Juniors

National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors launches season 2024 with a festival of footy

Pictured above, SANFL CEO Darren Chandler and National Pharmacies CEO Vito Borrello (centre) with SANFL and SANFLW players and juniors at today's National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors 2024 season launch event at Elder Park.

National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors

  • Biggest junior football competition in the nation
  • 679 boys and girls teams nominated for 2024
  • 12,567 players registered in 2023, target of 13,000 in 2024
  • Record 766 umpires in 2024 – over 300 new umpires

April 7, 2024

National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors has officially launched its 2024 season with over 500 junior players, umpires and volunteers coming together on Sunday as part of AFL Gather Round – a Festival of Footy.

The season was launched by SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler at the Macca’s Footy Festival in Elder Park, with appearances from Adelaide players Brodie Smith and Rory Laird and Port Adelaide’s Jackson Mead and Ryan Burton – who all came through the SANFL talent pathway – along with SANFL and SANFLW State League players from all eight SANFL Clubs.

SANFL also was delighted to announce that National Pharmacies will continue as naming rights partner for SANFL Juniors – the nation’s biggest junior football league.

Known as National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors since 2020, the competition this year is on target to reach a record 13,000 participants in 2024, when round one kicks off on the weekend of April 26-28.

Players and umpires kicking off the SANFL Juniors season launch at Elder Park.

“We’re extremely proud to manage such a highly successful junior competition and Gather Round provides a great opportunity to celebrate the season ahead,” Mr Chandler said.

“Thanks to the tremendous support of National Pharmacies over the past four years, we have been able to continue to grow the SANFL Juniors competition with more age groups and teams, providing more boys and girls every year with an opportunity to participate in our great game.”

National Pharmacies Chief Executive Officer Vito Borrello, also at today’s launch event, said:

“We are so proud to support community sport through National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors.

“Just like our local footy clubs, National Pharmacies is proudly South Australian. And, just like our footy clubs, exists to care for members and our local community.”

Port Adelaide players Ryan Burton (left) and Jackson Mead with junior players at Elder Park for the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors season launch.

Season 2024 will mark the introduction of several new initiatives in the competition, including a new female age group structure which will see all-girls competitions starting at under-8s to create an easier entry into competition football for female Auskick participants.

Other new initiatives this season include:

  • An expansion of the innovative ‘Sit Down to Coach Rounds’ to nine weeks (3 x 3-week blocks) due to the success of the initiative in improving sideline behaviour among coaches and club personnel.
  • The roll out of a new Ground Marshall education and accreditation program to support club volunteers undertaking this important match day role.
  • Expansion of First Nations Round, to be held across the competition in conjunction with NAIDOC Week on the weekend of July 5-7.
  • Continuation of Sammy D Violence Prevention Round, to be held on the weekend of June 28-30.

In 2024, club volunteers and participants will continue to feature on the popular SEN National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors show, hosted by former AFLW Crows star Courtney Cramey. The show is broadcast over 10 weeks during the season on a Sunday morning.

The Advertiser’s KommunityTV will also again be exclusively live streaming all preliminary finals matches, with every Grand Final streamed across both KommunityTV and SANFL Now.

To find your nearest community football club and register for National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors visit sanfl.com.au/juniors

Crows players Brodie Smith and Rory Laird sign autographs at the SANFL Juniors season launch.
Register for National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors here

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