Australian Football

Match Report

In the Second Semi-Final, the 2008 minor premiers in Glenelg prepared to face nine year long finals powerhouse and reigning premiers Central District. The Tigers had a week off to freshen up for this encounter, a thing that usually the Bulldogs had a stranglehold on as of late. Glenelg's last match was an escape trick against the Redlegs at the Bay, while the Dogs' gritty win last week put the Tigers on notice that the Dogs aren't done ruling the SA football kingdom. The encounters between these two teams have seen the Tigers win two matches from three. The first coming in Round 3 where they held the Dogs off long enough for a three point win at Glenelg, number two was in Round 12 at Elizabeth to the tune of 21 points. The Dogs got big-time payback under the lights of the Dog-pound by 45 points and as for finals football, it was 1988 that they last squared off in the Finals with Glenelg taking Centrals out of the finals that year in the First Semi-Final.

The Tigers were expected to come out firing but although they did do so, the Bulldogs were just as pumped and led by eight points at quarter-time after booting home 4.3 to 3.1. The second quarter was goal for goal, both sides scoring three goals a piece. Glenelg's two extra behinds reduced the gap to a single kick at the half-time break. But after the long break, the Bulldogs were gearing up for a blitz. Trent Goodrem slotted through two goals from Adelaide Oval's deep pockets, all up they bagged 6.1 while restricting the Glenelg forwards to just 1.2 to put the gap out to 35 points at three quarter-time. The Tigers didn't resign themselves to a loss altogether although the Preliminary Final was already on the Tiger coaching board agenda by this time. The brave Tigers managed to kick 4.2 to 3.3 to put the final margin down to five goals, the Bulldogs marching into their ninth Grand Final on the trot. 

Ryan Williams was voted best afield for Centrals, while ruckman Trevor Cranston never stopped trying and was awarded best on ground votes for Glenelg.