South Adelaide showed plenty of fight early, but a ruthless Central District outfit proved too strong, running out 54-point winners at X Convenience Oval.

The Panthers made a great start to the match, with Liam Fitt capitalising on a forward entry from Jacob Collins to slot a simple goal within the first 45 seconds.

Luke Bogle’s fierce tackling set the tone early. After receiving a free kick, his long kick inside 50 led to another textbook goal from Fitt, who again found space out the back and converted cleanly.

Oliver Davis continued his strong form through the midfield, applying pressure and racking up early possessions.

Corey Grocock, second in the Ken Farmer Medal race heading into the round, had a chance to add to his tally after a turnover created by upfield pressure, but was off target with his set shot.

Central began to wrest back control through the midfield, kicking consecutive goals to reduce the margin to a single point.

Debutant Cody Lowe had a moment to remember after being awarded a free kick just inside 50 following a clever clearance from Jaiden Magor.

The tall forward launched from outside the arc, sailing it over the fence to register his first League goal and gave South a seven-point lead at quarter-time.

The second quarter saw a momentum shift, as Central District came out with strong intent. The Dogs kicked the first two goals of the term to claim the lead for the first time.

With key defenders Jack Summerton and Oscar Clavarino sidelined through injury, South’s backline looked unsized, but co-skipper Sam Skinner led his inexperienced defence admirably.

South responded when Davis’ forward pressure forced a turnover, allowing Brad Jefferies to break free and finish superbly on the run.

In the ruck, Olivier Northam held his own in a physical battle, providing crucial contests and around-the-ground impact.

However, Central's ball movement began to carve South open, resulting in two late goals to extend the margin to 14 points at the main break.

The third quarter opened with South applying serious heat around the ball, nearly converting within the first minute.

A slick inside 50 from Elliott Dunkin led to Jefferies snapping truly, only for the effort to be touched.

Despite the missed opportunity, the visitors continued to show tenacity around the contest, with Tom Wheaton and Davis leading the way with frontal pressure.

Central, however, landed the first real blow of the half, pushing their lead further.

Debutant Will Splaan impressed against his former club, standing tall in defence and disrupting the Bulldogs’ forward entries.

Dunkin’s drive off half-back sparked attacking chances, and South finally broke through after Magor marked and played on to drill a long-range goal, giving the visitors a much-needed lift.

However, just as South looked to build momentum, Central hit back late to take a 21-point buffer into the final change.

Needing a fast start to the final term, South instead found themselves under pressure.

Central came hard with repeated inside 50s, eventually winning a free kick in the goal square and converting to push the margin out to 28 points.

Northam continued to fight hard in the ruck, but the influence of South’s key playmakers began to wane.

Magor again tried to inspire a comeback, almost pulling down a mark before snapping a clever checkside that struck the post. It would prove South’s final score of the afternoon.

Central District piled on the last four goals of the game, sealing a commanding victory in front of their home fans.

Despite missing several key players through injury, South Adelaide can take positives from the performances of its debutants and the resilience shown against an in-form Bulldogs side.

South Adelaide will now look to regroup ahead of a crucial clash against winless Norwood at Magain Stadium on Sunday, 11 May at 2:10pm. 

On Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day, if you bring your Mum to the footy she will get in for free! 

South Adelaide returned to the winners’ list in emphatic fashion on Saturday, dismantling last-placed Central District by 50 points in a dominant four-quarter display at X Convenience Oval.

The home side came out firing in the opening minutes, applying strong tackling pressure and nailing the first goal in a frantic start.

South Adelaide struggled to clear its defensive 50 early on, with the Dogs forcing turnovers and adding a couple of behinds.

After featuring heavily at League level this season, Blake Rodrigues showcased his quality on the outside, collecting a handball receive and driving the ball inside 50.

Moments later, Sam Hindes used his strength in the ruck to push his direct opponent aside and snap South’s first goal of the day.

Emmanuel Ajang made a welcome return to the side, using his run and carry off half-back to set up a scoring opportunity for Tye Gander, who missed his set shot from a tight angle.

South began to shift momentum in its favour. Callum McCarty was instrumental around the contest, feeding runners like Charlie Duncan and Ethan Johnson.

After a series of quick handballs, Ryan Borlace spotted Hindes alone in the goal square, who kicked truly for his second and gave the Panthers the lead.

Ben Ashley-Cooper showcased trademark courage going back with the flight, before gathering the loose ball and snapping wide.

South capitalised soon after when Damon Freitag marked strongly and calmly slotted his first, pushing the lead to 12 points at the first break.

Central struck early in the second term with a goal inside the first minute.

South should have responded moments later after Freitag took another strong contested grab near the goal line, but his snap went wide for a behind.

Duncan then intercepted a loose handball on the wing, found Borlace on the lead, and the midfielder burst forward to finish on the run.

Goals to Bailey Pilmore and Johnson stretched the margin to 26 points, as South’s midfield—led by Tom Gillett, Lachlan Gill, and Tye McManus—began to dominate around stoppages.

Freitag added his second following another fluent passage of play, delivering a blow to the home side’s hopes.

Although Central nabbed a late major, the Panthers went into the main break with a 26-point advantage.

After half-time, South continued to press, with Tommy Barrett and Ashley-Cooper linking up through the middle to set up a sharp finish from Gander.

Central responded with a goal, but South’s defence remained disciplined. Jacob Sheean and Dayne McGary stood tall on the last line, while Hugo Hoeck and Riley Jones provided dangerous rebound.

South weathered the Dogs’ brief challenge, with McCarty snapping truly from distance out of the stoppage to halt a run of four straight scoring shots.

Borlace and Gander each added their second goals, stretching the lead to a game-high 41 points at the final change.

Central kicked the first of the last quarter to spark faint hopes of a comeback, but their inability to break down South’s well-structured defence proved costly.

Turnovers at critical moments handed the initiative back to the Panthers, and Jay Chapman made no mistake from 35 metres out to effectively seal the result.

Freitag’s third goal was the final nail in the coffin, capping off a comprehensive performance as South Adelaide powered to a 50-point win.

After an emphatic victory, South Adelaide will look to carry its strong form into its clash with Norwood at Magain Stadium on Sunday, 11 May at 11:30am.