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A PERFORMANCE TO REMEMBER
The season of 1972 arrived and the expectation at Elizabeth was high. Tony Casserly, a talented player from Western Australia, had been appointed Captain Coach replacing Denis Jones. During the minor round Centrals won fourteen of their twenty-one matches to easily qualify for the Finals for the second year in a row. This time their opponent would be Norwood. They clashed at the Adelaide Oval in front 35,365 people and after a tight first-half a wayward Norwood had kicked 4.13 to the Dogs 5.3 to lead by 4 points. Centrals seized on Norwood’s wasted chances and slammed on 8.2 to 2.3 to lead by 31 points at the end of the third term. The move of Dean Farnham into the ruck and Phil Haughan onto the ball ignited the Dogs, and with Peter Vivian on fire on one wing and Richard Cochrane on the other they had taken the game by the throat.
They proceeded to kick the first 5 goals of the last quarter to blow the lead out to 61 points before Norwood responded with 6 goals in the last fifteen minutes. But the damage was done and another Preliminary Final beckoned. Suddenly, names like Haughan, Casserly, Vivian, Mulholland and Morey were household names. Centrals’ had arrived. It was truly a performance to remember...
The following week against Port in the Preliminary Final, Central’s looked like winners leading 13.11 to 9.14 at the last break, only for the more experienced Magpies to kick 6 goals to 2 to win 15.20 to 15.14. A heartbreaking loss for the doggies but they had won even more respect from the SANFL public.
1972 First Semi Final
Sonny Morey clears from the back pocket pursued by Greg Schlein.
19.7 (121)
12.19 (91)
Centrals
Norwood Best
Goals
3.2 5.3 13.5 1.4 4.13 6.16
P Vivian, S Morey, R Cochrane, P Haughan, A Casserly, R Mulholland, P Nicks, T Moore.
P Haughan - 5, D Mobbs - 3, P Vivian - 2, B Norsworthy - 2, R Mulholland - 2, J Spaans - 1, D Farnham - 1,
R Cochrane - 1, J Wyley - 1, G Reed - 1.
6 10 CLUBS FOR 27 YEARS