Brett’s eager to have a Hand in Bays’ success

By ZAC MILBANK

Glenelg has delivered its fans an extra Christmas present with the appointment of long-serving GWS development mentor Brett Hand as senior coach for the next two seasons.

The 50-year-old boasts an extensive football resume which culminated in spending the past decade with the Giants in roles such as its NEAFL Coach and most recently, Head of Development and Welfare since 2016.

Hand, who played 17 SANFL League games for Norwood from 1989 to 1991, said he was excited to return to Adelaide as Glenelg’s coach in its Centenary Season.

“I’m excited to be given this opportunity to coach the Glenelg Football Club for the next two seasons,” said Hand, who was born in Broken Hill before originating from the Hope Valley Football Club.

”Having been heavily involved in the SANFL prior to GWS, I have had a lot of respect and admiration for the club and I’m looking forward to moving back home to SA and getting stuck into coaching again.

“Mark Stone has left the foundations for continued success at the club and I look forward to building on what he has already created and can’t wait for the 2021 season to begin.”

Starting his coaching career with the Redlegs’ Under-19s in 2003, Hand progressed up to be the club’s Reserves coach, guiding it to a Grand Final berth in 2006.

The 2015 NEAFL Coach of the Year then headed north to steer NTFL side St Mary’s to two premierships before heading up the Northern Territory’s AFL program at the NT Institute of Sport.

The qualified teacher coached the Thunder’s Under-18s at the National Championships before getting his opportunity to be involved with the establishment of the Giants, where he remained until the end of this year.

Tigers chief executive Justin Scripps said the club was excited to land the South Australian’s signature, after being forced into a late recruiting drive following the departure of premiership coach Mark Stone to the Brisbane Lions.

“Brett is an experienced coach in the AFL system, with a proven record of developing young men to reach their potential and play football at the highest level,” Scripps noted.

“Having started at GWS in its infancy, Brett played a variety of roles that supported building a group of talented draftees into a team that represented GWS in the 2019 AFL Grand Final.

”His knowledge and expertise in developing young footballers will be invaluable for our current list.”

Hand will begin at Brighton Road early next month as the club’s Men’s and Women’s teams prepare to face Northern Territory in Darwin on January 23.