Glenelg win 2021 Reserves Premiership

By ZAC MILBANK

Glenelg secured its first Reserves premiership in a decade with a hard-fought 50-point win against Central District in the 2021 Grand Final at Adelaide Oval.

Despite dominating every statistical category except inside 50s and the scoreboard for the entire contest, the Bays were only able to shrug off the persistent Dogs midway through the final term.

With 2019 League premiership player Jonty Scharenberg (33 disposals, eight clearances) edging out influential teammate Brodie Newman for the Bob Lee Medal as best afield, the minor premier made the most of its 10-point buffer at the final change.

Omitted from the Tigers’ League team after the Second Semi-Final, Newman soccered the last goal of the third term to give his teammates the spark they were craving.

Newman then bobbed up again when he made the most of a clearance engineered by Scharenberg to snap his third and putting his side up by three goals with 15 minutes to play.

Scharenberg then created the next scoring chain which resulted in a fine running goal by Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera in the 13th minute before Tiger Jack Yates snapped from 30m to suddenly give the Bays a 30-point break.

Wingman Tom Condon, Jackson Edwards and Kyle Crompton were all strong contributors as the Bays claimed their first seconds flag since 2011, under first-year coach Joel Tucker.

The brave Bulldogs, who had made their way to the title-decider from fifth spot, were unable to stem the tide after looking the better team for large periods of the first half.

Billy Iles was Central’s leading disposal-winner with 18 while key backman Wyatt Patterson defended valiantly with 13 disposals and three marks.