AFL fixture news: Extra SA round to be called ‘Gather Round ... a Festival of Footy’

After weeks of anticipation the AFL’s new round set to be played in South Australia in April 2023 has been named. What do you think? Vote in our poll.

Adelaide Crows training at Tanunda Oval as part of a pre-season camp.

Almost a month after awarding South Australia the rights to host all 18 clubs across four days, the AFL has finally given the event a name.

It will be known as “Gather Round … a Festival of Footy”.

AFL officials had wanted a new moniker to distinguish its inaugural nine-match, one-city showcase from the NRL’s “Magic Round” and it considered a range of options.

Among the many fan submissions were United Round, AFL Roadshow, Footy Fiesta, The Big Show, Family Round, Connection Round, Roving Round, Premiers Round, The Grape Escape, Hanger Round, Round Five!, AFL Mega, Celebration Round, All-in Round, Magnetic Round, Destination Round, Fanatics Round and Festival of Footy.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and SA Premier Peter Malinauskas after the AFL announced South Australia would host of an extra round of footy next season.

The league sought something universal and reflective of the game’s culture, given its plan to take the event to other states in future years.

SA will stage all nine matches next year from Thursday, April 13 to Sunday the 16th, in what will be an extra round in the fixture.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan last month said the league wanted a name that was in the code’s DNA.

“I’ve got the best team in the world, certainly in any form of sport and they get most things right,” McLachlan said.

“However, all of their suggestions are terrible around this name.

“I saw a list of them, we’ve done polling and research … so it’s an open invitation to all South Australians but frankly all football supporters nationally.

“This thing, I feel, is going to be huge and it needs to have its own life and its own identity, and its own character.

“And it’s actually got to reflect, I feel, the game.

“We think going to New South Wales or Western Australia at some point in the future for the supporters there would be a big thing, so it’s got to have a continuity and a life.”

In a column last month, News Corp AFL writer Jon Ralph called on the league to name the new round in honour of ex-Essendon player and Melbourne coach Neale Daniher, who transcended supporter bases in his enormous fundraising efforts for Motor Neurone Disease research.

Gather Round … a Festival of Footy will take place in round five and reduce the number of pre-season clashes from two to one.

Fixture details for the nine matches in Adelaide are expected to be confirmed later this week.

HILLS VENUE SET TO BE INCLUDED

Mount Barker is all but confirmed to host a game as part of the AFL’s extra round in South Australia.

Despite Premier Peter Malinauskas pushing for a game in the Barossa Valley as part of South Australia’s winning bid for the round in which all 18 clubs will play in the state, Mount Barker is set to be the location for an AFL game in the regions.

The AFL said that the round would be confirmed later this week.

Officials from the AFL inspected both the Mount Barker Oval at Summit Sports Park and ovals in the Barossa last week.

It was hoped that Nuriootpa in the Barossa could host a game but concerns over the size of its oval meant the AFL started to look at Mount Barker.

Officials also inspected the Tanunda, Freeling and Kapunda ovals.

But Mount Barker’s surface quality and the size of the ground were in its favour, with the Barossa not having a suitable venue.

It is understood Tanunda Oval was closest out of the Barossa venues.

The game in Mount Barker, which would be an early Saturday fixture, is expected to host a crowd of 6000 to 8000.

Norwood Oval is also expected to host either a Saturday night or twilight game while Adelaide Oval is slated to host double headers on Saturday and Sunday in addition to Thursday night and Friday night clashes.

By holding the game in Mount Barker, the AFL and the SA Government can market the event as being in the Adelaide Hills wine region.

Originally published as AFL fixture news: Extra SA round to be called ‘Gather Round ... a Festival of Footy’