BULLDOGS AT THEIR BEST
By Robert Laidlaw

Central District completely outplayed Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Sunday, winning by a record 70 points - the club's biggest margin at the ground.

The win was the Dogs 500th in league football, against 464 loses and six draws from 1964 to round nine, 2008.

After perhaps its most lacklustre performance for the season the previous week against West Adelaide, Central answered its critics in the best possible way, with an almost complete four-quarter performance for the first time this year.

Gaining an interference free kick before a ball had been bounced to start the game, Chad O'Sullivan made no mistake from 30m out to give the Bulldogs the perfect start, which seemed to spark the side.

A brilliant intercept and goal from James Gowans soon after signalled the boys had come to play, and after Port managed a goal against the flow of play, the next five majors came from Central - three from Daniel Havelberg.

Havelberg's third major was set up by the most courageous play of the day, when Leigh Westhoff backed into a marking contest to spoil, then smothered a kick, and after receiving a handball kicked direct to full forward - all in a matter of less than 20 seconds.

Late into time on the Magpies managed two belated goals to reduce the margin to 26 points at quarter time, but the visitors were on fire, with the likes of Scott Dutschke, Leigh Westhoff and Chad O'Sullivan were showing their opponents a clean set of heels.

The first 10 minutes of the second term saw the Dogs continue its dominance with three unanswered goals, with Havelberg's fourth leading into time on helping Central to a handy 51 point advantage at the main break.

With hardly a passenger, the Bulldogs looked a well-oiled machine, with a mean-as defence, runners through the middle and a focal point in Havelberg at the goalfront - supporters were salivating with the prospect of a 20 goal game.

Port started the second half with more determination and scored the first major after 30 seconds, with Central's answer not coming for eight minutes, when O'Sullivan read the ball off hands and booted a long goal of the game.

And the goals kept coming, with the Dogs booting seven for the quarter to two from the home side, and at the final break lead 18.9 to 5.5.
When James Gowans kicked an early major to start proceedings in the final stanza, it looked like a record day for margin and highest score, but Port suddenly awoke from its slumber to boot five consecutive majors, reducing the margin to 58 points, leaving the marks apparently safe.

Rookie Brayden O'Hara then kicked his first goal in league football to stop the rot, and Havelberg added a pair to give him nine, and have the Dogs just one kick away from the highest score, and the old 54 point margin (1973) well and truly broken.

Port managed the final goal on the siren to reduce the final margin to 70 points, and managed to hold Central from breaking its previous best at Alberton, 21.21 in 1985.

Chad O'Sullivan was an excitement machine all game, cutting through Port with his creativeness to be the Bulldogs best, which denied nine goal spearhead Daniel Havelberg of the honour.

Paul Thomas, although a little wayward with some of his disposals, had in excess of 30 possessions. Brayden O'Hara gave a class performance, and signalled his intention of making it tough for the selectors to drop him.

This week the SANFL plays the VFL, with six Bulldogs having a chance to represent the state - Paul Thomas, Daniel Schell, Andrew Hayes, Daniel Havelberg, James Gowans and Leigh Westhoff.

Central's next match is at Elizabeth against South Adelaide on June 7.

Central District 7.4 11.6 18.9 22.11 (143 pts.)
Port Adelaide 3.1 3.3 5.5 11.7 (73 pts.)
Best: C. O'Sullivan, D. Havelberg, P. Thomas, B. O'Hara, S. Dutschke, J. Gowans, A. Hayes, D. Schell.
Goals: D. Havelberg 9, C. O'Sullivan 3, S. Dutschke 3, J. Gowans 2, L. Westhoff, M. Slade, H. Lawry, E. Ware, B. O'Hara.

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