South Australia would block the push for a full round of matches in Queensland and New South Wales to open the AFL season under any longer-term extension of Gather Round in Adelaide.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the proposal to expand opening round in the northern states represented a material risk to his state’s investment in Gather Round and he would insist on exclusivity for the concept in negotiations with the AFL.
Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham has proposed including all clubs in opening round in the future, turning it into a quasi version of Gather Round but earlier in the season, with games played in NSW and Queensland.
While Pridham argued it would be an obvious step for the league, Malinauskas dismissed the idea.
“Well, how many people are going to turn up at the Greater Western Sydney stadium [if] Freo’s playing Saint Kilda? There’ll be 12 people in the crowd will turn up,” he said.
“There’s a secret sauce to Gather Round because it’s unique and different. If you try and replicate it in a way that’s sort of half-pregnant, you’re going to end up diminishing the real thing that’s got a magic to it. And I think the AFL needs to think that through very carefully.
“I have accepted and supported opening round as a concept because of the strategic value that it represents, but to do it in a way that’s sort of a half a Gather Round, I think that would represent a material risk that we would be very cognisant to deny ever happening in our contract negotiations that are underway.”
Malinauskas and the AFL were hopeful a new contract to continue Gather Round would be finalised this weekend and announced on Sunday night.
“If something happens in the next 36 hours where a few concessions are made or whatever, it might be, then sure, maybe on Sunday night we get a big announcement. But I would not be doing anything to inflate expectations of that. There is a lot to work through. I’d rather get this right than rush it.
“Everyone will be very happy, but unless it’s right, we’re not going to do it.”
Malinauskas would also seek to include hosting a State of Origin game next year into the AFL negotiations.
“I’ve said this to Andrew (Dillon), so I don’t mind saying it here, that I think we’ve got more bargaining power and more leverage at the table from the state government’s perspective now than what we did four years ago or three years ago when we negotiated the extension.
“It would be crazy if I didn’t seek to manipulate that in our favour and see if there isn’t an opportunity around State of Origin.
“Next year is the 150th anniversary of the SANFL. I think that’s as good a time as any if we can pull it off.”
The AFL is considering contingencies for future gather rounds when Tasmania joins the competition in 2028 as a 19th team, creating at least one bye per week in the fixture. One option would be to have Adelaide or Port Adelaide bookend Gather Round by playing two games in five days.
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Michael Gleeson is an award-winning senior sports writer specialising in AFL and athletics.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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