Community football clubs across SA share in benefits of Gather Round

April 8, 2024

By SANFL Media

As the second AFL Gather Round draws to a close, the event is set to leave a legacy for more than 40 grassroots community footy clubs, which will share in almost $2 million of funding through the new South Australian Football Facilities Fund.

The 42 clubs, representing 17 per cent of football clubs in SA, are the recipients of the first round of grants allocated under the new funding program, a collaboration between The Malinauskas Government, the AFL and SANFL.

The $8 million Fund to support the continued growth of the game is part of the legacy of AFL Gather Round for the South Australian football community.

Twenty eight metropolitan/Greater Adelaide and 14 regional projects were successful in receiving grants, from Lock on the Eyre Peninsula through to Mt Gambier in the Lower South East.

The grants will support key infrastructure projects at community clubs with a total project value of $19 million, including:

• Delivery of compliant changerooms for players and umpires at 5 clubs
• New oval lighting at 11 clubs
• Improved oval surfaces at 2 clubs
• Improved infrastructure for volunteers, players, officials and spectators –   including new goal posts, backing nets, coaches boxes and scoreboards –  at 24 clubs.

The SA Football Facilities Fund will assist with meeting the continuing need for significant investment to support the substantial growth and diversity of football in South Australia, as it strives towards 70,000 playing participants in 2024.

Participation in female football in South Australia has tripled since the inception of the AFLW and SANFLW competitions in 2017, with 8,644 female registered club players and more than 400 female teams in 2023.

The number of girls from the age of five participating in the entry level NAB AFL Auskick program has also doubled in South Australia since 2016, with 2,866 girls registered for Auskick in 2023.

SANFL CEO Darren Chandler said the League was thrilled to see 42 community clubs across the State benefit from the SA Football Facilities Fund.

“Improved infrastructure, lighting and oval surfaces will unlock more capacity at existing venues across the State, increasing oval access to support the growing number of participants in our game, in particular female players and umpires,” Mr Chandler said.

“From SANFL clubs to local grassroots community clubs, the fund will enhance the capacity of facilities and, importantly, create welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone participating in our game.

“Through this exciting partnership with the AFL and State Government, we can ensure Gather Round leaves a long-lasting legacy for our clubs, participants, volunteers and broader communities right across South Australia.”

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said Gather Round was an amazing celebration of football and would once again deliver a significant economic dividend for our state.

“Since the beginning, we’ve been determined to deliver something more – a lasting legacy to the social and sporting fabric of South Australia,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“The South Australian Football Facilities Fund is doing just that, delivering better facilities for men, women, girls and boys in community sporting clubs right across our state.

“I thank the AFL and SANFL for working in partnership with us to deliver these benefits.”

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said that while Gather Round was a wonderful opportunity to host all nine AFL games in South Australia and create a festival of footy across four days for fans, it was important the initiative also extended beyond the fixture and had a long-term impact on footy around the state.

 “As we strive towards one million participants by 2033, we know we need to continue to invest in local clubs and their facilities to ensure we’re providing the best experience and environment for players, coaches, volunteers and umpires,” Mr Dillon said.

The remaining $6 million in the pool of funding will be allocated over the next two years, with the next round of funding expected to open in August 2024.

Funding is available to Australian Rules footy clubs, local councils, umpire associations and schools or tertiary institutions.