Central District Football Club

Infobox australian football club
clubname = Central District Football Club


fullname = Central District Football Club
nicknames = The Bulldogs
season = 2007
position = Premiers
topgoalkicker = Ian Callinan (footballer)
bestandfairest = Ian Callinan (footballer)
founded = 1959
colors = Red, White and Royal Blue
league = South Australian National Football League
chairman = Kris Grant
coach = Roy Laird
captain = Matthew Slade & Paul Thomas
ground = Hamra Homes Oval
ground2 =
ground3 =
capacity = 16,000
capacity2 =
capacity3 =
url = [http://www.cdfc.com.au www.cdfc.com.au] The Central District Bulldogs is an Australian rules football club based in the city of Elizabeth about 35km to the north of Adelaide, South Australia.

Origins and Background

Although footy had long been first established at Kapunda and Gawler who fielded clubs in the early years of what would eventually become the SANFL back in the 1890s, the areas to the north of Adelaide - including the towns of Elizabeth, Salisbury and Gawler, were noticeable by their absence from SANFL ranks during the late 1950s. To rectify this situation the Central District Football Club was formed in 1959, and served a five year apprenticeship in the SANFL reserves competition, before entering the senior ranks for the 1964 season.

According to crowd attendances for the 2007 season, Centrals now have the largest attending support in the [South Australian National Football League [SANFL] . Uniquely for an Australian Rules club, Centrals have a very strong British migrant identity and supporter base as Elizabeth was a centre of UK migrant settlements in South Australia. The colours and emblem of the club also reflect this rich British background. The colours were adopted from a UK soccer side depicted on a souvenir card however the exact identity of which club inspired the colours has not been revealed. To this day, Union Jack's are identifiable with Centrals. The colours were also influenced by Footscray in the VFL, the new club's inaugural patron, and the same Bulldog emblem was adopted for its working class connotations.

With this British background, Centrals fans also have a reputation for singing and chanting in the manner of UK soccer supporters. The chants 'Ceeeeeeeeeenntttrrrrraaaaaaaaaaalllllllllssssss' and 'You Dogs' is the most well known supporter chants/songs in the South Australian National Football League.

Little initial success

From its first season of league football in 1964, Centrals usually struggled for success and became known as something of a choking team (ie. it plays well except for when it really matters). Although often extremely competitive in the course of the normal season, Centrals lost every finals match they contested between 1973 and 1993, and were the last SANFL team to win an inaugural Grand Final/premiership in 2000.

Centrals first season in the league ranks in 1964 ended without a single league victory, and Centrals finished last in the table (Centrals have won only one wooden spoon since 1977). The first victory came against Woodville early in the 1965 season.

Alan Stewart is the person most widely thought responsible for the upsurge in Centrals fortunes. Stewart only played two league matches for the Bulldogs and spent the rest of his career in the reserves, however it was as a coach in both the youth sections and eventually the league team that he is most revered for at the club. Taking over from Neil 'The King' Kerley in 1991, Stewart transformed the ethos of the club in only a matter of years. In 1994, Centrals made the SANFL Cup Grand Final (now no longer a separate competition), their first ever Grand Final appearance, narrowly losing to Woodville-West Torrens. Later in the same year Centrals defeated Norwood in the First Semi Final, the clubs first win in any final since beating the same team in 1972. With this hoodoo finally broken, Centrals made their first League Grand Final the year after, an event of such significance in the SANFL that the 1995 Grand Final sold out (the first time this had happened since the Adelaide Crows had entered the AFL in 1991.) Unfortunately, Centrals were soundly beaten in the 1995 title decider, and Alan Stewart left the club immediately afterwards.

Former Sydney Swan star Stevie Wright became league coach in 1996 and this season saw Centrals make another Grand Final, once again facing Port Adelaide. Despite having a 4-0 win/loss record over the Magpies for the season, Centrals lost emphatically once more to Port before another sell-out SANFL Grand Final crowd.

Recent successes

In recent years, Centrals have built a dynasty rivalled in SANFL history only by the great Port teams of the 1950s and 1990s and Sturt Football Club of the 1960s. Centrals are clearly the dominant side in modern SANFL football winning 6 of the last 8 premierships, appearing in every Grand Final from 2000 onwards, and have become the wealthiest SANFL club by some considerable margin. It is surprising to note that Centrals now have won two more premierships than the famous Glenelg Football Club (who have been in the SANFL for approx. 40 years longer than Centrals). This would have been an unthinkable scenario even as recently as the late 1980s. Long established SANFL records have also tumbled since the advent of the Dogs dynasty, Centrals became the first team to win the League, Reserves and Under 19's titles in the same season in 2003, the final margin of 125 points in the 2004 Grand Final against Woodville-West Torrens is the biggest winning margin of any SANFL final match ever played, and on June 30th 2007, Centrals inflicted a 158 point defeat on the Norwood Football Club, the Redlegs biggest loss in their long and proud history.

2006 saw the introduction of night SANFL matches under lights at Elizabeth Oval. In the first league match under lights a crowd of just over 7,000 attended the match against Sturt FC. Central District appear to be growing from strength to strength and will clearly continue to dominate the SANFL for many years. To highlight this, on September 24th 2006, Central District made their seventh consecutive SANFL Grand Final by defeating the Eagles in the Second Semi Final. This simultaneously equalled the record for the most consecutive Grand Final appearances, and also set a new SANFL benchmark for a seventh second-semi final win in succession. This was despite a relatively poor season by the Bulldogs in light of their recent high standards. However, this was not to be as the Bulldogs hold over the Eagles was brought to an end when the Bulldogs suffered a 76 point loss to the Eagles in the 2006 Grand Final.

Centrals bounced back in the 2007 season winning the minor premiership then their sixth flag, with a return to their high standards of the previous 6-7 seasons. On October 7th 2007, Central District defeated North Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL Grand Final to win their 6th flag from their 8th consecutive Grand Final appearance. Centrals is the only club in SANFL history to have contested 8 consecutive Grand Finals. Also worth noting is the fact that Centrals has won 8 consecutive 2nd Semi Finals on their way to the 8 Grand Final appearances. Once again, a feat no other club has ever achieved.

In 2008, Centrals extended their record run of Grand Final Appearances to 9, winning their 9th consecutive Second Semi Final against the Glenelg Football Club. They also have now equaled the SANFL Record with 7 Premierships in a decade by defeating Glenelg in the SANFL Grand Final.

2008 League Players

Premierships

2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008

Runners Up

1995, 1996, 2002, 2006

Minor Premierships (top of the table before Finals Series)

1979, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007

Magarey Medalists

Five players from Centrals have won the Magarey Medal for best and fairest player in the League throughout a season.
*Gary Window (1965)
*John Duckworth (1979)
*John Platten (1984)
*Gilbert McAdam (1989)
*Paul Thomas (2004)

Jack Oatey Medalists

Six players from Centrals have won the Jack Oatey Medal for best on ground during the League Grand Final
*James Gowans (2000)
*Rick Macgowan (2001)
*Chris Gowans (2003)
*Nathan Steinberner (2004)
*Luck McCabe (2005)
*Chris Gowans (2007)
*Jason McKenzie (2008)

Ken Farmer Medalists

Two players from Centrals have won the Ken Farmer Medal for leading goal kicker and the end of the minor rounds
*Rudi Mandemaker (1989) [87 Goals]
*Daniel Schell (2004) [63 Goals]
*Daniel Schell (2005) [76 Goals]

Coaches

Ken Eustice (1964-1967), Dennis Jones (1968-1971), A Casserly (1972-1975), Gary Window (1976-1977), D Hicks (1978-1983), Kevin Neale (1984-1987), D N Kerley (1988-1990), A Stewart (1991-1995), S Wright (1996-1997), Peter Jonas (1998-2000), Alastair Clarkson (2001-2002), R.Laird (2003-)

eason 2008 Results

Round 1 - Centrals 14.4 (88) d. Port 10.8 (68)
Round 2 - Sturt 17.15 (117) d. Centrals 11.7 (73)
Round 3 - Centrals 17.13 (115) d. Norwood 6.8 (44)
Round 4 - Bye
Round 5 - Centrals 12.12 (84) d. North 9.11 (65)
Round 6 - Glenelg 13.15 (93) d. Centrals 13.12 (90)
Round 7 - Centrals 12.12 (84) d. Eagles 10.7 (67)
Round 8 - Centrals 12.8 (80) d. West 7.5 (47)
Round 9 - Centrals 22.11 (143) d. Port 11.7 (73)
Round 10 - Centrals 18.11 (119) d. South 13.10 (88)
Round 11 - Bye
Round 12 - Glenelg 15.13 (103) d. Centrals 12.10 (82)
Round 13 - Eagles 18.14 (122) d. Centrals 5.8 (38)
Round 14 - Centrals 16.11 (107) d. West 9.7 (61)
Round 15 - Centrals 8.11 (59) d. Port 7.10 (52)
Round 16 - Centrals 13.8 (86) d. Norwood 12.12 (84)
Round 17 - Sturt 14.10 (94) d. Centrals 12.9 (81)
Round 18 - Centrals 15.9 (99) d. Glenelg 8.6 (54)
Round 19 - North 14.11 (95) d. Centrals 6.9 (45)
Round 20 - Bye
Round 21 - Centrals 14.13 (97) d. South 9.9 (63)
Round 22 - Centrals 17.10 (112) d. West 9.8 (62)
Round 23 - Centrals 14.5 (89) d. Sturt 11.7 (73)
Qualifying Final - Centrals 9.13 (67) d. Sturt 9.10 (64)
Second Semi Final - Centrals 16.9 (105) d. Glenelg 11.9 (75)
Grand Final - Centrals 17.11 (113) d. Glenelg 10.11 (71)

Post-War Placings

1964 10, 1965 7, 1966 9, 1967 9, 1968 8, 1969 8, 1970 7, 1971 3, 1972 3, 1973 6, 1974 6, 1975 7, 1976 6, 1977 10, 1978 8, 1979 3, 1980 6, 1981 7, 1982 5, 1983 8, 1984 4, 1985 6, 1986 6, 1987 8, 1988 4, 1989 4, 1990 7, 1991 8, 1992 8, 1993 5, 1994 3, 1995 2, 1996 2, 1997 3, 1998 5, 1999 7, 2000 1, 2001 1, 2002 2, 2003 1, 2004 1, 2005 1, 2006 2, 2007 1, 2008 1

Feeder Leagues

Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association,
Adelaide Plains Football League,North Eastern Football League,Northern Areas Football Association,South Australian Amateur Football League (northern metro clubs)

External links

* [http://cdfc.com.au Official Website of the Central District Bulldogs]
* [http://CDFC.info CDFC.info - Centrals fan forum]
* [http://cdfc.com.au/history.htm In-Depth Look at the history of the Bulldogs]
* [http://udogs.info UDOGS - Unofficial fan site]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net Full Points Footy History of Centrals]