Gather Round Feedback

[Jamolad]

I was pleasantly surprised by the behaviour of our Victorian guests...like I don't think a single tobacco shop got torched over the weekend, did it?

Kidding, we get that here too

 

[Interstater]

I agree. This year's Gather Round 2026....it sort of lacked something. That spark.

How much of that do you think was the weather?

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

We any further iterations of Gather Round in SA, you really need to host one large club vs one smaller club in terms of travelling fan bases to ensure you can maximise the 5 match Adelaide Oval experience.

Games, Primary Clubs
1. Adelaide
2. Port Adelaide
3. Collingwood
4. Hawthorn
5. Carlton, Essendon or Richmond based on form. Essendon fans gave a good atmosphere for he early game on Saturday

Games, Secondary Clubs (based on current form) vs the Primary Clubs
1. Brisbane
2. Sydney
3. Fremantle
4. Geelong
5. Western Bulldogs, Suns, etc... who ever is in better form.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Didn't hate it, but surely the teams at AO have to be alternated. Obviously the two SA teams are two slots, but why is Brisbane for instance shunted to the cow paddock every year? Then we have the fact that Essendon and Melb at at AO? Now the schedule was done what before the season or whatever? Who was thinking EITHER team was going to be better than a bottom 6 side? Utter clown show putting that at AO.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

The fixture makes perfect sense if you consider it logically.
Obviously Port and Crows get AO to cater to the local crowd, and the games bookend the weekend.
Then you get Sydney and Geelong playing the snaller drawing clubs at the Parade to sellout.
Brisbane and Richmond doing the same in Lyndoch.
Yes all 4 would draw bigger crowds at AO but you cant put 9 on there over 4 days.
Pies v Freo at AO is a no brainer to maximize attendance.
Hawks and Dogs the Vic blockbuster on form for neutrals.
That only leaves Demons/Bombers which was more of a curtain raiser for the main event anyway.

If you move Lions/North to AO, yes you get more in than at Lyndoch, but not much more than Demons/Bombers got as the double header, but it'll likely cost sales at Lyndoch for Demons/Bombers.

Also, I doubt a Showdown would be feesable as part of GR as both clubs supporters would kick up if they didnt get their automatic home game membership entry and as they're pretty much sold out, neutrals would be limited.

Just enjoy it for what it is, where else can you jump on a mini bus at 9am, hit a couple of wineries, watch the reigning Premier up close and back to the wineries 3hrs later for the cost of admission.
If Mclaren Vale goes through it'll be even better as it brings the whole Fleurieu into play.

 

[Hawkk]

The fixture makes perfect sense if you consider it logically.
Obviously Port and Crows get AO to cater to the local crowd, and the games bookend the weekend.
Then you get Sydney and Geelong playing the snaller drawing clubs at the Parade to sellout.
Brisbane and Richmond doing the same in Lyndoch.
Yes all 4 would draw bigger crowds at AO but you cant put 9 on there over 4 days.
Pies v Freo at AO is a no brainer to maximize attendance.
Hawks and Dogs the Vic blockbuster on form for neutrals.
That only leaves Demons/Bombers which was more of a curtain raiser for the main event anyway.

If you move Lions/North to AO, yes you get more in than at Lyndoch, but not much more than Demons/Bombers got as the double header, but it'll likely cost sales at Lyndoch for Demons/Bombers.

Also, I doubt a Showdown would be feesable as part of GR as both clubs supporters would kick up if they didnt get their automatic home game membership entry and as they're pretty much sold out, neutrals would be limited.

Just enjoy it for what it is, where else can you jump on a mini bus at 9am, hit a couple of wineries, watch the reigning Premier up close and back to the wineries 3hrs later for the cost of admission.
If Mclaren Vale goes through it'll be even better as it brings the whole Fleurieu into play.

How so? Essendon and Melbourne would have far more travelling support than Brisbane and North Melbourne — who would be amongst the smallest travellers for Gather Round.

You really need the six bigger Victorian clubs, the Swans plus the SA clubs to draw in the crowds. I’m a little surprised Richmond hasn’t featured at the Adelaide Oval…

 

[PenfoldsFan]

How so? Essendon and Melbourne would have far more travelling support than Brisbane and North Melbourne — who would be amongst the smallest travellers for Gather Round.

You really need the six bigger Victorian clubs, the Swans plus the SA clubs to draw in the crowds. I’m a little surprised Richmond hasn’t featured at the Adelaide Oval…

Agreed, which is why Melbourne/Essendon got AO.
But swap them and Brisbane/North, you lose sales at AO and restrict sales to Melbourne/Bombers at Lyndoch.

Brisbane, Richmond, Geelong and Sydney are being used to sell tickets to 4 other clubs at Lyndoch/Norwood that would struggle to sellout AO otherwise.
As I said, you cant put all 9 games on AO so they're losing a bit on the swings and picking it up on the roundabouts.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Agreed, which is why Melbourne/Essendon got AO.
But swap them and Brisbane/North, you lose sales at AO and restrict sales to Melbourne/Bombers at Lyndoch.

Brisbane, Richmond, Geelong and Sydney are being used to sell tickets to 4 other clubs at Lyndoch/Norwood that would struggle to sellout AO otherwise.
As I said, you cant put all 9 games on AO so they're losing a bit on the swings and picking it up on the roundabouts.

Why couldn’t Mel/Essendon be put on another ground. If you had tickets to AO you’d be postal over that scheduling.

Brisbane being the reigning premiership and put on a cow paddock? Surely blind Freddy before the season would think Syd and GC would be a good game too?

The schedule was diabolical. The SA sides have to play AO and they got those games perfect, the rest yikes

 

[SC_Power]

I agree. This year's Gather Round 2026....it sort of lacked something. That spark.

Harder to light a spark when we get an out of season rainy weekend like we did.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Why couldn’t Mel/Essendon be put on another ground. If you had tickets to AO you’d be postal over that scheduling.

Brisbane being the reigning premiership and put on a cow paddock? Surely blind Freddy before the season would think Syd and GC would be a good game too?

The schedule was diabolical. The SA sides have to play AO and they got those games perfect, the rest yikes

From what I witnessed 1st hand, the majority of attendees at the Btisbane/Lions game were wearing blue and white.
There arent enough of them, however, to warrsnt a 50k seat stadium.

Its not about the big team at the smaller grounds, its about maximizing the attendances of the smaller teams without the optics of a half empty AO.

 

[SC_Power]

People should also remember about Gather Round is that it’s an effort to try and establish AFL brand loyalty around a weekend of football that people travel to, not just the football games.

The rain made it less enjoyable than last year, but the AO games with the village along the Torrens to meet the players, the Norwood and Barossa games with the festival and winery atmosphere, the AFL teams training and family days at each of the SANFL grounds were a success from what I hear. Those who travel hear love it, and that’s the point, it’s considered an AFL themed holiday, just the way SA and the AFL want it to feel.

I don’t know how it would work, but find a way to weave the AFLW games into the weekend (given it’s out of season, maybe a SOO carnival) and I reckon you make it even better.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Harder to light a spark when we get an out of season rainy weekend like we did.

Yep, but I think most South Australians would take the rain considering how little we've had.

 

[Hawkk]

Why couldn’t Mel/Essendon be put on another ground. If you had tickets to AO you’d be postal over that scheduling.

Brisbane being the reigning premiership and put on a cow paddock? Surely blind Freddy before the season would think Syd and GC would be a good game too?

The schedule was diabolical. The SA sides have to play AO and they got those games perfect, the rest yikes

Brisbane fans don’t travel anywhere near as much as the Swans. That said, you could easily schedule a Carlton v Brisbane game at the Adelaide Oval which would be a very elegant way to get the Lions to the bigger ground…

 

[SC_Power]

From what I witnessed 1st hand, the majority of attendees at the Btisbane/Lions game were wearing blue and white.
There arent enough of them, however, to warrsnt a 50k seat stadium.

Its not about the big team at the smaller grounds, its about maximizing the attendances of the smaller teams without the optics of a half empty AO.

Double headers? No one will see it as a curtain raiser and main event, just two games on one ticket, an hours break to head out into the parkland where you get a free barbie meal with your ticket!

 

[SC_Power]

Yep, but I think most South Australians would take the rain considering how little we've had.

We would of course, just considering the event itself. I like footy better in winter anyway

 

[joe444]

They can keep it, because it's the only logical spot, but it sure does screw over the West Aussies. They'd be right to feel dudded. SoO isn't really a meaningful substitute.

There's only so much you can do, but the Perth teams should never be sent to the "C" venues, including Gather Round, such as Mars, Tassie, Canberra etc. It provides no help in terms of September success or learning to play a major venue.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

From what I witnessed 1st hand, the majority of attendees at the Btisbane/Lions game were wearing blue and white.
There arent enough of them, however, to warrsnt a 50k seat stadium.

Its not about the big team at the smaller grounds, its about maximizing the attendances of the smaller teams without the optics of a half empty AO.

Then change the games around. Exactly my point. You could literally put anyone against the SA sides and sell out.

The reigning premier should not be in whoop whoop every year that’s just rubbish we all know it blind Freddy knows it. Just bring in a rule where the premier plays at AO period.

Put the best games in the big stadium. Two SA side games, then the best two games at AO. It’s not that hard to do that as usual the AFL complicate things.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

People should also remember about Gather Round is that it’s an effort to try and establish AFL brand loyalty around a weekend of football that people travel to, not just the football games.

The rain made it less enjoyable than last year, but the AO games with the village along the Torrens to meet the players, the Norwood and Barossa games with the festival and winery atmosphere, the AFL teams training and family days at each of the SANFL grounds were a success from what I hear. Those who travel hear love it, and that’s the point, it’s considered an AFL themed holiday, just the way SA and the AFL want it to feel.

I don’t know how it would work, but find a way to weave the AFLW games into the weekend (given it’s out of season, maybe a SOO carnival) and I reckon you make it even better.

If they bring in Mclaren Vale and stretch it over 6 days Wednesday to Monday, they could run AFLW as curtain raisers to each game, just do 15min qtrs.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Brisbane fans don’t travel anywhere near as much as the Swans. That said, you could easily schedule a Carlton v Brisbane game at the Adelaide Oval which would be a very elegant way to get the Lions to the bigger ground…

Yep exactly you don’t have to keep the same games. Change it so Bris get AO. The reigning two time premiers should be at AO

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Double headers? No one will see it as a curtain raiser and main event, just two games on one ticket, an hours break to head out into the parkland where you get a free barbie meal with your ticket!

9 games in 4 days on AO would be too much.
The investment in Lyndoch and potentially Mclaren Vale requires more than 1 game at each to be worthwhile.

I did the double header as a neutral in GR2 and to be honest, was a bit over it by half way through the 2nd qtr of game 2 and went home.

 

[joe444]

Yep exactly you don’t have to keep the same games. Change it so Bris get AO. The reigning two time premiers should be at AO

Says who? It's not a genuflect / victory lap round.

Put the teams at the venue that can hold them, or rotate them through if you're worried about some weird form of disadvantage.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Then change the games around. Exactly my point. You could literally put anyone against the SA sides and sell out.

The reigning premier should not be in whoop whoop every year that’s just rubbish we all know it blind Freddy knows it. Just bring in a rule where the premier plays at AO period.

Put the best games in the big stadium. Two SA side games, then the best two games at AO. It’s not that hard to do that as usual the AFL complicate things.

They did.
4 of the 5 AO games featured Adelaide, Collingwood, Hawthorn and Port, thats about as good as it gets.
Adelaide playing Carlton works for 2 reasons, Adelaide are local and Carlton has a good following from locals from the 80's/90's.
Hawthorn also has a strong following in SA for the same reason.
Pies sellout on the moon.
Port, local crowd.

The 5th game was a Vic matchup which was always a safe bet for sales from travellers.

The small grounds got the less likely travellers from Perth and the smaller fan bases from GC, GWS and North, supported by crowd pullers.

 

[Gough]

Hawthorn, Essendon and Carlton have a decent Adelaide following because they were they clubs doing well immediately prior to the Crows joining.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Hawthorn, Essendon and Carlton have a decent Adelaide following because they were they clubs doing well immediately prior to the Crows joining.

Exactly.

And not just because they we're doing well, theres the SA players that went over, Platten, Bradley, kernahan, Wanganeen.

 

[Bay53]

I'm not against a neutral Showdown during Gather Round except for one issue.
As it currently stands, Port wears the PB's at its home Showdown each year.

Move the jumpers to the ANZAC Day game (as it always should have been) and yeh I'm all in with playing a neutral one and alternating home ones a year at a time.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a Saturday night showdown with say 30% crows, 30% port and 40% reserved for neutral club members. Could be the best game of the year.

A showdown in Gather Round would be pointless because why would you take away seats from the Crows and Port members?

But also this business of "it stops the SA sides from getting an extra home game" is completely false.

Currently the Crows and Port 13 games at the Adelaide Oval. The play 10 home games against teams that have to travel interstate to play them, one home and away showdown and a "neutral" Gather Round match.

Substitute the Gather Round to a showdown, and assuming you are not going to have 3 Showdowns a year, both clubs will still have 13 games at the Adelaide Oval except for one club the make up will be 11 games against teams that travel from interstate, an away Showdown and a "home" Showdown in Gather Round.

Doesn't make sense to me.