AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Round: 1 Venue: Adelaide Oval Date: Sat, 27-06-2020 11:50 am Crowd: 3,542 (Avg 1,771) | |||||
Central District | 0.1.1 | 3.2.20 | 4.5.29 | 5.6.36 | |
Sturt | 3.0.18 | 6.0.36 | 7.1.43 | 8.3.51 | |
STURT by 17 | STURT by 16 | STURT by 14 | STURT by 15 |
In the first match of the Saturday double header, it was a mid-day start as the Bulldogs faced the Double Blues. The Blues went into last year's finals series with higher expectations after going out of the 2018 finals in straight sets, but would be bounced out of the race at the first hurdle at the hands of the Redlegs by 14 points. Centrals on the other hand finished eighth, perhaps lucky not to finish ninth instead but that is obviously no consolation. The Blues took out both games against the Dogs last season, starting with a 39-point win at home in Round 8 and despite being more challenged in the return bout in Round 13 they still jagged a five-point win at the Ponderosa.
Sturt went straight to work to kick three straight goals to the Bulldogs' paltry one behind to begin proceedings, taking a 17-point lead into the first change. The Bulldogs had a bit of renewed vigour in the second term despite not making a real impression on Sturt's lead, they scored 3.1 to three goals. That missed opportunity chipped one point off the Blues' initial lead, a gap of 16 points going into the long break. The Doggies continued to chip away at the Blues when play resumed, but more missed chances on goals would still leave them adrift by less than three straight kicks at the final change. Centrals scored 1.3 to 1.1 to reduce the Blues' lead to 14 points come three quarter-time. The Dogs weren't able to bridge the gap in the end, but new coach Jeff Andrews looks as though he's got plenty to work with and be optimistic about. Sturt would run out winners by 15 points, finishing off with a 1.2 to 1.1 final term.
James Battersby was named best for the Blues, the Dogs named league debutant Nick Lange as their best.