Libs in box seat in SA poll

South Australia's state election may be closer than some have predicted.

On the face of it Saturday's South Australian election looks like a foregone conclusion.

Needing just a statewide swing of less than three per cent, Liberal leader Steven Marshall appears primed to become the state's 46th premier.

Jay Weatherill's Labor government is battling with a sluggish economy, a budget in the red and also the "use-by" factor after 12 years in office.

But the result might not be as clear cut as recent polls would suggest.

Labor showed in 2010 that it is skilled at defending marginal seats.

It was returned to power on the strength of its polling in key electorates despite clearly losing the statewide popular vote.

A string of infrastructure projects are also gradually coming onstream, including the revamped Adelaide Oval, enhancing the party's credentials.

So if there are voters out there still undecided about which way to swing, a comparison of what Labor and the Liberals have brought to the table in 2014 may help.

POLICIES:

While both parties have described their spending plans as modest, there remains a distinct difference between how they plan to handle the state's finances.

Mr Weatherill has championed his government's recent infrastructure program, including the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and the revamped Adelaide Oval, and its plan to continue spending to help boost the economy and create jobs.

In contrast Mr Marshall wants to help the business grow the economy.

The Liberals plan to cut payroll tax and land taxes and will also dump Labor's proposed car park tax.

On infrastructure spending, they plan to establish a new body to consider where best to invest the state's money.

With the budget, both parties are forecasting a return to surplus in 2015/16.

Both are sound strategies but Labor wins this one as more of its bigger ticket items near completion.

Score: Labor 8, Liberals 6.

LEADERSHIP:

Mr Weatherill took over from Mike Rann after the last state election in a factional deal to give Labor a better chance of securing a fourth term.

Since then he's largely kept his team heading in the same direction. He has managed a changing of the guard as some experienced ministers left the scene to be replaced with new faces.

Some leaks in recent months have pointed to cracks in Labor's disciplined approach and personal attacks on Mr Marshall in the closing weeks of the campaign may not have been his best move.

But his ability to stare down those in the ALP who tried to parachute exiting Senator Don Farrell into a safe seat showed his strong standing within the party.

Mr Marshall has also enjoyed faithful support from his Liberal colleagues since taking the leader's job just over a year ago; a fair achievement considering the previous disunity within the opposition ranks.

If he's made any mistakes it was his decision not to take a firmer stand on Holden and throw more support behind efforts to keep the car maker in Australia and particularly Adelaide.

Score: Labor 7, Liberals 6.

TALENT:

It would be easy to score this one for Labor given it's been in power for the past 12 years and has ministers who have been doing the job, some for large chunks of that time.

And there is some talent there in the likes of Deputy Premier and Attorney-General John Rau and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis.

But Labor also loses the experienced John Hill and Pat Conlon at this election, who both quit the ministry ahead of their retirements from politics.

With a swag of marginal seats at risk and with three other experienced backbenchers also retiring, Labor may or may not have some new faces to fill the gaps after the election.

On the Opposition side, Mr Marshall is, ironically, the least experienced of his front bench team after only entering the parliament at the last election.

Others have been there and done that, including his deputy Vickie Chapman, treasury spokesman Iain Evans and manufacturing spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith.

Potential new Liberal MPs are largely unknown. But if the party wins big, they may have enough time to get the experience they need.

Score: Labor 6, Liberals 7.

RELATIONSHIP WITH CANBERRA:

Here's where things are really different. Mr Weatherill has campaigned strongly on his willingness to stand up to the federal coalition government in support of South Australia's interests.

There's also a fair argument that it's not best for one party to rule federally and in all the states, which could be the end result after Saturday's elections in both SA and Tasmania.

On the flip side a Liberal government led by Mr Marshall is far more likely to looked on favourably by the coalition in Canberra when it comes to support for infrastructure and other projects.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott put it rather bluntly in the final week of the campaign when he said he didn't think South Australians wanted to vote for someone who just wanted to fight with the feds.

But he also knows that if he dishes out pain to SA in the future, he's far less likely to cop criticism from Premier Marshall than he would from Premier Weatherill.

Score: Labor 6, Liberals 7.

THE STATE OF PLAY:

Here's where things get difficult for Labor. The party successfully defended key marginal seats at the last election but this time around there appears to be just too many for a repeat performance.

The government has 11 seats on a margin of less than five per cent and six on less than three per cent, the same number the opposition needs to pick up to govern in its own right in the 47-seat parliament.

Labor currently has 26 seats to 18 for the Liberals while there are also three independents.

As well the marginal Labor seats, the Liberals also have a chance of taking independent Don Pegler's seat of Mt Gambier and possibly Geoff Brock's mid-north seat of Frome.

Score: Labor 5, Liberal 8.

Total: Labor 32, Liberals 34.