Sturt 16.9 (105) def Glenelg 11.8 (74)
Sturt has completed one of the all-time great SANFL seasons by claiming the 2025 premiership with a 31-point victory over Glenelg in Sunday's grand final at Adelaide Oval.
Having dropped just one game for the entire campaign as the clear pace-setters in the competition, the Blues atoned for last year's straight-sets exit with consummate style.
Enjoying an extra week's break following their semi-final victory, Sturt looked in control from the outset and built up a 51-point lead early in the last term, leaving the players, coaches and fans to celebrate their 16th SANFL flag and first since 2017.
Breakout midfielder Angus Anderson capped his meteoric rise from reserves football in 2023 to SANFL Team of the Year member in 2025 by winning the Jack Oatey Medal as best on ground.
The 22-year-old shone under the grand final spotlight, gathering 24 disposals, nine marks, six inside 50s, four clearances and a huge goal to end the third quarter.
Magarey medallist Tom Lewis finished an outstanding season on a high note, collecting 26 disposals, 10 tackles and nine clearances as he continually extracted the ball from the contest and got his team moving.
Will Snelling (20 disposals, 14 tackles and a goal) worked through some close attention from Alex Martini through the middle of the game to enjoy another prolific afternoon in the middle.
Young gun Alex Holt also rose to the occasion in just his 15th game of senior football, completing a whirlwind first season of league footy with 21 disposals, five inside 50s and a goal playing predominantly on the wing.
Returning club junior Martin Frederick (14 touches and 10 tackles) was impactful around the footy, while Amos Doyle (23 hit-outs) commanded the ruck duel and won some important taps for his team.
Flynn Perez (22 disposals, nine marks and five rebound 50s) had a huge influence across half-back and set up numerous attacking chains with his speed and composed ball use.
Henry Carey (17 disposals, six marks and seven rebound 50s) was also prominent down back and played a steadying role, often clearing the danger under pressure.
Casey Voss (14 possessions) competed strongly against Matthew Allen whenever the Tiger star went forward, while Luke Edmonds executed a superb shutdown role on Liam McBean, negating his impact in the air.
Will Coomblas played a diligent, close-checking role on Lachie Hosie and made life difficult for the Ken Farmer medallist in the aerial contests, while Zac Becker was reliable in his one-on-one duels with Luke Reynolds.
As has been the case for most of the year, it was Sturt's small forwards who did the bulk of the damage, with veteran Josh Hone snaring four goals as his class and smarts proved telling.
Fellow livewire Sam Conforti also had some big moments, nailing two important goals in the second term to help give his team the momentum, while James Mathews (two goals) kicked the opener for Sturt with a sharp finish from close range.
Big man Connor McFadyen (12 disposals and two goals) provided a key aerial presence and competed fiercely to bring the ball to ground, while Tom Emmett split his time between attack and midfield and kicked an important goal to start the third term.
Daniel Fahey-Sparks (23 hit-outs and a goal) was a valuable contributor with his versatility to play forward and in the ruck, while Luke Giacometti (16 disposals) rotated between the forward line and wing.
The loss leaves Glenelg heartbreakingly short of claiming a premiership hat-trick for the first time in the club's 104-year history, falling at the final hurdle of another stellar campaign.
While the Bays were unable to cap this era of success with that historic milestone, it will still go down as the club's greatest chapter and one that doesn't appear to be ending any time soon.
However, the Bays confirmed a trio of retirements after the game, with triple premiership defender Max Proud, veteran forward Luke Reynolds and returning AFL star Jarryd Lyons all hanging up the boots.
A boon recruit for the Tigers this season, Lyons went out with a bang, collecting a game-high 28 disposals and four clearances as one of his team's most productive and consistent contributors.
His brother Corey was not far behind, amassing 26 disposals, nine marks and five inside 50s as he worked tirelessly around the ground to help kickstart Glenelg's ball movement.
James Bell (15 touches and six clearances) won plenty of contested footy in the clinches and battled hard for the cause, while Matthew Allen (18 disposals and a goal) showed his class switching between forward and midfield.
Cole Gerloff (20 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances and a goal) toiled valiantly on the wing and moved into the stoppages at various stages to offer some spark at the coalface.
Alex Martini (13 disposals) was switched from defence to the midfield in the second term and was sent to tag Snelling before moving onto Lewis after half-time.
Enigmatic forward Lachie Hosie was the Tigers' main firestarter in attack, kicking their first four goals of the game before finishing with five as Glenelg's only multiple goal scorer.
Captain Liam McBean (13 disposals and a goal) continued to fight up front in a difficult matchup with Edmonds before moving into the ruck for patches in the second half and winning 11 hit-outs.
Karl Finlay was switched from defence to attack in the second half and booted his first goal in Bays colours, while Will Chandler (15 disposals and seven inside 50s) worked hard up the field in a defensive-forward role on Perez.
Club stalwart Reynolds notched a late goal to help celebrate a fantastic career, while Darcy Bailey also managed a goal in what could be his final SANFL match as discussions on his future continue.
Jonty Scharenberg (22 disposals, seven marks and six rebound 50s) again led the way in defence, with his reading of the play leading to some important intercepts and launching several potent counterattacks.
Cooper Beecken fought strongly in the one-on-one duels with Fahey-Sparks and neutralised some key contests, while Beau Symonds also worked hard as an undersized key defender.
