PORT ADELAIDE’s Round 16 SANFL game against Glenelg has been rescheduled to be played at the end of the home and away season, which will be extended after the recent COVID-19 outbreak forced a two-week break.
The SANFL has today released the updated fixture for the remainder of the 2021 SANFL Statewide Super League, which includes the season being extended by a fortnight and the Grand Final being shifted to the long weekend on Sunday 3 October.
The season will resume with a revised Round 16 on Saturday, August 7, in line with the State Government direction following a two-week postponement due to the Covid outbreak in South Australia.
SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler said the commencement of the four-week Finals Series at Adelaide Oval had been pushed back to the weekend of September 11 to allow for the SANFL Grand Final to be played on the October long weekend, a week after the AFL Grand Final.
He said this would be the first time the Grand Final had been played on the long weekend since 2013 - the finale at AAMI Stadium, West Lakes, before moving to Adelaide Oval the following year.
“For many years, the October long weekend was a really successful tradition for the SANFL Grand Final so both the League and Clubs agreed this was the most favourable date to conclude what has been another unprecedented season due to the Covid pandemic,” Mr Chandler said.
Mr Chandler said the League was still awaiting further advice on Covid Management Plans and spectator numbers but was hopeful matches could return to suburban SANFL venues with crowds under similar conditions to what were in place prior to the lockdown.
The revised fixture sees a consolidation of the split round originally scheduled for the next two weekends and a reshuffling of the round postponed during lockdown (previously Round 16) now to be played at the conclusion of the minor round (Round 19) to ensure a full season is completed.
He said the release of the revised Statewide Super League fixture precedes what should be an exciting finish to the minor round, with as many as seven teams in the mix for a spot in the top five.
A blockbuster Round 16 to mark the re-start of the season will see ladder leader Glenelg and fifth placed Norwood do battle at ACH Group Stadium, with North Adelaide hosting the Eagles at Prospect Oval in a crucial match-up between two teams currently placed in the top three on the premiership table.
Next weekend’s Round 16 SANFL showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide is slated to be the curtain raiser to the AFL Showdown 50 at Adelaide Oval with a date and time to be decided following the AFL’s fixture announcement.
Port Adelaide had been scheduled to face the Bays at Alberton last weekend but the state-wide lockdown means that fixture will now take place on the weekend of September 4.
The revised fixture is as follows:
Round 16
Saturday August 7
Glenelg v Norwood | ACH Group Stadium | 2:10pm
West Adelaide v Sturt | Hisense Stadium | 2:10pm
Central District v South Adelaide | X Convenience Oval | 2:10pm
North Adelaide v Eagles | Prospect Oval | 2:10pm
Weekend of August 7
Adelaide v Port Adelaide | Adelaide Oval | time TBC
Round 17
Friday August 13
Norwood v West Adelaide | Coopers Stadium | 7:40pm
Saturday August 14
South Adelaide v North Adelaide | Flinders University Stadium | 2:10pm | Channel 7 and 7plus
Glenelg v Central District | ACH Group Stadium | 2:10pm
Sturt v Port Adelaide | Unley Oval | 2:30pm
Sunday August 15
Eagles v Adelaide | Maughan Thiem Kia Oval | 2:10pm
Round 18 – Split Round
Saturday August 21
Central District v Adelaide | X Convenience Oval | 2:10pm
Weekend of August 21
Port Adelaide v South Adelaide | Alberton Oval | time TBC
Friday August 27
West Adelaide v Glenelg | Hisense Stadium | 7:40pm
Saturday August 28
Sturt v Eagles | Unley Oval | 2:10
North Adelaide v Norwood | Prospect Oval | 2:30pm | Channel 7 and 7plus
Round 19
Saturday September 4
Norwood v Adelaide | Coopers Stadium | 1:10pm
Eagles v Central District | Maughan Thiem Kia Oval | 2:10pm
South Adelaide v West Adelaide | Flinders University Stadium | 2:10pm
Sturt v North Adelaide | Unley Oval | 2:10pm
Weekend of September 4
Port Adelaide v Glenelg | Alberton Oval | time TBC
FINALS SERIES
Weekend of September 11
Elimination and Qualifying Finals | Adelaide Oval
Weekend of September 18
Semi Finals | Adelaide Oval
Weekend of September 25
Preliminary Final | Adelaide Oval
Sunday October 3
Grand Final | Adelaide Oval | time TBC
