South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has inadvertently ignited a war of words between AFL and NRL fans.
As the AFL’s Gather Round continues to take over the city of Adelaide, Malinauskas was keen to highlight the true beauty of the festival of footy.
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He took to X and posted three images which included Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Barossa Park. The caption simply read: “3 venues. 9 AFL matches. One state – South Australia.”
Whether he meant to go fishing or not, NRL fans took the bait hook, line and sinker as they hit back and stated why Magic Round was the better of the two events.
Mark Gottlieb wrote in response: “1 venue. 8 NRL matches. One state – Queensland.”
AAP’s Scott Bailey added: “This is not a knock on the AFL, but for the life of me I can’t wrap my head around Gather Round being at different stadiums. The best bit of Magic Round is you can get a bunch of mates together, and watch everyone’s team play over the course of three days.”
Countless AFL fans however said the NRL’s Magic Round had nothing on the spectacle that was Gather Round and it’s beauty of playing games around the city and not confining it all into one venue.
The ABC’s Brett Sprigg wrote: “It’s cool, it’s like a little footy Olympics. I was skeptical but I like that Gather Round has that difference (and I’ve done both).”
Another added: “This is not a knock on the NRL, but for the life of me I can’t wrap my head around why Magic Round isn’t done during the school holiday’s when more families can attend.”
A third wrote: “It’s awesome you get to experience different event and venues and see different parts of the city.”
Images expose why AFL is the clear winner in this debate
Sorry NRL fans, you can have your Magic Round. Gather Round has you covered.
Keeping the entire course of the four days confined to within the four walls of Suncorp Stadium lacks the charm and appeal on offer in Adelaide.
While the majority of games that take place over the course of Gather Round are held at Adelaide Oval, it’s the minority that provide the real Magic.
Norwood Oval and Barossa Park give fans a spectacle that you simply aren’t going to get by sitting in the stands of a proper AFL or NRL stadium.
With crowds hovering around the 10,000 mark, it’s the atmosphere that is a completely different kettle of fish.
At Norwood Oval you’re greeted with only two stands, the normal seated arrangements you find at your usual footy game are replaced with standing room only.
Fans from both teams stand shoulder to shoulder as the action unfolds only mere metres in front of their eyes.
The games have a genuine local footy feel to them with fans from every corner of the ground feeling like they’re about to be the next link in a chain of handballs out of defence.
While the noise may not bounce around and echo off the walls like it does inside a stadium, the echoes of the crowd ring deep into the eardrums even if its just another holding the ball shout or goal celebration.
Hearing the players shouting instructions or yelling out to a teammate from the bench are yet another aspect you simply do not get to experience at your every day AFL game.
It’s a similar story an hour out of the city at Barossa Park. While the ground has makeshift stands set up to accommodate the flocking fans, it doesn’t take away from the feel.
You’re getting a chance to watch your heroes run around within what is touching distance from the fence.
It’s what separates the AFL’s Gather Round from the NRL’s Magic Round. The use of local footy grounds elevates the spectacle of the event to heights the NRL hasn’t reached.
The charm factor of fans crowding into a local venue can’t be matched by hosting every game over four days inside the same venue.
While the AFL may have taken a page out of the NRL’s book with their Gather Round concept, they’ve left rugby league in the dust with how they’ve held the festival of footy.