Reeves ready to go at the Bay

By ZAC MILBANK

Glenelg has secured highly-rated North Adelaide development mentor Darren Reeves as its new senior coach for the next two seasons.

Describing the past 48 hours as a ”whirlwind”, Reeves met the Bays’ playing group for the first time on Wednesday night in preparation for his start on January 3.

”I’m honoured and incredibly excited to be given the opportunity to coach the Glenelg Football Club,” Reeves said.

”I have been a great admirer of the club and brand of football that it has played over a number of years and believe that my passion and thoughts on the game align well to progressing and growing collectively moving forward.”

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the 47-year-old said he was determined to promote an exciting brand of football at the Bay, utilising the Tigers’ potency inside attacking 50m.

Boasting a strong development background, Reeves – who guided North’s Reserves into the 2020 and 2022 Grand Finals – is also eager to work with the club’s talented juniors, following the U18s winning the 2022 Torrens University Cup.

Reeves’ knowledge of the SANFL competition and its pathways was a strong factor in his appointment, having also worked as Central District’s Under-18 coach and as an assistant under Bulldogs premiership mentor Roy Laird.

Originally from the Blue Mountains in NSW, Reeves also spent two seasons coaching the NT Thunder in the former NEAFL competition after initially starting his coaching journey by steering Nuriootpa to a premiership in the Barossa Light and Gawler Football League.

“Darren is an experienced coach who has an intimate knowledge of our league competition, the SANFL football pathway and a clear vision on what it takes to build a successful football program in the SANFL,’’ Glenelg chief executive Justin Scripps said.

“More importantly he has a real drive to build strong connections with his players and those around him as well as some key personal and leadership traits that align with our values as a footy club.”

2010 – 2013 Salisbury Football Club (SAAFL)
2014 – 2015 Nuriootpa Football Club (BLGA)
2016 – 2017 Centre of Excellence – U/18 Head Coach – Central Districts Football Club (SANFL)
2017 – 2018 Reserves Coach/Senior Assistant – Central Districts Football Club (SANFL)
2016 – 2017 AFL High Performance Level 3
2016 – 2017 AFLCA Next Coach Program
2018 – 2019 NT Thunder Head Coach
2020 – 2022 North Adelaide Head of Development/Senior League Assistant/Reserves Coach