Round 3 West v Centrals @ City Mazda Stadium

Seeing as it's 24 hours since both matches have finished, and with the game being on Thursday night, thought it's best to get this thread up and running to maximise the amount of pre-game discussion for this game.

So now we move on to round 3, and kicking off the Easter round is West v Centrals under the City Mazda Stadium lights - interestingly neither side is yet to play a day minor round game yet.

Last time they met:



Last time they met at City Mazda Stadium, it was all West Adelaide as not only did they win by 66 points, but kept Centrals to a pathetic 4.6 for the night. In the return match at Elizabeth, Centrals had a workmanlike win, as shown in the highlights above.

Coming into this game, both sides are coming off disappointing losses. West dropped a game they should have won against a Glenelg side many expect to struggle, while Centrals were terrible in their 20 point home loss to Norwood. Both sides will be out wanting to rebound from a very disappointing round 2.

West Adelaide have, so far, been hot and cold this year. When they're hot, they pile it on like they did in the 2nd half down at Noarlunga. When they're not, well they can lose to anyone. Centrals ordinary trial form flowed on into their game last weekend, yet were only punished on the scoreboard in one quarter.

So who is going to win this game? The SANFL has been an absolute minefield to pick a winner so far this year, and Thursday night's match only adds to this as neither side has put forward a compelling case that they will win this game. Can West Adelaide turn it on for four quarters and repeat their massacre at the same ground this time last year, or will Centrals find that switch they've been looking for all pre-season and bounce back from last weeks loss.

If both sides play like they did on Saturday night - then this could truly be a case of it being a case of who will 'not lose' this game.

I'm going to tip Centrals in this game...just. While Centrals haven't set the world on fire so far in 2012, West Adelaide haven't done enough for me to tip against Centrals.

Centrals by 6 points.

Thanks, Bt, great summary and it's hard to disagree with you.

West have to win their games at home. The added pressure to do this after last week will see them drop this game by 30 points.

Because of Centrals great recent history The Bloods will start sentimental favourites for many.
Unfortunately for Westies, I think my mob getting up last week will spark an angry bark AND bite.
Bulldogs I reckon.

Centrals don't lose two in a row very often. Last weeks loss at home would have hurt them and that, long established, winning attitude will see them over the line. Centrals for me by 20-25 points

Dogs by 42pts over weak game planed Bloods.

WEST ADELAIDE TEAM


FF: BRAD FISHER, WEBB, FIELKE
HFF: SCHMIDT, FERGUSON, J EZARD
C: BEECH, N CARUSO, BIRSS
HBF: CAIRE, A HARTLETT, BEN FISHER
FB: GREEN, TIPPETT, SLATTERY
RUCK: WILLITS
RUCK ROVER: MACREADIE
ROVER: HILL
INTERCHANGE: CROUCH, STILL, BRICKNELL, LAIRD

INS: BEN FISHER, LAIRD

BULLDOGS LEAGUE SIDE:

FF: Jackson O'Brien - Matthew Westhoff - Jarrod Schiller
HF: Chris Gowans - Jacob Templeton - Paul Thomas (C)
CL: Luke Habel - Ryan Williams - Kyle Jenner
HB: Eddie Sansbury - Tom Collier - Trent Goodrem
FB: Luke Barmby - Yves Sibenaler - Paul Marschall

1R: Jack Hannath - David Haydon - James Boyd

INT: (from) Matthew Claughton - Scott Dutschke - Justin Hardy - Ben Nason - Matthew Prior

INTO 23: Luke Habel - Luke Barmby - Justin Hardy - Ben Nason

OUTS: Brad Symes (Crows) - Andrew Hayes (Shoulder)




BULLDOGS RESERVES SQUAD:

From: Ryan Bottin-Noonan, Caleb Edmead, Josh Waldhuter, Tim Boyd, Joshua Glenn, Jason Sutherland, Dylan Orval, Josh Vater, Thomas Ryan, Sam Colquhoun, Jake Martin, Ben Cummings, Steve Rusca, Ashley Fry, Sam Hanna, Matthew White, Matthew Prowse, Adam Cullen, Paul Dreimann, Josh Wittwer

I think Central will win this one. They weren't good last week but like others, I expect them to atone this round. Wouldn't be a total surprise if Westies got up.

This could turn out to be a really good game.

West have close to their best team on the park, Central obviously are well short of theirs.

If Brad Symes does miss, then West would fancyu their chances, especially if they can recapture whatever guided them to a huge win in the corresponding fixture last year.

Regardless of who's playing, we generally know what we will get from Central. That's not so with the Bloods, whose best is enough to win, but whose best is not seen often enough.

Ben Fisher makes a welcome reappearance for West, but they have one or two players short of their best form. Central will miss Hayes and may struggle upforward, but West hardly took a mark in their forward 50 last week.

The story of the night will be with West. A win and they're off to a good start, a loss and they'll be subject to justifiable criticism.

For Central, a win or a loss won't change perceptions that they'll be thereabouts as the season progresses, but a bad loss might have their fans checking the injury updates.

Interesting game, I think Central will respond and win but really with that side West have every reason to be confident.

Central by 24 points mainly as I think they won't lose two weeks in a row.