Sunday SANFL preview - Bulldogs look to continue golden era

FOR those footy fans whose attention is only drawn to the SANFL once the Crows' season finishes, it's no surprise to see Central District in the thick of finals.

central v glenelg

FOR those footy fans whose attention is only drawn to the SANFL once the Crows' season finishes, it probably comes as no surprise to see Central District in the thick of the finals race as we enter September.

In all likelihood seeing the Bulldogs as low as fourth position on the table is the only shock, given their performances over the past 15 years.

But this has been no ordinary season for the perennially contending outfit from the north, who enter tomorrow's clash with Sturt needing a win - and a couple of other results to go their way - to secure a double chance.

The Bulldogs began the year with four consecutive defeats - their worst start to a season since 1967 - and the club's golden era looked over.

"There's no doubt we started the year poorly and along the way have lost a couple of games which could end up hurting us," Central coach Roy Laird said.

But any rival fan hoping for a finals series without Laird and his men has been disappointed.

A consistent run of form from round six onwards - and the steady improvement of players like Corey Reichert, Seb Guilhaus and Josh Waldhuter - has the Dogs looking as capable as anyone of meeting likely Grand Finallist Norwood.

Laird isn't banking on climbing to third by this evening - because that would mean relying on West Adelaide to go all-out against the Eagles with little on the line - but it might not matter anyway.

Of the five confirmed finalists - Norwood, West, the Eagles, North and Central - only the Redlegs have a better winning percentage against top five sides than the Dogs.

And if anyone's capable of making a run from the elimination final it's Central.

"History shows it's pretty hard (to reach the Grand Final from the elimination final) but we're up for any challenge," Laird said.

"We lack no confidence against any team we play."

Of course earning a berth in next week's qualifying final would make life a lot easier.

The first step in achieving that task is knocking off a plucky Double Blues outfit which has won five games since round 11.

Central will have to do it at a venue where it has surprisingly lost seven of its past eight games.

"Historically we've been a club that has struggled on small grounds," Laird said.

"And Sturt certainly has some individual talent. We'll make a couple of positional changes and hopefully get the job done."

Elsewhere, the Eagles' top three fate is in their own hands. Win against West at Richmond this afternoon and the other results won't matter.

North, which looked a real premiership contender midway through the season but has lost its past four games, needs to upset Norwood on the road to have any hope of climbing to third.