KG honoured to be ambassador for SANFL grand final Kia Cup Entry

August 23, 2024

By SANFL.com.au

South Australian sporting legend Ken ‘KG’ Cunningham will have the honour of delivering the Thomas Seymour Hill trophy in the Kia Cup Entry on Adelaide Oval for the 2024 Hostplus SANFL League Grand Final on Sunday September 22.

One of South Australia’s best known media identities, Cunningham is a former sports commentator, leading SANFL field umpire and State cricketer.

He was an inaugural inductee into the Adelaide Oval Media Hall of Fame in 2016 and in 2022 had the oval’s media centre, in the Riverbank Stand, named after him.

Coincidentally, the Thomas Seymour Hill trophy was introduced and named after former Norwood and SANFL secretary Thomas Seymour Hill following his retirement in 1963 – the same year Cunningham umpired his first SANFL grand final.

KG said it was an “absolute honour” to be delivering the cup on the grand final day.

”Anything to do with this glorious Adelaide Oval is an honour as I have spent half of my life here playing cricket and umpiring footy,” he said.

“Grand Final day in the SANFL is so special – I was lucky enough to umpire four of them, so to be a part of that day really is a big honour.

”My fondest memory of the SANFL was as a mad West Adelaide supporter, coming here in 1961 and walking down King William Street to see Norwood take on West Adelaide and West Adelaide got up in 97 degrees (fahrenheit), that was a fantastic day for me.

“I don’t care what anyone says, the SANFL’s a fantastic competition, you can go there and stand on the mound, as I used to as a spectator, have a pie, or a beer like my dad did, it’s real footy, I grew up with it and I’ve never forgotten those days and never will.’’

SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler said the SANFL was thrilled to have KG as the Kia Cup Entry ambassador.

“KG is synonymous with SANFL footy and one of the most famous names in South Australian sport,” Mr Chandler said.

“It’s therefore incredibly fitting to have him in a starring role on South Australian football’s biggest day of the year.”

The SANFL Finals Series kicks off at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, September 1 with the Elimination and Qualifying finals.

Tickets for the Grand Final, as well as a new Finals Series ticket bundle for $55, are on sale now via Ticketek.

Tickets for Week 1 of Finals go on sale on Monday.