South Australian Premier Steven Marshall says he is the underdog heading into Saturday’s state election, and part of the reason is that people are grumpy and exhausted from the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic as it extends into its third year.

But the Liberal Premier, who won government in 2018 to end 16 years of Labor rule, said he has not given up because SA elections are traditionally close, and he warned against the risks of handing power back to Labor so soon.