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 (i.e. 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 their first SANFL Grand Final 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, being in the 1977 season). 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 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 beaten in the 1995 Grand Final by the Port Adelaide Magpies (13.16 (94) to 6.10 (46)) in front of 45,786 fans, and Alan Stewart left the club immediately afterward, ironically taking up a recruitment position with the Port Adelaide Power in time for their entry into the AFL in 1997.
Former Sydney Swans star player 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 again lost to the Magpies 11.14 (80) to 6.8 (44) in front of 46,120 at Football Park. As of 2011 this is the record crowd for an SANFL match involving Central District and stands as the best attended SANFL Grand Final since 50,589 saw Port defeat Glenelg in 1990.
Read more about this topic: Central District Football Club
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