The Bloods should be too good at the Ponderosa as cellar dwellers do battle
By William Clemente

Central Districts are hosting West Adelaide this Saturday afternoon at X Convenience Oval in what is to be an intriguing ninth round of SANFL football. This well be a contest between the two most mediocre outfits of the season thus far. Playing finals footy is rapidly becoming an impossibility and both sides will be eager to register a victory.

This has been a nightmare season to forget for Central Districts as they are sitting in the wooden spoon position without a registered win all season. A draw, which was achieved in the opening round of the season, is the solitary point to their ladder credentials. It has not been a season to remember also for West Adelaide. They sit a position higher than Centrals in second to last spot. However, unlike Centrals, West Adelaide have recorded a victory (round six) against the reigning premiers (Glenelg) in comfortable fashion.

After West Adelaide’s opening victory in the fourth round against the Tigers, it seemed that their season was to begin after a slow start. However, the Bloods have suffered four consecutive losses since that empathic triumph. It is guaranteed that West Adelaide are desperate to break this horrible run of form and their clash up north this Saturday against the prime strugglers of the competition is a significant opportunity to break this slump. 

Eight straight losses now for Central Districts and the nightmare season continues to go on for the football club and their devoted faithful. A victory will most definitely put the club and the playing group at ease. Finals is impossible to reach for the Dogs, but they will want to play out the remainder of the home and away season with some form. Like the Bloods, Centrals will see this clash as their grandest opportunity thus far to register a victory and them playing at home will provide them with some comfort. 

After a couple of heavy defeats to the Redlegs and the Eagles, the Bloods showcased some form in their extremely narrow loss to the Roosters last weekend. An absolute nail biter as one point separated two competitive outfits. Though they led the first three quarters, the Bloods were beaten out in the final term only kicking a goal. West Adelaide played a game that was a vast improvement to previous fixtures, and they will look to bring those improvements to the X Convenience Oval.  Bloods players Hugh Haysman, Isaac Johnson and Thomas Morrish shared around the goals with two goals each. Midfielder, Jordan Boyle (27 disposals) was their primary ball winner in the middle. 

Central Districts were obliterated by the Double Blues at Peter Motley Oval last weekend. The Dogs only kicked five goals for the entirety of the game, and they were extremely inaccurate in front of goal, kicking six points. At quarter time, they were in the contest, but they game slipped away as the Dogs played a dismal three quarters and Sturt got away. James Boyd notched 29 disposals in the middle for Centrals and Travis Schiller collected 27 possessions and kicked one of their five goals.

The morale of Centrals appears to be lower than the Bloods and evening though they are hosting Saturdays Clash; West Adelaide are expected to break their losing streak and tumble the Dogs up North.

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