APY League Update: football Grand Final rescheduled

Wednesday, September 8

SANFL has announced that the SANFL APY League football Grand Final will take place on Saturday, September 18 at Indulkana.

The Grand Final was originally scheduled to take in place at Pukatja (Ernabella) on Saturday, September 4 but was postponed following a series of serious incidents at APY League football and softball games in recent weeks and ongoing threats of violence, which presented an unacceptable risk to players, volunteers, officials, spectators and SANFL staff.

The rescheduled Grand Final, which will take place between the Mimili and Fregon football clubs, will commence at 1pm and SA Police will be in attendance to provide support to SANFL staff and match officials.

“Following extensive discussions with SA Police, representatives from the competing teams and a range of other SANFL APY League stakeholders, SANFL has determined that the best course of action is for the Grand Final to proceed next week at Indulkana,” SANFL Head of Football Lisa Faraci said.

“As committed advocates for football in remote Indigenous communities, we are keen to see the 2021 SANFL APY League football Grand Final take place, but only if we have confidence that it will occur in environment that is safe for all involved.

“We have secured commitments from both the Mimili and Fregon football clubs that their teams will play the Grand Final in the spirit of the game, and we have made it very clear that any violent, antisocial or threatening behaviours from players, spectators or officials will not be tolerated.”