Threats of match-day violence in Australia’s most remote football league have seen its grand final postponed.

Key points:

  • SA Police advised the SANFL of threats made ahead of the APY League’s grand final
  • In a statement, SANFL boss Darren Chandler said the threats posed an “unacceptable” risk
  • The game has been postponed until the safety of staff and players can be guaranteed

The APY Lands football league includes 10 teams from communities spanning more than 100,000 square kilometres in central Australia.

On Wednesday, SANFL boss Darren Chandler gave Saturday’s grand final at Pukatja the all-clear to go ahead, despite several serious off-field incidents marring recent games.

The Mimili and Fregon teams were due to face off and had been preparing as normal.

However, the league announced on Thursday night that the match would be postponed, following advice from SA Police that threats of violence had been made against attendees.

Players travel for hours to compete in the SANFL APY League.(

ABC Landline: Patrick Martin

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“SANFL once again reiterates that we absolutely do not tolerate threatening, anti-social or violent behaviour of any kind, and the decision to postpone the grand final has the support of the National Indigenous Australians Agency, which is the key funding partner of the SANFL APY League.”

The SANFL said a new date and location would be announced soon, with the help of police.

The league has been cancelled before — in 2018 — due to match-day violence.

Upon its return the following year, a new code of conduct, developed with help from community representatives, was implemented.