Australian Football

Match Report

Well... that's it! Another season of State League football is over and done with, all the formalities except one all out of the way. All that's left to finish off the football year is the traditional chimney unveiling at SA Breweries, that will be happening tomorrow. Now begins a long wait until the next ball is bounced, but for one group of football fans its a countdown to their next title defense. This past weekend, it was the last two hours of football and the last professional league Grand Final in the country as the SANFL closed out the season with two teams squaring off for the ultimate prize in SA football, the Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy and with it the 2005 premiership flag.

Central District: The league pacesetter for the last six seasons with only one slip up in that time. They were aiming for their fifth premiership and a hat trick that was denied in 2002 by the Double Blues. A series of losses in the first half of the season saw them almost drop out of premiership favourtism.

Woodville-West Torrens: The last time they toasted a premiership was in 1993. If ever a year they had a real good chance at their second flag as a merged team, this was it. They had annihilated Centrals earlier in the year on Anzac Day, but lost the following two encounters by three goals.

First quarter

The first touch of the match went to Centrals, after a second bounce the ball found its way down to the Dogs' 50, unfortunately Daniel Schell missed the goal, the first score being a behind. It quickly made its way back after the kick out, Power recruit Stuart Cochrane booting it back into attack. The ball eventually ended up in a Eagle-less goal square, Chris Gowans booting the first goal at point blank range. The first free kick went to Marco Bello, who was slung off the ball by Paul Lindsay. It didn't amount to anything, the attempted attack quickly repelled by the Eagles. Fierce body-work by Yves Sibenaler foiled an Eagle charge by Brodie Lomas, the ball ending up in the eastern wing for a period of time. Poor kicking into the Dogs 50 allowed the Eagles to stay in touch for most of the quarter, but at the 12th minute, Danny Schell kicked his first goal for the day.

Quick thinking and smothering in the 17th minute finally paid some dividends for the Eagles, some fast hands and feet bagged them their first goal through Justin Cicolella. In the 20th minute, the lead was drawn back through a Gavin Colville boot deep into the Eagles' 50, the ruck contest going their way to see Lomas bring the margin back to three points with his goal. It didn't stay that way for long, the Doggies answering back a couple of minutes later through Luke McCabe who snagged one from the 50 metres line. At quarter time, Centrals were in front by eight points.

Second quarter

In the second term, the Eagles finally got going with some of the form that saw them dominate most of the year. Fergus Watts was the hot target up forward for them, near the three minute mark, Mark Passador set up the play and Watts bagged the goal that shrunk the Dogs' lead to two points. An infringement by Richard Cochrane on Tim Inkster resulted in the Eagles snatching the lead with his 50 metre punt only a minute later. The Bulldogs fans thought they scored a goal at the seventh minute mark, only to be ruled as a touched ball for a behind. In another two minutes, the Eagles put their lead out to nine points courtesy of Inkster.

The number of Eagles around the ball were too skillful for the Bulldogs here, the loose balls finding their way into the Eagles hands too easily at times, uncharacteristc of Centrals brand of football. Watts failed to capitalise on a free kick in the 11th minute, but Lomas didn't miss in the 14th and put the Eagles further in front to 16 points. However the Bulldogs sudden lull stopped there, another point blank shot by Chris Gowans then another by Bello brought them back to within five points. The Eagles managed a goal of their own in the 23rd minute, Cicolella gathering the crumbs to score. But again the Bulldogs reeled their opponents in, consecutive goals to captain Daniel Healy and deputy Heath Hopwood saw them take back the lead, going into half time with a two point lead.

Third quarter

After the long break, things were more tactical than in the other two quarters, not a lot of scoring here. James Gowans and Joe Pedler got into it quickly, Pedler over-acting during a legitimate tackle by Gowans, only getting the free kick after Gowans made the mistake of getting into some push and shove. Pedler struck again minutes later by tripping over Gowans and clutching his chest after another free kick was given, although the love tap that Gowans gave him was around the waist. The umpire fell for it and gave him a 50 metre penalty. No goals happened for over 10 minutes, only behinds resulting during that time for both sides, the drought finally breaking in the 12th minute when the Eagles sunk one from 50 metres by Passador.

In the latter half of the third term, the Eagles inaccuracy would cost them dearly, that goal by Passador being their only goal for the quarter. It was all behinds for them from there until three quarter time. An earlier injury scare to Nathan Steinberner was only that, he went back onto the field at the 15th minute after an incident in the second term. Two consecutive goals by Cowan handed the Dogs the lead of seven points, the first coming from 10 metres away and the second from a checkside punt from about 25 metres out. Shannon Hurn extended that lead to 13 points before the final change siren with his massive punt from outside 50 landing true, way out of the Eagle defenders reach.

Fourth quarter

The premiership dream was again slipping out of reach of the Eagles, the Dogs kicking the first goal of the last term within the first 30 seconds through Cowan's handball to a running Healy who booted it through just short of the square. To the Eagles' credit, they didn't give up very easily, unfortunately their forays into their 50 was met with stronger Bulldog resistance. A boundary line mark by Arnott, then a kick and mark to Schell and subesquent goal saw the Dogs break out to a 26 point lead. Minutes later, Chris Gowans drilled another one through at the 10th minute mark. The Eagles finally got a goal at the 17th minute, a free kick for Lindsay right in front after being held onto, reducing the margin to 28 points.

The Bulldog army was in full voice at this time, the ABC telecast picking up the dirge-like chant, they knew they were home and hosed. The Eagles could have brought the lead back some more, but a cheeky rushed behind by Brad Currie denied the chance. The ball quickly found itself in the hands of Danny Schell on the rebound and he booted goal number three. The Eagles got their last two goals off the boots of Mark McKenzie and the outgoing Watts, but that was all she wrote on their part. The Bulldogs had their last roll of the dice through the Ken Farmer Medallist, Schell kicking his fourth goal for the day and that was it.

The Bulldogs ran out winners by 28 points, taking out their fifth premiership in six seasons and going to three flags on the trot. Again the Eagles trudged back to Woodville with heavy hearts, but at least they didn't go out without a fight.

Sunday October 2
2005 SANFL GRAND FINAL
Central District 15.14 (104)
Woodville-West Torrens 11.10 (76)
Crowd: 28,637 at AAMI Stadium

The Jack Oatey Medal was awarded to Centrals' Luke McCabe, who notched up 19 disposals and a goal. It is not known whether or not he will continue next year, but negotiations are on the cards.

Injuries
Central -- Steinberner (shoulder)
W-WT -- Lindsay (cut over eye), Colville (stitches in chin), Passador (cut head)


CENTRAL DISTRICT -- SANFL Premiers 2005