It’s been a big summer and we can’t wait to start the 2023 season at Adelaide Oval this Saturday afternoon.  

We’re back operating without restrictions, physical members tickets are back, and the best game day experience in the AFL, a Port Adelaide home game at Adelaide Oval, is about to return for another season.  

There’s a lot of predictions and forecasts leading into Round 1 but the reality is, everyone starts this week from scratch. 

The Prison Bars 

Last week we received confirmation that we will wear our heritage ‘Prison Bar’ guernsey in this year’s home Showdown. This is our people’s guernsey, and it’s thanks to you, our dedicated members and supporters, that we’ll be wearing it come Round 3.   

We’ve worked closely with Collingwood FC and are very grateful for their respect and support of our history and what this guernsey represents to our people.   

As we’ve maintained throughout the discussions, heritage is important for all clubs, and the connection and passion fans have with their club is central to that. And for us, this iconic heritage guernsey represents who we are and where we have come from.  

This is an important step to hopefully wear the Prison Bars once a year in our home Showdown. We think this is the perfect nod to our rich heritage, whilst we remain firmly focused on the future which has always been the Port Adelaide way.  

The return of the AFL season unlocks 23 opportunities to experience blockbuster, unmissable games of footy – and one of the biggest is our clash with Collingwood in Round 2 on Saturday afternoon at the MCG, it doesn’t get any better than that.   

We have a range of travel and ticketing options for our members and fans to travel to Melbourne for the game, so please enquire here for more information, and we hope to see you there. 

Working with Collingwood over the last week is a great example of two clubs collaborating off-field to provide a better experience for fans. On-field of course we’re combatants but working together to ensure our collective fan experience is better is a win for everyone, and it would be incredible to see a sea of teal amongst the black and white at the G in Round 2. 

Membership 

Thank you to the 52,106 of you that have renewed their membership in 2023.  

A Port Adelaide membership is the most cost-effective way to attend home games, and it’s a conscious decision from the club each year to ensure that members receive the best possible value to attend.   

Showdown tickets for Round 3 are selling fast, so make sure you secure a membership to guarantee your spot in the stands. You can explore our range of options online by clicking here for more information.

And a Big Thanks to Our Partners 

We continue to work closely with our valued commercial partners, including co-major partners MG, GFG and KFC, to drive their business goals and ensure they are connected and aligned to the growth journey we are on.  

50,000 new fans registered with the club through our first AFLW season and we’re doubling down on this, and the connection into our community programs.  

Welcome also to Coles, who partnered with us for our inaugural AFLW season, and have expanded this partnership across the club, signing as the Official Supermarket Partner of the club’s men’s side. 

Partnering with one of the nation’s most recognised and respected brands is yet another significant step in our strategic drive to broaden Port Adelaide’s brand nationally and invest in generational partnerships, and we’re proud to have them on board for the 2023 season, and beyond. 

We look forward to sharing some great benefits with our members and supporters thanks to Coles’ support.  

We approach the season with great excitement and optimism.  

We’ve improved the quality of our playing list; we've done the hard yards on the track this pre-season and we head into Round 1 with confidence and an almost full squad to pick from.    

There are no excuses. Our expectations are clear. We expect to bounce back strongly from 2022. Like 17 other clubs, premiership success is our ultimate goal, but at the same time we know it’s a long season and we need to sharpen our focus on what is immediately before us.

The journey to success is not always perfect. There will be challenges, there will be triumphs, there will be unknowns.

What we do know is that a united Port Adelaide community is an irresistible force.  

It all starts on Saturday, and we can’t wait to see you there.