After two terms at the helm of South Australian football, former Premier Rob Kerin has stepped down as Chair of the SA Football Commission, leaving the organisation in what he described as a strong and stable financial position.
The announcement came during the SANFL Annual General Meeting, where financial results for 2025 were also revealed. The league reported cash earnings of $2,264,257, representing an increase of $545,449 compared with 2024.
The result has allowed SANFL to expand its investment across multiple areas of the game, including talent development pathways, grassroots participation, and funding for clubs across the State League.
Funding directed to SANFL clubs rose significantly during the year, with football development grants increasing by nearly $800,000. This allowed $4,420,000 to be distributed across the league’s eight State League clubs to support operations, development and participation initiatives.
Kerin said the results reflected SANFL’s disciplined financial management and long-term strategic planning.
“SANFL continues to demonstrate sound financial management, maintaining a disciplined and cost-effective operating structure while strategically increasing investment across State League clubs, talent pathways and game development initiatives in alignment with our long-term objectives,” he said.
One of the most significant outcomes from the financial performance was the completion of SANFL’s $5 million investment in the High Performance Centre at West Lakes, which Kerin described as the nation’s leading talent development facility.
“The strong cash earnings result for this period enabled SANFL to finalise its $5 million investment in the High Performance Centre which is the best talent facility in the nation and a long-term asset for football development in South Australia.”
The organisation also reported strong participation growth across the state, with a record 70,618 participants involved in football programs in 2025.
“It also enables ongoing investment in talent and participation, supporting the continued growth of the game in South Australia. This was reflected in a record-breaking 70,618 participants taking part in footy programs this year, and we have ambitious targets to grow this further,” Kerin said.
SANFL’s financial performance was also supported by strong stadium returns from Adelaide Oval, where AFL crowds averaged 40,900 per game in 2025, up from 39,430 in 2024.
Major events and non-event day activities at the venue continued to perform well throughout the year, helping offset the rising costs associated with operating a world-class stadium.
Further support came from the AFL, which provided $6 million in funding to support the continued growth of the game in South Australia. The funding contributed to programs across participation, coaching, umpiring, facility upgrades and talent development.
Kerin said the organisation remains focused on growing the game and strengthening SANFL’s role in the state’s sporting landscape.
“SANFL’s vision is to be the game loved by all South Australians and I’m so proud of the work that’s being done to ensure we are leading the way in terms of talent development, and that our competition remains the premier State League in the nation,” he said.
Looking ahead, SANFL expects continued growth across its commercial operations, including ventures such as X-Golf and the Mosaic Hotel, as the organisation prepares for a major milestone.
“As we approach our 150-year celebration in 2027, I’m confident we have set ourselves and our clubs up for a really strong decade of footy,” Kerin said.
