The South Adelaide Football Club Reserves have won 3 Premierships in 1914, 1979, and 1991.

After coming so close to victory in 1977 and 1978, the Reserves finally got the job done in 1979. 

The premiership side was coached by John Reid and Captained by Haydn Cutting. Special mentions to Mark Naley, Mark Keam, Paul Cotter and Frank Spiel all had an impressive finals campaign. 

The SAFC Reserves earnt their third premiership in 1991, against a dogged Woodville West Torrens (in their first year post amalgamation), in a down to the wire thriller at Football Park. On a blisteringly hot day, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees, the Panthers led for most of the day & finally ran out winners by 2 points, with final scores South 15.9 to Eagles 14.13.

South kicked with a slight breeze in the 1st quarter & played a brilliant brand of footy, kicking 9 goals to the Eagles 4, in what was an entertaining and high quality affair.

Although Niemann & Bulluss looked dangerous early in the quarter, getting good service from Steven Sziller & Nick Pesch, South soon took control, particularly through the centre, with David Baker & Randall Bone dominating in the ruck. Trevor Mitton was all class, winning clearances from stoppage, whilst also kicking a goal & setting up others with his skill & deft touch.

When WWT did go forward, South's defensive pressure was telling, with the red headed duo of Trent Mills & Ian White rebounding well, along with Chris Groom, who managed to get on top of Niemann, despite the latter's 3 goals for the quarter.

South's movement was scintillating at times and the use of handball to create space. resulted in a number of goals, to Ian Cox, Peter Keam & Braine. Harrison & Forbes were the architects of much of this movement & by quarter time, South had a more than handy lead of 9.1 to 4.0.

After a free running 1st quarter, the 2nd started in a much more dour fashion and it took 11 minutes before the Eagles, through Popplestone, registered the quarter's first major.

As the quarter wore on, the Eagles got on top in the midfield, with McCarthy taking control in the ruck & Popplestone in particular, along with the Sziller brothers, Hannam & Pesch, exerting their influence.

Searle & Lukosius were proving to be a thorn in South's side, providing plenty of drive from half back & the Eagles scored some late and deserved goals, from Sziller & Hannam, to reduce the margin to 12 points at half time. 11.5 to 9.5.

For South, Harrison continued to play well & kicked his second goal for the game. Craig Dewhirst & young Kym Koster tried hard to contain the Eagles midfielders & Greg Klenjans playing his "will-o-the-wisp" half forward role, looked dangerous, but failed to take advantage of numerous scoring opportunities. 

WWT dominated play in the 3rd quarter, but couldn't take advantage of that dominance, kicking 3.5, as well as a number out on the full. 

The unseasonably hot weather was starting to take its toll, with players from both sides appearing to run out of puff. The Eagles midfield continued to hold sway & created a number of scoring opportunities. Nick Pesch was excellent & reminded everyone of what a bright future he had & the Sziller boys continued to play well. Paul Bulluss was a dangerous target up forward, but was also the main culprit in failing to convert opportunity into scoreboard pressure.

For the Panthers, Mitton & Dewhirst fought valiantly, but received little support from their team mates & their rare forays into attack, were thwarted by the Eagles defenders. As in the first half, Lukosius & Searle were impassable & it appeared that the Eagles, with the advantage of the week's break, would be hard to overcome in the last quarter & looked the likely premiers. Scores at 3/4 time South 13.6 to Eagles 12.10.

The last quarter was a dour, but enthralling affair. WWT scored an early goal from Foote, to hit the front & they continued to exert their control over South, however, the Panthers were desperate in defence & there were some heroic examples of this, a smother from Harrison in particular, stopped a certain Eagles goal, that probably would have put them into an unassailable position and young Matt Powell did some good work & looks to have a bright future.

Keam took a terrific mark in the goal square to put the Panthers back in front, before Bulluss was awarded a questionable mark & converted to put Eagles back on top, with only a few minutes remaining. The Eagles went into attack, but Chris Groom won a contest across half back and pushed the ball forward, where Klenjans gathered the ball on the member's side boundary, centred it to Randall Bone, who broke a tackle & handballed to Andrew Osborn, who'd been quiet all day & through heavy traffic & extreme pressure, he snapped a brilliant goal from 15m out. From the subsequent centra bounce, the siren sounds & South have won a famous victory & their 3rd Reserves Premiership.