Gather Round 2025: Crows and Cats to open footy festival, Power-Hawks headlines Sunday

Gather Round is locked and loaded for its third edition and its first venture to the Barossa, with one of the most anticipated clashes of 2025 set to be played at the festival of footy.

South Australia’s two AFL clubs will bookend next year’s Gather Round, culminating with a highly anticipated rematch between Port Adelaide and Hawthorn.

The Crows will again kick off the footy festival when they face perennial flag contenders Geelong at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, while the Power will play the Hawks on Sunday evening in their first meeting since their fiery semi-final and Ken Hinkley’s post-game sledges with Hawthorn players.

Another highlight of the third footy festival will be the Barossa Valley hosting its first two AFL fixtures for premiership points – North Melbourne and Gold Coast on Saturday, then Richmond versus Fremantle on Sunday.

As this masthead revealed last month, the redeveloped Barossa Park at Lyndoch was staging the only two regional matches during the 2025 footy festival after Mount Barker had held all three to date.

Ken Hinkley and the Power will see the Hawks again at Gather Round. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Norwood will retain two matches, headlined by reigning premier Brisbane taking on the Western Bulldogs in a Saturday twilight encounter.

Port Adelaide had been given the Friday night slot the past two seasons but was shifted to Sunday to end the footy festival with a major drawcard against the Hawks.

This year, Hawthorn livewire Jack Ginnivan’s first game against former team Collingwood took that spot.

Ginnivan was central to the animosity that spilled over between the Power and Hawks after their semi-final in September, copping post-game barbs from Hinkley for a pre-game Instagram post to ex-teammate turned Swan Brodie Grundy saying “see u in 14 days”.

Hinkley made an aeroplane gesture towards Ginnivan post-match and told him he would not be flying anywhere, leading to a heated exchange with Hawthorn skipper James Sicily.

The league fined Port Adelaide $20,000 for Hinkley’s actions, which it deemed conduct unbecoming, but was always tipped to lock the two clubs in as Gather Round opponents at the same venue with the eyes of the footy world watching.

Sicily and coach Sam Mitchell’s frosty remarks since the match only adds to the tension between the sides in the lead-up to their rematch.

Eyebrows might be raised by the AFL choosing to schedule the salivating clash on a Sunday evening given how highly anticipated it will be.

James Sicily made his feelings clear towards Hinkley after the game. Picture: Michael Klein

But the AFL has shown that it likes to end Gather Round with a big clash and pack out Adelaide Oval.

Adelaide Oval is set to host five games during the April showcase, including a Saturday double-header.

This will again include non-South Australian clubs after the AFL learnt from the first Gather Round where the first game of a double header involving Port Adelaide had a lot of empty seats.

The Crows asked to open Gather Round against a big Victorian club after facing Carlton and Melbourne during the first two editions.

Geelong, coming off a preliminary final, looms as an early-season test of Adelaide’s major-round credentials as it seeks to end an eight-year September drought.

It will give the Crows a prime time fixture, a tougher ask for Adelaide in 2025 after its struggles this year.

The Barossa landing Richmond is a coup given the Victorian club’s large South Australian supporter base.

Lyndoch’s Barossa Park is on track to be completed in late March and have a capacity of 10,000.

Turf was laid on the main oval last month.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, who had pushed for games in the Barossa since Gather Round’s inception, was thrilled the northern tourism region would get an opportunity next year.

“It is a spectacular destination for the many visitors who will come into South Australia for this major event,” Malinauskas said.

Works at Barossa Park, getting ready for Gather Round. Picture: Barossa Council

“This presents a unique opportunity to invite those visitors to stay longer, experiencing more of what SA has to offer, and delivering an economic outcome for our state.

“Barossa Park at Lyndoch is looking spectacular.

“I thank the Barossa Council for working with us to deliver a precinct which will deliver community benefits long into the future.”

The AFL will release the Gather Round fixture on Monday, staging a press conference in the Barossa.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the league was excited to bring fans a bigger and better experience in 2025.

“South Australia really turns it on,” Dillon said.

“The Barossa celebrates some of the best of South Australia and we are excited about all the opportunities that will be on offer for our fans to take in while visiting the region.”

Last month, Barossa mayor Bim Lange told this masthead: “We look forward to the opportunity to play AFL games at this newly built recreational facility and we welcome the Gather Round into our region.”

Gather Round will run from Thursday, April 10 to Sunday, April 13.

While Mount Barker will not get any Gather Round action in 2025 it could get a pre-season game as a result of its stellar hosting work in recent years.

It’s Summit Sport and Recreation Park is the back-up option in case there are any hitches at Lyndoch.