GATHER ROUND FIXTURE: Old foes, friends reunite, Crows-Dees to open

Gather Round

The match-ups, venues and times have been confirmed for Gather Round 2024 in South Australia

Collingwood and Hawthorn players wrestle and (inset) Jack Ginnivan in Hawthorn colours. Pictures: AFL Photos/Hawthorn FC

COLLINGWOOD will take on Jack Ginnivan and Hawthorn in a Sunday twilight blockbuster to conclude Gather Round in early April next year.

The fixture for the event in South Australia, which will be round four of the 2024 premiership season, is bookended by a Thursday night clash between Adelaide and Melbourne and the Magpies v Hawks showdown on the Sunday.

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Port Adelaide will host Essendon under Friday night lights, while Carlton v Fremantle and Geelong v Western Bulldogs makes up a Saturday doubleheader at Adelaide Oval.

Norwood Oval will again host two games – Brisbane v North Melbourne on Friday afternoon and St Kilda v Richmond on Sunday – while Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills will host Sydney’s clash with West Coast on the Saturday and Gold Coast v Greater Western Sydney on the Sunday.

Home teams for each game in Gather Round will be confirmed when the full 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season fixture is released later this week.

The Magpies-Hawks clash at Adelaide Oval will be the first time the two sides have met since Ginnivan’s high-profile move last month, just weeks after he played a role in Collingwood’s premiership win.

It’s also the first game between the two clubs since a fiery affair in round 21 this year, when the Hawks produced a stunning upset win and Pies star Nick Daicos suffered a hairline fracture in his leg.

Jack Ginnivan poses in his new club colours on October 19, 2023. Picture: Supplied

Adelaide’s premiership credentials will get an early test when it faces the Dees to open the round, while the Power-Bombers game also has some interesting subplots after Xavier Duursma (from Port to Essendon) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (from Essendon to Port) made off-season moves.

After the success of the inaugural Gather Round last season, the AFL signed a deal with the South Australian Government to host the event again until at least 2026.

“South Australia really turned it on, and we are excited to bring fans a bigger and better experience in 2024,” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

“Last year’s Gather Round had the wonderful feel of a Grand Final week, from the footy festival and the zip line over the Torrens River, to the community engagement activities and all the open training sessions the clubs held around the town, it was just an incredibly fun atmosphere which we are looking to top next season.”

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas encouraged footy fans to get in early to book their flights and accommodation for the event.

“Visitors who came to South Australia for the inaugural Gather Round loved it, and those who missed out wished they were here,” he said.

Gather Round 2024 fixture (all local times)

Thursday, April 4Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACDT

Friday, April 5Brisbane v North Melbourne, Norwood Oval, 4.40pm ACDTPort Adelaide v Essendon, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm ACDT

Saturday, April 6Sydney v West Coast, Mount Barker, 1pm ACDTCarlton v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval 3.50pm ACDTGeelong v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm ACDT

Sunday, April 7Gold Coast v Greater Western Sydney, Mount Barker, 12pm ACSTRichmond v St Kilda, Norwood Oval, 2.50pm ACSTCollingwood v Hawthorn, Adelaide Oval, 4.40pm ACST