SANFL 2006 ROUND 11: CENTRAL
DISTRICT v PORT
Blue collar bliss
By STEVE BARRETT
A
RESPECTABLE 6-4 win-loss ratio, a three-game winning streak and the look of a
settled side gathering momentum and authority are what Central District carries
with it entering the second half of 2006.
Saturday's
hard-fought 34-point victory over Port Adelaide at
The
days of seeing the Bulldogs frequently achieve scores resembling cricket totals
and notching regular 15 to 20-goal beltings over opposition sides are now
probably over. Instead the Central faithful can get used to and savour an even,
blue-collar outfit which does not necessarily possess the same gaping depth,
class and skill advantage over its rivals enjoyed by its 2000-05 predecessors,
but has gone back to its working class roots, the likes of which hoisted the
Doggies to the top of the pile originally.
Central
responded to an early Port goal in the opening minutes through James Gowans who, while favouring his right shoulder after being
slammed into the turf by Magpie teenager Tim Looby
and consequently being awarded a 25-metre penalty, barely managed to stammer
one through.
The
incident set the tone for what proved to be an emotional and often spiteful
encounter between the two intense rivals, which reached boiling point during
time-on in the third term when players from both sides engaged in a heated
scuffle in front of the fence on the north-western pocket. Spectators got a
little willing at moments too, the lopsided 14-23 free kick count in favour of
Port enraging the home sides vocal fans at the end of
the match. The Dogs were undeterred and, aside from a few fleeting moments in
the opening term, were never headed and outscored the visitors in every
quarter.
Matthew
Slade, who booted a game-high and career-best five goals – four of which came
in a sterling first half – and James Gowans, who
kicked four despite the hindrance of a tender shoulder and a foot injury, were
damaging inside 50, and frustrated Port's conscious attempts to get numbers
back to counter-act the Doggies' tall forward line.
Central
coach Roy Laird was satisfied with what he viewed as his teams
most complete four-quarter effort since the State game break.
“(Recently)
weve been able to give opposition sides a period of
dominance so that was probably in the back of our minds,'' Laird said,
referring to his teams second quarter lapses in otherwise impressive wins over
Norwood and Sturt.
“But I
think we never allowed Port the freedom to generate that
free-flowing footy and quick goals. And as a result, we were in control.
“There's
an awareness that we havent got the deep squad of
players weve had in the past; we continuously need
individuals within the team to keep on improving and I think weve been able to share the load
more.
‘‘We
don't want to be playing our best footy at this time of year, but right at the
moment, that (6-4) is where we are, and its a good enough base if we do go on
and improve to make a bit of a surge come the second half of the year.''
SCORES: Central District 4.4 8.5 13.9
17.13 (115) defeated Port Adelaide 3.4 5.8
8.9
12.9 (81).
BEST: Central - Slade, C. Gowans,
O'Sullivan, J.Gowans,
GOALS: Central - Slade 5, J. Gowans
4, J. Westhoff 2, O'Sullivan, Schell, Dutschke, MacKenzie, Wilson, L.Westhoff; Port -
J.Clayton, Lokan 2, Davis,
Slattery, Bullen, Waterhouse, Ilett, Biacsi, Gates, Kingsley.