, so people staying in the city can easily access us,” Burton said.
“Our oval from a size point of view ticks all the boxes from an AFL standard and I think is slightly better than Norwood’s in that respect.
“From a safety point of view, we don’t have a big brick wall to run into.
“Our council is so supportive so we’d also create a big event, a bit like with the Tour Down Under, where we’d close off a few streets and could hold something in the park adjacent to us with a football theme.
“The last piece of the puzzle is the lighting, everything else we can achieve.
“We can only do what we do to the best of our ability and the scoreboard will look after itself.”
New lighting could be an AFL deal-breaker for both North Adelaide and Glenelg.
With regional games, such as in Mount Barker, slated to get the 12.40pm timeslots, the SANFL grounds will likely receive midafternoon games that require broadcast quality lighting.
Prospect Council has already approved the Roosters’ lights upgrade, but they need funding.
The oval’s improvements over the past two years include a new pavilion, interchange benches, coaches boxes, goalposts, gym, scoreboard and women’s change rooms.
Prospect Oval will host an under-16 girls national championships game and a SANFLW all-stars match during Gather Round as an early, mini test for the location.
Burton said AFL-standard lights would also be used for training, hosting night clashes and double-headers, plus having community clubs or schools use the ground after hours.
“There will be long-lasting effects for our program and the community for the next 20 or 30 years,” he said.
Glenelg’s chances of hosting a Gather Round match could be boosted by having an impressive turnout for the SANFL state game against the VFL at the Bay during this year’s event.
Tigers chief executive Justin Scripps said having the footy festival was “definitely something we’d be keen on”.
“From a public transport and tourist point of view, Glenelg Oval’s one of the quality precincts in Adelaide, so it’d be certainly great to entertain a conversation with the SANFL and AFL around what it might look like,” Scripps told this masthead.
“We’re happy to put our hand up and find out what the investment needs are.
“Whether lights are a deal-breaker or not, it’s probably worth unpacking it when the timing’s right with the SANFL and AFL.”
Norwood is almost certain to be the sole SANFL ground to host next year.
Gather Round’s second instalment will be held at Adelaide Oval, Norwood and Mount Barker from April 4-7.
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