DOGS FIND SOME GRUNT
By Robert Laidlaw

Round 14, 5/7/2008

Central District Bulldogs managed to get back in the winners' circle with a 46 point victory over bottom team West Adelaide Bloods at Elizabeth, but more importantly some confidence returned as an extra bit of grunt was found.

Three important ingredients added, which were missing in recent weeks, was some added pace with youngsters Brayden O'Hara and Louis Hadden, a winning ruckman in Jonathon Griffin, and a good target up forward with Daniel Schell going to the goal-front.

With under 21 Barossa, Light & Gawler Football Association products O'Hara, Hadden, Daniel Havelberg and James Moss in the line-up, there was some youthful enthusiasm and exuberance, and some much needed pace.

Then with Griffin making his first appearance since the 2007 grand final for the Dogs, Central managed to win its share at the stoppages, with the likes of Matthew Slade, James Gowans, Ian Callinan and Chad O'Sullivan given many more opportunities to win the ball.

Finally Schell was a marvel up front, taking 12 marks, many contested, and booted five majors, although struggling from the south-eastern pocket, where he booted four of his six behinds.

Opening the contest with early goals to James Gowans and Schell, it looked like Central had its game face on, and a good performance was unwinding. But West showed some resolve and replied with a pair of majors to tie the score.

The Dogs then lifted its work-rate, with some fantastic two-on-one cleverness from Schell, gifting Elijah Ware a goal via an O'Sullivan handball. Then Luke Cowan kicked truly at the 14 minute mark and Central was back on track.

Disappointingly another lapse saw West pull another goal back late, and at the first break the home side only led by five points. James Gowans was on fire through this period, gaining six clearances from stoppages.

With a dominant attack at the footy, Central kicked the first four majors of the second quarter in the first 15 minutes, capped by Luke McCabe stealing the ball and running in for the goal of the game.

But again a lapse saw West take control and kick two majors, although Heath Lawry nailed the final six-pointer of the half, for a 23 point advantage. There was a lot to like about Central in certain passages, but too often it went to sleep, which could prove fatal against other teams.

Continuing on with a similar attack on the football, the Dogs dominated the third quarter, but kicked 4.4, with O'Sullivan's clever goal the highlight, with West only mustering one score, a major from a free kick.

The pace of youngsters Hadden on the wing, and O'Hara and Moss in running the ball out of half back, was a highlight of the period, while Schell was conspicuous with some great marks as his confidence was obviously on the rise.

Central kicked the first two goals of the final stanza through the first 15 minutes, but then West rebounded with three of the final four majors to add some respectability to the scoreboard. Still the Dogs won the period by a point to win all four quarters.

On-ballers Slade, Gowans, O'Sullivan and Callinan shared the workload over the four quarters, Schell was a tower of strength as a forward, Richard Cochrane was the best of a mean defence, and Louis Hadden was a spark on the wing after coming off the bench in the second quarter.

This Saturday Central has a tough assignment, hosting the reinvigorated Port Adelaide, which has won its past three games, including the Eagles last Saturday.

Victory would help shore up the Bulldogs top three aspirations and put a dent in the Magpies finals charge. A loss would reverse the fortunes, leaving Central vulnerable and giving Port a platform to make a charge towards September action.

Central District 4.0 9.2 13.6 16.11 (107 pts.)
West Adelaide 3.1 5.3 6.3 9.7 (61 pts.)
Best: Slade, J. Gowans, Schell, O'Sullivan, Callinan, Cochrane, Hadden.
Goals: Schell 5, Slade 2, Ware 2, O'Sullivan, J. Gowans, Cowan, McCabe, Lawry, Callinan, Hadden.

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