SANFL QUALIFYING FINAL - BULLDOGS BACK TO BEST FOR FINALS
By Robert Laidlaw
17/9/2006
Central District Bulldogs overcame their inconsistent form in 2006 to play their
best football of the season to defeat North Adelaide Roosters by 38 points in last
Sunday's qualifying final, and will meet the Eagles in this week's second semi-final.
On its form against the Roosters, Central is a genuine premiership contender,
and now has two opportunities to qualify for its seventh consecutive grand final
- beat the Eagles this Sunday or defeat the winner of the first semi-final, between
South and North, the following week.
The club's trademark tough as nails finals attitude came to the fore on Sunday,
which would have sent shock waves through the Woodville West Torrens faithful, as
Central has a 7-0 finals record against the Eagles, including four grand finals.
Pressure was the key to the Bulldogs' victory, as the relentless tackles and burrowing
in forced many North errors, including a number of out on the full kicks.
With full forward Daniel Schell on fire with the game's first two goals, Central
had the perfect start.
After the Roosters squeezed two answering majors over the middle 10 minutes of
the first quarter, the Dogs moved up a cog into time on with goals from Leigh Westhoff
and Stuart Cochrane to lead by 11 points at the first break.
The second term saw Central waste numerous opportunities, and going into time
on, the Dogs had six behinds on the board to North's 1.3.
But four of the next five majors, including Andrew Hayes' long bomb outside 50m
for the goal of the game, saw Central take a comfortable
26 point advantage at the long break.
Schell kicked Central's three majors in the first 20 minutes of the third quarter,
to North's two, while a run of four goals to one in the time on period saw the margin
blow out to 58 points at the final change.
North's first two goals of the last term were answered by Luke McCabe, but then
the Roosters added four majors in junk time to add some respectability, while Yves
Sibenaler ran down to snap a nice goal for the Dogs.
There were no passengers for Central, as all players stood tall.
Matthew Slade and James Gowans instigated the tough approach the side took at the
stoppages, while they had plenty of friends join the party.
Chad O'Sullivan, Luke McCabe, Chris Gowans, Adam Switala and Paul Thomas rotated
through the middle with Slade and James Gowans to form a formidable engine room,
while Paul Scoullar and Jason Mackenzie worked hard in ruck.
Leigh Westhoff had some exciting moments up forward in support of Schell, who
was at the top of his game, while Luke Cowan came back into the match after a quiet
first half to give another forward option.
Backmen Quinton Graham, Richard Cochrane, Brad Currie, Chris Musolino, Yves Sibenaler
and Adrian Wilson worked well together to form a solid defence.
Stuart Cochrane, Elijah Ware and Andrew Hayes were all used in a variety of roles
and added an extra dimension with their versatility.
This Sunday at Adelaide Oval Central will be hoping to extend its finals record
against the Eagles to 8-0, and also increase its second semi-final consecutive winning
streak to seven overall - 2000-2005.
Central District 18.16 (124) d North Adelaide 13.8 (86)
Best: M. Slade, J. Gowans, A. Wilson, C. O'Sullivan, D. Schell, B.
Currie, A. Switala, L. McCabe, P. Thomas.
Goals: D. Schell 5, L. Westhoff 2, L. McCabe 2, S. Cochrane, J.
Gowans, C. O'Sullivan, A. Hayes, A. Wilson, E. Ware, C. Gowans, L.
Cowan, Y. Sibenaler.
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