Print this pageLAST year Central District claimed its sixth premiership in eight years and West Adelaide finished with its third straight wooden spoon.
Fast forward almost 12 months and now the clubs are much closer than the ladder or odds would suggest. Both have been performing below par and struggle to string wins together.
Tomorrow's battle at Hamra Homes Oval will be a telling one for the Bulldogs and the Bloods as they start the second half of a tough season.
Central District co-captain Matthew Slade said he thought the Bulldogs started the season "reasonably well" but had now hit somewhat of a mid-season slump. "We've dropped off a little bit at the moment," he said.
"I certainly don't doubt that other clubs have worked out what they've been doing for the past few years hasn't been up to scratch and so they've improved.
"But it has definitely been a hard couple of weeks for us and we're aware we haven't played our best."
Last weekend's game against the Eagles was an 84-point loss to be forgotten. Slade said a lot had to be learned from those devastating games and that the squad had worked hard this week to rectify the wrongs. He said the Bulldogs were prepared for battle.
"Confidence is a funny thing in football, it can make you play erratically at times," he said.
"West's season has been interesting and they've challenged a few sides so far and got an upset.
"But we've got the potential in the group, we just need to get it together."
Jonathon Griffin, Braydon O'Hara and Louis Hadden come into the side, while Brad Symes goes to the Crows and Jonathon Giles will play reserves.
Injuries have hampered West but now some of its leaders are set to return.
Skipper Nathan Brown comes back from illness and will be joined by Steven Morris, Aaron Fielke, Murray Hamblin, Kurt Thompson and Greg Rowe.
Out are Hamish Hartlett and Tyson Slattery - playing for South Australia's under-18 team - Crows draftee Patrick Dangerfield, who will be interstate for school, and Shane Neaves.
Courtesy of The Advertiser
Story by Candice Keller