Glenelg’s backs-to-the-wall triumph one of their greatest grand final victories

Glenelg’s famous 1973 grand final victory will never be surpassed as the club’s greatest triumph but the 2024 side’s achievements will run a close second.

Philip Clark, Andrew Clark, Wayne Arden and Peter Holtham at the 2024 SANFL Grand Final at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Glenelg’s famous 1973 grand final victory will never be surpassed as the club’s greatest triumph but the 2024 side’s achievements will run a close second after an extraordinary backs-to-the-wall triumph at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Seemingly down and out in the third quarter when they trailed by 25 points after being outplayed, the Tigers dug deep to produce one of their greatest victories on the grand stage.

Glenelg – magnificently led by seven-goal captain and Jack Oatey Medallist Liam McBean –

kicked eight of the last 11 goals to snatch a thrilling five-point win against minor premier Norwood in a classic SANFL grand final.

It trailed for most of the game but kicked five goals to two in the final term to snatch a remarkable and unlikely victory.

Tigers players celebrate after winning the SANFL Grand Final match between Norwood and Glenelg at Adelaide Oval. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL Image

Glenelg kicked eight of the last 11 goals to snatch a thrilling five-point win against minor premier Norwood in a classic SANFL grand final. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The win saw Glenelg claim its seventh premiership, back-to-back flags for the second time (following 1985-86) and cap the most successful winning era in club history, with the premiership being its third in six years.

For the first time in club history, the Bays won a flag from the elimination final, beating the Eagles, Sturt and Central District on the way to the big dance.

Their grand final performance was full of guts and determination after Norwood – chasing its 32nd premiership – appeared to have the game on toast in the third quarter.

But McBean and his troops wouldn’t be denied.

In the first grand final meeting between the two clubs in 42 years – the Redlegs won the previous three – Glenelg refused to lie down.

And in the last quarter it stormed home, kicking the first three goals of the term to grab a five-point lead before Magarey Medallist Harry Boyd put the Redlegs back in front with a moment of brilliance.

McBean then put the Tigers in front for good with his third goal of the quarter while last year’s Jack Oatey Medallist Lachie Hosie – well held for three quarters – sprung to life to kick two crucial goals.

Over 35,000 fans flocked to Adelaide Oval for the thrilling match. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Key forward McBean was outstanding for Glenelg with seven goals and nine strong marks while midfielders Corey Lyons, Matthew Snook and James Bell were superb.

Norwood settled best early, making the all the running, but it was dealt a significant injury blow when key forward Finn Heard (elbow) was forced from the ground in the sixth minute after an off-the-ball collision with Glenelg defender Will Gould.

The incident sparked a small melee but 90 seconds later, Heard’s key forward sidekick Jackson Callow booted the first goal when he cleverly sharked the ball from a pack at the top of the northern goalsquare.

The Tigers were struggling to get their hands on the ball, trailing the disposal count 46-27, before former Redleg Cole Gerloff hurt his old side by somehow dribbling a left-footed snap through traffic for the Bays to get on the scoreboard as the contest tightened.

Norwood led by two points at quarter-time but ruled Heard out of the game with his injury.

Redlegs great Matt Panos, who started on the bench after playing only one reserves game in five months because of a knee injury, made an early impact with five disposals.

Glenelg edged in front early in the second term when McBean got on the end of some fine work from star midfielder Matt Allen.

But the Bays then wasted some opportunities in front of the sticks and the Legs capitalised.

They kicked three unanswered goals in time-on, including a beauty to Baynen Lowe just before the halftime siren, to sprint to a three-goal lead at the long break.

Norwood was catching Glenelg on the rebound and hurting it with burst through the middle of the ground, with Lowe and midfield sidekick Billy Cootee proving particularly damaging.

Alec Wright had been so effective on Tigers goalsneak Hosie that he did not record a disposal in the first half.

When Tristan Binder – out of the Norwood side until late in the season – kicked his second major eight minutes into the third term, the Redlegs had surged to a game-high 25-point advantage.

But this Tigers team is made of stern stuff and simply refused to be denied.

GLENELG 2.2 4.5 7.6 12.9 (81)

NORWOOD 2.4 7.5 9.7 11.10 (76)

BEST – Glenelg: McBean, Lyons, Snook, Bell, McGree, Proud, Allen, Scharenberg. Norwood: Lowe, Cootee, O’Neill, Seymour, Boyd, Wright, J. Heard.

GOALS – Glenelg: McBean 7, Hosie 2, Gerloff, Lyons, Reynolds. Norwood: Callow, Lowe, Binder, Hamilton 2, Murley, Nelligan, Boyd.

INJURIES – F. Heard (elbow).

UMPIRES – Williams, Morgan, Scott.

CROWD – 35,129 at Adelaide Oval.

Originally published as Glenelg’s backs-to-the-wall triumph one of their greatest grand final victories