SANFL releases updated Fixture for 2021 season

3 years ago – July 30, 2021

Friday 30 July

SANFL has today released the updated fixture for the remainder of the 2021 SANFL Statewide Super League, with the season to be extended by two weeks and the Grand Final at Adelaide Oval rescheduled to the long weekend on Sunday, October 3.

The season will resume with a revised Round 16 on Saturday, August 7, in line with the State Government direction following a two-week postponement due to the Covid outbreak in South Australia.

SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler said the commencement of the four-week Finals Series at Adelaide Oval had been pushed back to the weekend of September 11 to allow for the SANFL Grand Final to be played on the October long weekend, a week after the AFL Grand Final.

He said this would be the first time the Grand Final had been played on the long weekend since 2013 – the finale at AAMI Stadium, West Lakes, before moving to Adelaide Oval the following year.

“For many years, the October long weekend was a really successful tradition for the SANFL Grand Final so both the League and Clubs agreed this was the most favourable date to conclude what has been another unprecedented season due to the Covid pandemic,” Mr Chandler said.

Mr Chandler said the League was still awaiting further advice on Covid Management Plans and spectator numbers but was hopeful matches could return to suburban SANFL venues with crowds under similar conditions to what were in place prior to the lockdown.

The revised fixture sees a consolidation of the split round originally scheduled for the next two weekends and a reshuffling of the round postponed during lockdown (previously Round 16) now to be played at the conclusion of the minor round (Round 19) to ensure a full season is completed.

He said the release of the revised Statewide Super League fixture precedes what should be an exciting finish to the minor round, with as many as seven teams in the mix for a spot in the top five.

Winning the race for the valuable double chance in the Major Round is set to be a fascinating subplot, with North Adelaide, South Adelaide and Norwood all locked together with an 8-6 win-loss record.

A blockbuster Round 16 to mark the re-start of the season will see ladder leader Glenelg and fifth placed Norwood do battle at ACH Group Stadium, with North Adelaide hosting the Eagles at Prospect Oval in a crucial match-up between two teams currently placed in the top three on the premiership table.

Next weekend’s Round 16 SANFL showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide is slated to be the curtain raiser to the AFL Showdown 50 at Adelaide Oval.

SANFL also today released fixtures for the Reserves and U18 Torrens University Cup competitions. All fixtures can be viewed on the SANFL website Match Centre and SANFL App.

SANFL also confirmed today that a full season of National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors – the largest junior competition in the nation with over 14,000 participants – would be completed. The SANFL Juniors minor round season will be extended by two weeks, allowing a full minor round season to be played, followed by a revised finals series.