Gather Round will once again host a representative contest between state-league competitions VFL and SANFL, with a new historic venture set to join the marquee game.

In an exciting development, the best players from the VFLW will take on the SANFL Women's State team for the first time since the league's inception in 2017.

The match, will take place at Alberton Oval on Friday, April 11 from 6:30 pm (ACST) and be live-streamed on SANFL Now, will consist of only VFLW-listed players from the 12 teams and no players who feature on the AFLW lists.

Alberton Oval is the ancestral home of Port Adelaide and is currently under redevelopment to house all the men's and women's teams.

The men's clash, which will follow on from last year's bout where the SANFL defeated the VFL by 14 points at Glenelg's Stratarama Stadium, will take place at Tanunda Recreation Park in the Barossa on Saturday, April 12 from 2:45 pm (ACST).

Like the women's side, players who are VFL-listed only from the 21 teams will be eligible for selection.

No matches will be played across the Smithy's VFL and rebel VFLW that weekend to ensure the best players from both competitions are available to represent the โ€˜Big V'.

AFL Head of State Leagues Jennie Loughnan said it was a great initiative to involve the women's state-league level in Gather Round as a part of the festival of footy.

"We are thrilled to have the best players from the rebel VFLW and Smithy's VFL coming together to don the โ€˜Big V' against our fiercest rivals in the SANFL," Loughnan said.

"It was brilliant to have the Smithy's VFL State Team return to the field in 2024 and we are so excited that the stars of the rebel VFLW have the opportunity to play on the representative stage for the first time.

"It will be a great experience for our best men's and women's players to be part of the action during Gather Round and we look forward to having plenty of supporters from our VFL clubs getting behind our men's and women's representative teams.

"I would like to thank the SANFL and South Australian government for working with us to expand our representative offering and acknowledge our VFL and VFLW clubs for their support."

2025 State Game โ€“ Women's

SANFLW vs VFLW
Friday, April 11, 2025
6:30 pm local time /7:00 pm AEST
Alberton Oval

2025 State Game โ€“ Men's

SANFL vs VFL
Saturday, April 12, 2022:45 pmpm local time / 3:15 pm AEST
Tanunda Recreation Park