Nicks urges fans to show respect – as Gather Round dates revealed
Crows coach Matthew Nicks wants Crows fans to show respect for Collingwood during a potentially heated qualifying final tonight – and InDaily reveals a show-stopping spot to watch the clash.
Gather Round dates 2026 revealed
Show-stopping spot to watch Adelaide Crows clash
Coach Matthew Nicks is urging Adelaide fans to show Collingwood respect when the fuse is lit on a potentially explosive qualifying final. His call comes as Premier Peter Malinauskas reveals next year’s Gather Round dates.
The Crows host the Pies tonight in an opening fixture of the finals to be contested amid a simmering backdrop.
After the most recent clash of the clubs on August 16, Adelaide star Izak Rankine was banned for four games for a homophobic slur against a Magpies opponent.
There were reports that Rankine’s mindset had been impacted by sledging from Dan Houston and other Collingwood players.
Houston, playing for Port Adelaide in August last year, knocked Rankine out with a crude bump that led to a five-game suspension.
Houston then joined the Magpies and reportedly taunted Rankine about the incident during the recent Adelaide-Collingwood encounter.
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Those reports were expected to heighten a hostile attention on Houston from the Adelaide Oval crowd on Thursday night, but Nicks has called for calm.
“We have talked about in the state, we have acknowledged the lid is off,” Nicks said.
“Come down and enjoy a good game of footy. Obviously be respectful, like we talk about all the time.
“It’s like with any sport, whether it’s kids’ sport or whether it’s the highest level, there’s a certain respect that we have to stand by.
“But people love the footy. It will be a fantastic atmosphere, so come down and enjoy.”
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But Nicks said rather than fan behaviour, he had other things front of mind: chiefly, stifling the influence of Collingwood’s star players.
In the August 16 game that Adelaide won by three points, Nicks deployed Lachlan Murphy to tag Magpie half-back Josh Daicos.
Murphy has been overlooked for selection for the final, but Daicos and his brother, Brownlow Medal favourite Nick, loom large.
“The challenge with Collingwood is there are so many talented individuals that impact the game in a big way,” Nicks said.
“Josh is one, but it goes on and on.
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“We focus on what we do well. We have been preparing all season to play finals footy.
“It has been a brand that we’ve been pretty proud of, even when not winning games of footy … we enjoy the contest, we like to tackle, like to break tackles – it’s the way we play our footy.
“And so now we’ve got a chance to test ourselves on the real stage.”
Nicks has recalled Max Michalanney and Luke Pedlar, both recovered from hamstring injuries, for the Crows’ first final since 2017. They replace the dropped Sid Draper and Billy Dowling.
Collingwood axed out-of-form forward Dan McStay and Jeremy Howe was ruled out because of a groin injury, with Mason Cox and Will Parker summoned.
Gather Round dates reveal
Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced the AFL ‘Gather Round.. A Festival of Footy’ is locked in for Thursday, April 9 to Sunday, 12 next year – coinciding with school holidays across the nation.
The dates come as economic data revealed the 2025 edition of Gather Round delivered a record the state $113.9 million, 24 per cent highter than 2024 and 36 per cent higher than the inaugural 2023 event at $83.5m.
Research conducted by IER also showed this year’s event created 241,613 visitor nights in South Australia, 26 per cent higher than last year, with visitors spending on average 4.7 nights in SA.
The first ever AFL matches at the new Barossa Park facility helped generate $4.87 million in direct expenditure for the Barossa Valley region and Barossa Park ws confirmed to again feature at Gather Round 2026.
“Gather Round continues to be a stunning success for our state … this growth trajectory is testament to the continued investment and innovation we have worked hard to deliver in partnership with the AFL,” Malinauskas said.
“But it’s also due to the support of footy fans, South Australians and visitors who have embraced Gather Round unlike anything else. We’re thrilled to welcome Gather Round the weekend after Easter in 2026.”
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon described Gather Round this year as an “incredible success with almost 270,000 fans attending across the four days of matches – our highest Gather Round attendance yet”.
Footy at the Show
Fears of missing the finals clash between the Crows and Collingwood tonight are being allayed for Royal Adelaide Show goers. The game will be shown on all large screens throughout the event with a special themed section on Kingsway, complete with poster giveaways.
Show organisers are expecting the area to be particularly popular with regional students from the South-East, who are staying at Adelaide Showground while competing at the show as they gather to support their local heroes, Crows players Jordan Dawson and Darcy Fogarty.
The broadcast begins at 6:30pm.
