Gather Round kicks off with Regional Footy Roadshow

The AFL and SANFL are excited to launch the 2025 AFL Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow this week, connecting footy fans across South Australia with the excitement of the month-long Festival of Footy.

The Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow – a key curtain-raiser to AFL Gather Round next month – will travel to more than 20 regional towns across 21 days covering more than 4,000 kilometres.

Each stop on the action-packed roadshow will feature family-friendly activities for locals, including sausage sizzles, NAB AFL Auskick and NAB AFL Superkick clinics and 2000 Sherrin footy giveaways.

Fans will also have a chance to get up close with the 2025 AFL and AFLW Premiership cups and the perpetual SANFL Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy and the SANFL Women’s League Premiership cup.

The Roadshow spectacle will visit towns in the Riverland, Adelaide Hills, Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, Mid North, Fleurieu Peninsula and South East – and for the first time, to communities in the APY Lands.

Once again, every regional junior football club in the state will receive 15 brand-new Sherrin footballs as part of Roadshow celebrations, bringing the total number of footy giveways to more than 4000 in the past two years.

The Roadshow supports AFL’s vision for people to love and connect with Australia’s game as it strives to have footy in every home.

Last year’s Roadshow reached 5000 fans in regional towns and SANFL Executive General Manager Football Matt Duldig said his team is looking forward to bringing the excitement of the historic Gather Round to even more footy fans in every corner of the State over the coming weeks.

Duldig also said the SANFL was hoping to build on South Australia’s record NAB AFL Auskick numbers of more than 12,500 in 2024 through the Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow initiative.

“In SA, our SANFL team has been driving record AFL Auskick numbers at some 400 centres in every corner of the State and the roadshow is a great way of getting more kids to get active and participating in our great game,” he said.

“Furthermore, of the 52,000-plus players in SA, over half are in regional communities. The Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow is therefore a great way to allow these players, as well as the hundreds of coaches, umpires and volunteers, to embrace this historic event in their hometowns.

“We thank the AFL for their ongoing support and providing the AFL and AFLW premiership cups which, along with the SANFL premiership cups, will provide unforgettable moments for South Australians as we lead into Gather Round.”

AFL Executive General Manager of Game Development Rob Auld said:

“We’re thrilled to be working with the SANFL and South Australian Tourism Commission to help deliver the third instalment of the Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow,” Auld said.

“This initiative gives footy fans across the state a chance to connect with our game in the lead up to this terrific marquee round, while it also helps us reach and engage new communities as we strive to have footy in every home.

“The roadshow will incorporate school and local club visits, NAB AFL Auskick and NAB AFL Superkick clinics as well as photo opportunities with the AFL and AFLW Premiership cups, all are designed to give back to the community and build excitement ahead of Gather Round.”

South Australian Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said:

“South Australia gets around events like nowhere else, we embrace our festivals statewide to enhance the experience for both locals and visitors to our state – and the 2025 AFL Gather Round Community Footy Roadshow is the perfect demonstration of this,” Minister Bettison said.

“The Roadshows are a meaningful way to extend the benefits of Gather Round across our State, both by encouraging visitation and broadcasting our picturesque destinations to the captivated AFL audience.

“I encourage South Aussies to make the most of this bucket-list sporting event in your own backyard by donning your footy colours, having a kick along the Roadshow before watching the games at your local.”

Wednesday March 12 – Riverland (Swan Reach Area School/Blanchetown primary School)

Thursday March 13 – Riverland (Renmark Primary School/Renmark High School/Berri Primary School/Loxton Football Club)

Friday March 14 – Adelaide Hills (Aldgate Primary School/The Hills Montessori/Mt Barker Waldorf School/The Summit Recreation Park, Mt Barker)

Saturday March 15 – Adelaide Hills (Paracombe Oval – Houghton FC/ Keith Stephenson Park

Sunday March 16 – Cornerstone College, Mt Barker

March 12-13: Riverland (Swan Reach, Blanchetown, Renmark, Berri, Loxton)

March 14-16: Adelaide Hills (Aldgate, Mt Barker, Paracombe)

March 17: Yorke Peninsula (Kadina, Yorketown, Maitland)

March 18-19: Whyalla (Whyalla, Whyalla Norrie, Weerona Bay)

March 19-21: Eyre Peninsula (Tumby Bay, Port Lincoln, Poonindie)

March 24-25: Mid North (Snowtown, Brinkworth, Koolunga, Blyth, Clare, Riverton)

March 26: Adelaide Metro

March 27-29: APY Lands

March 31: Fleurieu Peninsula (Myponga, Yankalilla, Rapid Bay, Victor Harbor)

April 1: Fleurieu Peninsula (Port Elliot, Goolwa, Mt Compass, Willunga)

April 2-3: Limestone Coast

April 4: South East (Bordertown – FINAL DESTINATION)

*Locations are subject to change, please check SANFL website and weekly updates issued by SANFL