The inaugural AFL Gather Round in 2023 took South Australia by storm, contributing more than $83 million to the state and hosting thousands of footy goers, who donned their colours across the three footy venues.
It was four days of fast footy action that saw 268,000 fans immerse themselves in the footy festival weekend.
With the 2024 Gather Round upon us, there’s a lot to look forward to in the city of churches.
If you thought it was a success last year, get ready for the sequel.
Round 4 will see a Thursday Night classic at Adelaide Oval. After a 35-point defeat in the West last week, the Crows will be looking to get their first win of the season against a firing Demons side.
Coming off a seven-point win to the Crows cross-town rivals, Port Adelaide last weekend, the Dees are proving that they are among the top premiership contenders.
Friday Night Football will see, the Kangaroos take on the under-the-pump Lions at Norwood Oval.
Yet to secure a win in 2024, premiership favourites, Brisbane, are still to prove their worth this season.
A 0-3 record certainly isn’t where we thought Fagan’s Grand Final team would be sitting at the beginning of the season.
Alex Neal-Bullen of the Demons and Jordan Dawson of the Crows at the Adelaide Oval. (Photo by Mark Brake/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Following this, a thriller under lights between home team Port Adelaide and Essendon, looking to bring their ‘edge’.
The Power are coming off their first loss and undoubtedly will be looking to return to the winners list in front of a sold-out home crowd.
South Australia has been buzzing with footy fanatics and it’s clear the Power have been soaking it up with two open training sessions throughout the week.
But could this excitement be too much for this side, particularly with the absence of Ollie Wines?
Saturday, the footy festival continues, with three games across the day. A picturesque Adelaide Hills will stage a potentially ‘ugly’ game, as the inform Bloods take on the struggling Eagles.
Off to a good start in 2024, the Swans received a reality check after their shock loss to Adam Yze’s Tigers last week.
The last time these two teams met, it saw the Swans bag 31 goals and comfortably take the victory by 171 points – could this be Groundhog Day for the Eagles?
Back at Adelaide Oval, the Dockers will take on Carlton in a must-watch clash.
Blue’s “twin towers”, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow, kicked a combined nine goals in a 56-point thrashing over North last week, unarguably demonstrating the full force of the Carlton forwards.
From their performance so far, the Blues might just have the best forward line in the competition.
With both teams yet to concede a game in their 2024 campaigns, this is set to be the game of the round.
Staying at Adelaide Oval, Saturday Night will close with a Cat and Dog fight. Geelong’s Monday match, saw veteran Tom Hawkins play his 350th game and kick four goals to secure the win over the Hawks.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are coming off a huge win, defeating the Eagles by 76 points.
The final day will see top of the ladder Giants face Hardwick’s Suns, in the Adelaide Hills.
The Giants’ early success hasn’t gone unnoticed by Sydneysiders, as the awareness of this club within the ‘rugby league state’ continues to grow.
With the Adelaide Hills holding a capacity of only 5,000 spectators, it feels like a missed opportunity for footy fans to see this top-performing team in action.
A final game at Norwood Oval sees the Tigers and Saints battle for points. The Tigerland faithful will be looking to get their second win of the season after an Easter Sunday treat in round 3.
The Saints announced late last week that they will be wearing their Candy Striped guernsey as a nod to their VFA days, joining the footy festival antics.
It’s got us all thinking; will this heritage kit help them clinch a victory as sweet as its name?
Finally, Gather Round will close, as the reigning premiers look to go two in a row against the winless Hawks.
It will be the first time Jack Ginnivan comes up against his former side and undoubtedly he’ll be keen to put on a show.
Could he be their secret weapon to get the Hawthorn Football Club their first win of the season despite recent free-kick controversies?
Jack Ginnivan tackled by Zach Guthrie. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
It’s no secret that Gather Round was a huge success last year and with this lineup, it’s set to be even better. There is so much to look forward to across the next 4 days of footy, from music, food and the return of the Zipline.
So, get your tickets if you’re in Adelaide otherwise gather around your TVs, because as a footy fan, this is a weekend you won’t want to miss for many reasons.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Mia, l also did apologise for being a bit harsh but it was taken down because of a subsequent point l made which was not offensive but deemed so by the shadow jumpers
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I forgot to address the airport bizo. Broome has a very large amount of people, mine workers, with money to spend going overseas and itself is also a tourist destination of some note
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Nicely done Mia and welcome to the Roar. I know this is your first piece and your passion for the game is palpable. Well done and I hope you enjoy the round as much as I will. Join me for the live blogs across the weekend and fire your views through. It is having new and young voices like yours on the Roar that fills my heart with joy in the hope for sports journalism in the future. Welcome aboard. How many frees will Ginnivan receive this week?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Rather like how interstate team's fans dont get to see their team in a GF without a humungous and expensive trip.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure what you mean. That is my only concern.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
All except that doesn’t bear scrutiny. As there is a lesser amounts of religious people, per capita, in Adelaide why would churches even have the sway with that? It’s the Union that looks after Retail Workers that have restricted trading hours. Perth has had similar restrictions! ——- I wasn’t after an apology. Just as an aside when you apologise don’t go an shoot it to pieces with what you say next.
Dibbs
Roar Rookie
Sorry to add to your concerns Rowdy, but the 'Big Apple' has a pretty standard apple selection too.
Dibbs
Roar Rookie
I'm not buying the whole 'huge success' narrative. Other than having a 'good vibe', as we're told, I distinctly remember last years rainy games in front of empty stands. Then the AFL started the 'huge success' catchphrase by the Saturday morning after 2 or 3 games and after they'd just done a nice deal with the South Australian government. Let's keep in mind that the 'success' is for the South Australian government, and for the two Adelaide teams who now get to enjoy an extra home game for the next decade, and that less fans get to watch their team play this weekend.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
You know what? You're right. "City of Churches is unfair". I apologise. Let's review. Your supermarkets close at 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays, Rowdy. It was only in 2022 that they were finally permitted to open at 9am on Sunday instead of 11. Why was it 11? Because people had to go to church first. There really isn't anything more puritanical than that. That terrific market in the city is closed on a Sunday, when it should be raking in tourist dollar. Australian airlines (Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin) doesn't even bother with international flights out of Adelaide (even Broome has international flights by point of comparison). A couple of international airlines only. If you land in Adelaide on a Sunday evening (which is common for those who have Monday meetings. I did it at least 50 times) you could forget entirely the nice idea of an evening stroll to fetch some fruit...just the basic things people do in cities that are connected to reality. And the CBD does have churches...bloody nice ones at that. But you can't deny shops staying closed on Sunday was religious in tone, Rowdy. I think "very large regional center of churches" is more accurate.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
So it's ok to be non-factual?
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Bring something more interesting to the fore and have shops open on a Sunday afternoon and people might just shake the puritanical quips about Adelaide.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Wines out but Jason Horne Francis returns after a 2 week absence Sarah,so Port's midfield should cope ok,young Jackson Meade will continue to get more midfield minutes in wines absence so if any positive can come from an injury its getting more minutes into the inexperienced types
Bondi Hawk
Roar Rookie
Is this an advertisement?
Sarah Thomas
Roar Rookie
It'll surely be interesting to see what happens without Ollie Wine. Port's best quality is their midfield so we'll have to see how they cope.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Interesting. I think we should spike the AFL's coffee machine with psycilocybin or a cannabinoid of the most potent variety. They'd at least do better because they can't do worse
Cinderella's Big Score
Roar Rookie
I wish that Gather Round was a lightning premiership (eg. play 4 x 20 minute games against 4 different opponents for 1 premiership point each). It would be a much more interesting departure from normal programming. The current version just seems like a heavily hyped copycat version of rugby league's magic round to try to allay criticisms (justified) that the game is Victoria-centric.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Very clever, you broke me. That's a pun l can worship at
Cinderella's Big Score
Roar Rookie
City of Chappells?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Can we desist with the "city of churches" crap please. It's the least religious capital city, of the 8, in Australia.