Gather Round 2026

[Miles Wilks]

It would surprise me, given the government is less interested in fixtures than it is total interstate visitors, and i bet you a million dollars that they are coming.

I dont ever expect Gather Round in QLD/NSW - it would be a disaster.

Gotta say I think it would be great if they moved the Gather Round around the country. It would be ideal to play a Gather Round in Cairns and then another one in Albany/Bunbury. Seeing the game in different venues adds to the excitement and you are taking the game around the country.

Have you seen Cazaly Stadium in Cairns? It is a great piece of infrastructure...why not use it?

This is my suggestion...if you have the time to have a read of this (people are time poor these days so fully understand if you don't get to it).

Almanac Footy Comment: Gather Round is the solution

www.footyalmanac.com.au

Would also love to see it played at the great City Oval in Ballarat. Have some games there and some at Mars Stadium. Viewers on tv are seeing different elements of Australia in the process.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Gotta say I think it would be great if they moved the Gather Round around the country. It would be ideal to play a Gather Round in Cairns and then another one in Albany/Bunbury. Seeing the game in different venues adds to the excitement and you are taking the game around the country.

Have you seen Cazaly Stadium in Cairns? It is a great piece of infrastructure...why not use it?

This is my suggestion...if you have the time to have a read of this (people are time poor these days so fully understand if you don't get to it).

Almanac Footy Comment: Gather Round is the solution

www.footyalmanac.com.au

Would also love to see it played at the great City Oval in Ballarat. Have some games there and some at Mars Stadium. Viewers on tv are seeing different elements of Australia in the process.

Is the suggestion here that Gather Round doesn't all take place in the same location, but at smaller venues across Australia like the Aami community series? And all on the same weekend?

So in the same weekend you could have games in places like Ballarat, Albury, Cairns, Alice Springs etc etc?

 

[Miles Wilks]

Is the suggestion here that Gather Round doesn't all take place in the same location, but at smaller venues across Australia like the Aami community series? And all on the same weekend?

So in the same weekend you could have games in places like Ballarat, Albury, Cairns, Alice Springs etc etc?

Hi Blackhawk,

The location ideally would vary each year.

My first year would go to northern Queensland. They have the infrastructure already. Cairns and Townsville. 12,000 plus capacity stadiums.

4 teams are grouped together. They play three shortened matches within their group. The winner of that group advances. So you could have Group 1 matches Friday night under lights at Cazaly Stadium, Group 2 matches Saturday afternoon, Group 3 Saturday evening and maybe group 4 in Townsville. Then Round 2 knockouts on the Sunday.

The final (perhaps a full match) is played the following Wednesday night. It would garner some good tv ratings being a stand alone event with a Gather Round premiership on offer. The winner of this competition gets a first round draft pick as a reward. Perhaps pick 10. There could be significant prize money...shared in part between players and club.


Year 2 - Albany, Bunbury

Year 3 - Albury, Wagga

Year 4 - Ballarat

Year 5 - Adelaide

Year 6 - Northern Territory.

Year 7 - Tasmania


Each year a different part of Australia gets some financial benefits via tourism. All states and territories feature.

 

[Hoops]

Gather Round sucks dog's balls!
The end

 

[Miles Wilks]

Gather Round sucks dog's balls!
The end

If Geelong got pick 10 in the draft for winning the most games in Gather Round, would it still "suck dogs' balls"?

Geelong's first pick this year is pick 19, which once various academy picks etc are finalised will end up being pick 24 or later....pick 10 would be better. At present, Gather Round hasn't reached its potential. I agree.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

It’s such a shame the fixture is shithouse. I had a great time dispite the result this year and was already looking forward to coming back… now I don’t even think it’s worth it.

Outside the pies/freo and hawks/dogs there’s not a whole lot.. and Sunday’s games are a waste… Brissy getting screwed over.. cmon

 

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

It’s such a shame the fixture is shithouse. I had a great time dispite the result this year and was already looking forward to coming back… now I don’t even think it’s worth it.

Outside the pies/freo and hawks/dogs there’s not a whole lot.. and Sunday’s games are a waste… Brissy getting screwed over.. cmon

Brisbane do not even travel to SA for a game against Port or the Crows outside gather round either.

One simple swap (Carlton and Brisbane) and the round become infinitely better. Heck Brisbane will still have a 7 day break as well due to Easter being the prior weekend. Crows will still have a 6 day break and home ground advantage (plus a home game the prior Friday).

Adelaide vs Brisbane to kick off gather round is the blockbuster we deserve.

Awful fixturing and seemingly intentionally so.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Brisbane do not even travel to SA for a game against Port or the Crows outside gather round either.

One simple swap (Carlton and Brisbane) and the round become infinitely better. Heck Brisbane will still have a 7 day break as well due to Easter being the prior weekend. Crows will still have a 6 day break and home ground advantage (plus a home game the prior Friday).

Adelaide vs Brisbane to kick off gather round is the blockbuster we deserve.

Awful fixturing and seemingly intentionally so.

I still don't like the idea of Adel/PA playing non-vic teams.

Vic teams have inbuilt advantages in the fixture, they're the logical teams to screw over as it mitigates advantages.

Screwing over Brisbane I'm not fond of. They don't have any inbuilt advantages other than the extra bye.

 

[troybe]

Next Gather Round Casey Fields/Kinetic Stadium/RSEA Park

 

[Millsie69]

Have any clubs sent members details about ticketing for Gather Round?

Members pre-sale is on Wednesday.

Hearing that members won't get a complimentary ticket to their team's game this year.....

 

[crows dude]

Got my barcodes today.

No free tickets

We have to purchase at a discounted rate

 

[Millsie69]

Got my barcodes today.

No free tickets

We have to purchase at a discounted rate

That's disappointing. I don't suppose the email had the prices listed, which you may be able to share?

 

[crows dude]

That's disappointing. I don't suppose the email had the prices listed, which you may be able to share?

Nah not yet

 

[crows dude]

Prices here

https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=AFLRND526&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2026+Gather+Round+Info+-+Members&utm_term=Get+Tickets&utm_id=292082&sfmc_id=16789236

 

[morsie]

Good to see the dual Premiers being rewarded with a primetime match at Adelaide Oval.Oh wait.....

 

[Millsie69]

Good to see the dual Premiers being rewarded with a primetime match at Adelaide Oval.Oh wait.....

We get it, it sucks.

 

[Seattle Mariners]

4 game pass for 55 odd bucks is great value.

 

[crows dude]

4 game pass for 55 odd bucks is great value.

$55 per match. Yeh that is good value. BUt SMA Members used to get every game at aDelaide oval for free. They now have to pay. Lots of people now wont go since its no longer included in your membership.

 

[Millsie69]

This from the Hawks member email I just got:

In 2026, you will also have exclusive access to purchase tickets to all other Gather Round matches ahead of the General Public on-sale. This is an additional benefit for 2026, which will allow you to have priority access to purchase tickets to other matches you would like to attend across Gather Round.*

During this window, you will be able to purchase one ticket per barcode, per match, to any match across Gather Round, subject to availability.

The exclusive secondary member pre-sale opens on Thursday via Ticketek.

ADDITIONAL MEMBER PRE-SALE (Second Priority Window)
Thursday 4 December, 10.00am - 1.00pm (10.30am - 1.30pm AEDT)
GENERAL PUBLIC ON-SALE: Thursday 4 December, 3.00pm ACDT (3.30pm AEDT)

So members from other clubs have access to buy a ticket for games their team isn't competing in, before general public.

 

[crows dude]

I’m just getting a four day pass since we can’t get free ticket to crows match

 

[Purple Suit]

Good to see the dual Premiers being rewarded with a primetime match at Adelaide Oval.Oh wait.....

You already got rewarded with a top 10 pick, stop being greedy.

 

[kickazz]

Loved it last year, managed to get to a game at each ground.

Would like to see the cats play at Norwood, but accommodation is even dearer this year and the other fixtures maybe don't have the same appeal this year.

 

[Seattle Mariners]

4 game pass for 55 odd bucks is great value.

Seems like that $55 Four game pass might be for juniors not adults. Apologies.

I think it’s $120 for adults.

 

[crows dude]

Seems like that $55 Four game pass might be for juniors not adults. Apologies.

I think it’s $120 for adults.

IIts $224 for a adult 4 day pass. So about $55 a game
$100 for juniors so $25 a match

 

[Aido97]

Why is this shithouse concept still going? The right time to scrap it was when it was a brain fart stolen from nrl. The next best time to scrap it is now. It’s a ridiculous junket for afl execs that screw fans and clubs over