Australian Football

Match Report

There would be just three games this weekend, all on the Saturday afternoon. The first sends us to the X-Convenience Oval in Elizabeth for the SANFL distance derby and Mayor's Cup contest between the Bulldogs and the Panthers. The Doggies retained control of said trophy when they last clashed back in Round 3 at Noarlunga, leading at every change to win by 26 points. South opened the final term with a goal inside a minute to close the gap to one straight shot, but the Dogs kicked the last three to take the points. The Panthers' last three weeks have been pretty good, dropping one game only. Last week they got some revenge on the Crows with a seven-point win at home, while the Dogs got back on the winners list with a hard-fought win at Woodville. Centrals put one through the sticks inside 20 seconds, but after scoring 2.1, the Panthers then kicked 3.1 of their own to lead by a goal at quarter-time. However that patch of form was to be short lived, the Bulldogs owning the second quarter to keep the blue & whites scoreless and score 3.3 for themselves. At the long break, the Dogs were 15 points ahead. To make things worse for the Panthers, their injury toll was continuing to mount and their bench was exhausted already. Their backs fought valiantly, but it was just a matter of time before the Bulldogs fully took over. South managed just two behinds in the third quarter, the home side added a further 4.1 to their score and would go into the final term with a 32-point lead. The visitors found the sticks again in the last quarter, but Centrals' punishment continued and would almost double that three quarter-time deficit. The Dogs would bag 6.3 to 1.1 to end proceedings with a 63-point win, leapfrogging the Redlegs and Sturt on the ladder in the process. Harry Grant was the Bulldogs' best afield, with 26 disposals, 10 tackles along with five marks and clearances. Kobe Mutch was South's standout, with 28 disposals, 13 tackles and seven clearances.