The Wrap Up: Centrals v North @ Playford Alive Oval

Centrals 2.2 5.5 6.8 11.13.79
North 2.3 3.3 4.5 4.5.29

Centrals send North back to earth with a thud with a dominant 50 point win. Does the win secure finals action for Centrals ticket to the finals? Does the loss dent North's premiership aspirations?

Best win of the season by Centrals today. They hit hard, never gave up the fight for the ball, kicked a couple of crumbing goals from nowhere, and shut North down just about completely after the 10 minute mark of the first quarter. This clearly frustrated North as they were quite undisciplined at times.

Callinan was brilliant with 4 goals. Hardy was great as the leading forward. Our defence was watertight, midfield was great. It was a great win.

With Port's loss last night, that puts Centrals 2 games and percentage clear in 5th spot. Beat Port next week and it will all but secure a finals berth for the Dogs.

Well done Doggies!

Where are all the North scribes tonight, plenty to say about last weeks 20 goal win, must be gun shy all of a sudden.

The top five is settled. Port haven't a snowballs chance of beating Centrals.

UncleHuey wrote:The top five is settled. Port haven't a snowballs chance of beating Centrals.

yes spot on about the 5, while Port will be the underdogs they do have a rough chance (imho)

bayman wrote:

UncleHuey wrote:The top five is settled. Port haven't a snowballs chance of beating Centrals.

yes spot on about the 5, while Port will be the underdogs they do have a rough chance (imho)

Pretty much.

Even a loss to Port next week still sees the 'Dogs a game and a crack of percentage (effectively two games) ahead of Port with a similar draw over the last four rounds, only real difference being Port paying at Noarlunga in R20 and Centrals heading to Norwood the week after.

Yes, and Centrals form recently has been very good, so they'll finish top 5.

Stray Dog, what do you think are the mai reasons for Central's form since their early losses?

The conditions certainly favoured us, most noticeable after half time with North barely giving a yelp after half time, though very early on it was looking like a tough day at the office.  Happy to be corrected but I'm pretty sure North didn't slot a major after about 10 (?) minutes of the third.

Even given the conditions and the home turf that must, as Brucetiki said, rate as the best win of the season.

Two wins from three against this good side.

A tough ask, as it'll mean winning at Norwood but still a smokey for a double chance at this stage (    )

redandblack wrote:Yes, and Centrals form recently has been very good, so they'll finish top 5.

Stray Dog, what do you think are the mai reasons for Central's form since their early losses?

On field stability, probably took a few weeks for new blokes to settle into a game plan and for others to step up a cog. Lately, less easy turnovers, better attacking pressure and confidence in blokes up-field IMO.

Having Dowdell in the side has eased a bit of pressure off Seb.

Even though the boys weren't winning early they weren't far from the mark, most of those losses being reasonably close apart from the earlier game against North at home.  The loss at Glenelg was heart-breaking and probably summed up the early season, particularly given that the self belief, so intrinsic over the last decade, wasn't that far from the surface and just needed a win (ala Alberton) to set things going.

Passing of time a factor as well, the side gets further away from a series of matters from mid last year going into the off-season.

The side's defence has certainly done consistently well this year even when the 'Dogs were losing.

the prowler wrote:Where are all the North scribes tonight, plenty to say about last weeks 20 goal win, must be gun shy all of a sudden.

North were deplorable yesterday Prowler. Expected them to follow up some good wins with a solid performance against a club we have struggled to get the better of, just to show that we are genuine contenders.

Just can't seem to learn from previous experiences. Well played Centrals.

North will be a lot better side at Footy Park when the suns out & the grounds dry, their main problem will be whether they can have Lewie & co come finals time

bayman wrote:North will be a lot better side at Footy Park when the suns out & the grounds dry, their main problem will be whether they can have Lewie & co come finals time

Agreed.

kingrooster wrote:

the prowler wrote:Where are all the North scribes tonight, plenty to say about last weeks 20 goal win, must be gun shy all of a sudden.

North were deplorable yesterday Prowler. Expected them to follow up some good wins with a solid performance against a club we have struggled to get the better of, just to show that we are genuine contenders.

Just can't seem to learn from previous experiences. Well played Centrals.

I know how you feel KR, we get to to do it often.

bayman wrote:North will be a lot better side at Footy Park when the suns out & the grounds dry, their main problem will be whether they can have Lewie & co come finals time

Fair point Bayman, but football is a winter sport and bad weather plays a big part in the make up of the season. We should be able to adapt to not only the conditions, but the opposition also. The other clubs in the top 5 managed to play to the conditions and kick much bigger scores than their opposition.

I know it isn't the end of the world as we are still a game in hand sitting in second place, but as I have said in the last post I made, we need to win the tough games to be taken seriously.