One hundred games, one premiership, and one incredible impact

One hundred games, one premiership, and one incredible impact. Glenelg Football Club pays tribute to the rich history of our first 100-games within the SANFLW competition.

As the mighty Tigers enter Stratarama Stadium this Saturday morning, they make history within the Glenelg Football Club and broader SANFLW community, becoming the third SANFLW team to reach the 100-match milestone.

99 games ago, Glenelg Football Club entered the SANFLW competition for the first time. Lead by Narelle Smith (coach) and Cass Hartley (captain), Glenelg Football Club took West Adelaide on in a dominant display under lights – kicking off our GFCW history with a 53-point win. Back on debut, League captain Cass posted on socials about her excitement, “Sometimes it’s hard to describe a situation in words that will do it justice. But without doubt one of the highlights of my career occurred this week when I was presented with my Glenelg guernsey by this absolute legend of the game, Peter Carey. What an honour! I will wear this No. 5 jumper with absolute pride.”

Just four clubs made up the SANFL women’s competition back in 2017 – Glenelg, North Adelaide, Norwood and West Adelaide. In that inaugural year, each team were to face one another twice – the top two teams at the end of the competition would face off in the SANFLW Grand Final.

Four years later, Glenelg Football Club would face West Adelaide, again, in yet another momentous occasion–Glenelg’s first SANFLW Grand Final. The historical event welcomed the SANFLW premiership cup home to the Bay’s trophy cabinet.

Club historian Peter Cornwall reflected on the memorable day, alongside premiership captain Ellie Kellock, in Glenelg Football Club’s centenary yearbook Ton of Tigers.

Glenelg’s dominant start to the premiership match led with a right-snap goal by Jess Searle, who’s quick-thinking secured the Bays six-points within the first 24-seconds of the game. Kellock recalls her reaction with teammate Caitlin Gould: “I grabbed Caitlin by the jumper and said, ‘We’re on here … we’re on.’”

“I had a true belief we were going to win from that moment. Everyone was ready to go,” she said. The match went on, stars of the game like Ebony Marinoff recognised for their impact on Glenelg and SANFLW history, taking home the best-on-ground medal. 

Alongside Marinoff, stands a cohort of Glenelg talent who have since been recruited and further dominated the broader AFLW community. Eloise Jones was Glenelg’s first ever AFLW-draftee, back in 2017. After her breakout season—where she earned All-Australian honours and finished as the club’s leading goal kicker—Jones was selected by Adelaide in that year’s AFLW draft. She soon etched her name into history as Glenelg’s first alumni to become an AFLW premiership player, featuring in the Crows’ successful 2019 campaign.

Ellie Kellock is a modern-day veteran of GFCW. Despite the SANFLW competition being relatively young in comparison to its male counterpart, its growing reputation and presence within the broader sporting community is credit to the dedication of the passionate people and communities who fuel the game. As a premiership captain, a history-maker for Glenelg, and an all-round outstanding teammate, Kellock is a shining example of everything the league stands for.

Ellie Kellock solidified her place in GFCW history, starting with the milestone match in Round 1 of 2017, where she recorded Glenelg’s first tackle. Kellock recalls the moment in Ton of Tigers alongside Peter Cornwall: “Kellock’s tackle sure made an impact. The stretcher was called. ‘I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve really hurt someone here,’ but I was also like, ‘I did what the coach told me to do!’” Kellock’s tackle – the first by a Glenelg women’s player – was fair but “solid.” “It hurt me, so it had to hurt her.”

Kellock’s tenacity has not wavered through Glenelg’s history, despite facing injury, she continues to be the figure of Bays quality footy through each season, a testament to her heavy trophy cabinet.

The spirit that carried Glenelg to its first SANFLW premiership in 2021—captured in our ‘Heart’ trademark—didn’t fade when the final siren sounded. Since then, that trademark has evolved alongside our ‘Stripes’, growing into a deeper commitment to connection, respect, and meaningful representation within our community.

A significant part of our journey has been the strong sense of family that has been at the core of the women’s program from the very beginning.

It all started in our inaugural year with twin sisters Sheridan and Kendall Howell—the first family duo in our women’s history to pull on the black and gold together. Since then, that legacy has only grown. Sisters Matilda and Poppy Scholz made their mark at the Bays before stepping up to the AFL and other national leagues. Their standout performances, supported by a family legacy recognised in Australian sporting history, have played an important role in Glenelg’s recent success. We trust that the foundations laid at Glenelg Football Club will continue to remind our community of the strength and spirit within our walls, as our players move forward in their careers beyond the SANFLW competition.

More recently, sisters Aleesha and Kayla Robran have come through our league and development squads, showing that at Glenelg, footy is more than just a game—it’s something that brings people, and families, together. This sense of connection is reflected in the growing links between our junior and senior men’s and women’s programs, and we’re excited to watch this space continue to thrive in the years ahead.

The mighty Bays’ history doesn’t begin or end with the first-ever SANFLW match, the 2021 premiership flag, or the many milestones that have marked the journey from the beginning to the present-day participation of women in our great club. The celebration of 100 SANFLW games commemorates the blood, sweat, and tears that have shaped not only our great game but, more significantly, our great club. It honours the tireless efforts of past and present players, volunteers, and staff who have all played a role in Glenelg’s growth within the competition and the future of women’s football.

To mark this historic milestone, Glenelg Football Club invites fans to join the celebration at Stratarama Stadium this Saturday, as the Tigers take on Central Districts in their 100th SANFLW match, kicking off at 11am.

The day will honour the journey of the Club’s women’s program, with past GFCW players returning to celebrate alongside the current squad. For those unable to attend, the Club will be sharing highlights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments across its social media channels—offering everyone a chance to be part of this special chapter in Glenelg’s history.