Dual Glenelg premiership mentor Darren Reeves to coach SANFL state team

It will be a full circle moment for the new SANFL state coach during AFL Gather Round, writes Andrew Capel.

Ten years after leading Nuriootpa to the 2015 Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association premiership as a relative unknown in football circles, Glenelg’s dual premiership mentor will return to coach in the Barossa Valley – this time as one of the state’s most respected and successful coaches.

Darren Reeves has come full circle.

Reeves – a former state Second XI cricketer who grew up in a rugby league heartland in the New South Wales’ Blue Mountains – has been appointed SANFL state coach and will lead the Croweaters in mouth-watering home clashes against the VFL and WAFL this year.

His first assignment will be against the Big V in familiar territory during AFL Gather Round, with the game to be played at Tanunda Recreation Park – in the heart of the Barossa Valley, where Reeves cut his teeth as a footy coach.

New SANFL state coach Darren Reeves (holding the state jumper), with his state assistant coaches, from left, Sam Mayes (North Adelaide), Sam Jacobs (Woodville-West Torrens) and Paul Thomas (Central District) at Tanunda Recreation Park. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“My biggest learnings in coaching came at Nuriootpa, so it’s nice to get the chance to coach in the Barossa Valley again,’’ said Reeves, whose state coaching panel will include Central District coach Paul Thomas, Woodville-West Torrens mentor Sam Jacobs and just-retired North Adelaide star and former Brisbane and Port Adelaide AFL player Sam Mayes.

“The opportunity to work with some high quality players and test my theories and thoughts on how I saw coaching and how I wanted to be as a coach certainly came in my couple of years at Nuriootpa (in 2014-15).

“So when I found out the state game against the VFL was at Tanunda, which is a venue I coached at a couple of times (the Nuriootpa Tigers have a strong rivalry with the Tanunda Magpies), it was a bit of a full circle moment.’’

Reeves, who was a standout wicketkeeper-batsman who first moved to Adelaide as part of the Australian Cricket Academy in 1997, started his football coaching career with Salisbury before joining Nuriootpa.

He then gained experience in the Northern Territory and in development roles at other SANFL clubs before being appointed Glenelg senior coach at the end of 2022 and winning back-to-back flags in his first two seasons in charge in 2023-24.

Glenelg coach Darren Reeves (right) and captain Liam McBean celebrate after winning last year’s SANFL grand final at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Now he holds the reins to the SANFL state team.

“When the SANFL asked me about taking the role there was a bit of a moment where you sit back and reflect about the journey because it’s a great honour,’’ Reeves, 49, said.

“It’s one of the real highlights for me, that’s for sure.’’

Reeves has had a taste of state footy in the past two years, serving as an assistant coach to former Norwood mentor and 2022 SANFL premiership coach Jade Rawlings, who quit the Redlegs at the end of last season to join AFL club Fremantle’s coaching staff.

“Passion for state footy in South Australia is incredibly strong and there is great buy-in from the players, which is one of the things that makes it so great to be involved,’’ Reeves said.

“There is genuine passion to wear the red state guernsey and from our players to test themselves against the best state league players from around Australia.’’

SA will play the VFL at Tanunda on Saturday, April 12, starting at 2.45pm.

It will meet the WAFL in Adelaide on the May 17 weekend.

Darren Reeves (left) and Nuriootpa captain Craig Gogoll hoist the cup aloft after the Tigers won the 2015 Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association grand final. Picture: Peter Argent

South Australia’s Jez McLennan in action against the VFL at Glenelg Oval last season. Picture: Maya Thompson/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

While Reeves will be calling the shots, he will have plenty of high-calibre coaching support.

Jacobs will oversee the forward line and ruck, Thomas the midfield and Mayes the defence.

Glenelg senior assistant coach Brett Exelby will be bench coach and just-retired Eagles champion Luke Thompson will be runner.

SA used a whopping 36 players in its two wins against the VFL and WAFL last season, illustrating its depth of talent, and Reeves expects to field strong teams again, with some key players rejoining the SANFL.

They include Jarryd Lyons and Luke Partington (Glenelg), Jack and Nick Hayes (Eagles) and Mitch Crowden, Tom Emmett and Martin Frederick (Sturt) while gun Western Australian Angus Schumacher has joined North Adelaide.

Tickets for the SANFL-VFL clash ($15 for adults, $10 concession, under-18s free) can be purchased via the SANFL website.