Relegation shock as powerhouse Glenelg sent spiralling to SACA’s Division 2 competition

SA Premier Cricket powerhouse Glenelg – the spiritual home of the Chappell brothers and Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey – has been relegated from the state’s top club competition.

It is a South Australian Premier Cricket powerhouse which has made five of a possible six grand finals in the past two seasons and boasts six state or Australian-contracted men’s players.

But now, shockingly, Glenelg, whose esteemed products include Australian legends Ian and Greg Chappell and current Aussie star Alex Carey, finds itself in damage control after a spectacular fall which has seen it relegated from Division 1 of Premier Cricket’s controversial two-tier First Grade system.

The Seahorses, who finished minor premiers in 2023-24 before losing the grand final to Port Adelaide, will play in Division 2 next season, despite thrashing fellow competition powerhouse Kensington by eight wickets in the final round.

With other results going against it on the weekend, Glenelg slumped from minor premier last season to seventh in the eight-team Division 1 to be sent spiralling to Division 2.

It has been joined in relegation by wooden spooner Adelaide University, which won just one match in the 10-round campaign to finish with a paltry 20 points.

Glenelg captain Jake Winter (left) and Conor McInerney celebrate Glenelg's T20 Cup ttriumph this season. Picture: SACA.

In contrast, the Seahorses won three red-ball matches for the season, along with recording some draws, to finish with 80 points - 20 points (or one win) behind sixth-placed Port.

It is a stunning fall from grace for the proud club, which in the past two seasons has been so successful it made all three First Grade grand finals in 2023-24 (the two-day, One-Day Cup and T20), losing all three, and both white-ball finals this season, winning the T20 against Kensington before the tables were turned in the one-day decider.

And it has left it in danger of losing key players who could baulk at playing in the lower standard Division 2, while raising more questions about SACA’s controversial two-tier system, which is in the middle of a three-year trial period.

Glenelg’s contracted men’s players include Test pair Carey and state captain Nathan McSweeney (who don’t play much club cricket due to international commitments), rising allrounder Liam Scott, pacemen Brendan Doggett and Harry Conway and opening batsman Conor McInerney.

Club captain Jake Winter, who represented SA in one-day cricket last season, and former Redbacks rookie Isaac Higgins might also question whether they need to play in the top division to enhance their state claims.

Last season, East Torrens star Jake Lehmann left the Reds to move to Kensington when his side was relegated to Division 2.

Glenelg and Australian cricket legends Greg Chappell (middle) and Ian Chappell (right) with West Indies great Lance Gibbs in 1969-70 when they all played for the Seahorses.

Seahorses coach Sam McNally, who prior to Christmas told the club that this would be his last season in charge before he returns home to Brisbane, described his club’s demotion as “obviously disappointing’’.

But he does not believe it will result in a mass exodus of players.

“We’re obviously disappointed with how the two-day season panned out. Unfortunately we didn’t play our best cricket often enough,’’ he said.

“On the other hand, it was fantastic to win the T20 and we’re proud of that. It was well deserved.

“Obviously you want to play against the best teams every week but we accept our performances weren’t good enough to remain in Division 1.

“It’s an opportunity for some changes to be made next year but I’d be shocked if those (state) guys elected to play at another club.

“We’ve got a really tight group at Glenelg and that includes our contracted players. We didn’t see too much of them this year as the majority are playing every game for SA but we’re really proud of them and what they’ve achieved.

“The club is in a great place. In terms of sustainability we’re quite strong across all grades and we hold ourselves to a high standard.

“You’ve only got to look at what Sturt did a couple years ago (being relegated before winning Division 2 to earn promotion), that’ll probably be the blueprint.”

The Glenelg players celebrate winning this season’s T20 Cup. Picture: SACA

McNally refused to blame a tough - and unfair - fixture for Glenelg’s relegation.

The Seahorses’ three double-up matches were against strong clubs Kensington, West Torrens and Sturt.

“I don’t want to make any excuses, we were aware of who we had to play and when,’’ he said.

“In Division 2 everybody plays everybody twice, which is fair, but I guess we all watch AFL and that’s not necessarily an even fixture either.”

The SACA’s two-tier First Grade system is in its second season after five of the 13 clubs - Sturt, Adelaide, Northern Districts, Prospect and Southern District - were forced to start in Division 2 in 2023-24 after they finished ninth to 13th at the end of the previous season when the relegation system was introduced.

Under the new format, the bottom two teams from Division 1 each season are relegated, with the top two sides from Division 2 promoted.

But there is an anomaly this season.

Under Premier Cricket guidelines, the SACA under-19 side, which competes in Division 2 and consists of elite teenagers from the 13 clubs, cannot be promoted to Division 1.

But the combined team finished the minor round in second spot and will play in a semi-final against Woodville this weekend.

That means the third-placed Peckers and minor premier East Torrens have automatically earned promotion for next season.

Originally published as Relegation shock as powerhouse Glenelg sent spiralling to SACA’s Division 2 competition