The Bulldogs were going for 10 winning games in a row for 2008, but lost to Central by 19 points.

The game was played in windy conditions with a four-goal breeze blowing towards the bowling green end, and Port won the toss and kicked that way in the first term.

Port full forward Josh Sykes was quick to register the first goal of the match, and it was not long after that Shannon Wilson, who was to be one of the Bloods’ best players for the match, kicked Central’s first major.

Central maintained control of the ball and kicked a couple of points, then Lauchlan Archibald kicked the second and they had a seven-point lead, but Brodie Mudge was quick to reply for the green and whites.

Port was wasting opportunities while having the wind at its back with some easy goals missed, until Jordan Coombe who was high in Port’s best players all day put the Bulldogs’ fourth goal on the board.

Daniel Baker started in the ruck was playing well and was swapping with Mark Fuller who stared on the bench, these two players sharing the ruck came out on top of Port solo ruckman Michael Burford on the day.

Port back man Ben Luitera playing at half forward early soccered a goal late in the quarter and at quarter time the bulldogs had a 21-point lead.

Central now kicking with the wind started the term well, Bret McKerlie kicked truly from the goal square, soon after Wilson kicked his second and Port now only had an eight-point lead.

Central continued to play possession football and Ashley Grantham made it three successive goals for the Bloods; both sides kept missing easy goals with the wind not helping the cause.

Daniel Baker managed a late goal for Central and they were able to obtain a four-point lead at the long break.

Late in the quarter the Bulldogs’ Tom Clarke received a heavy knock to his back and left the ground at half time and never returned for the remainder of the game.

The start of the third term was to prove when Central won the game; neither team scored for 10 minutes until Grantham kicked his second for the bloods, and when Mark Fuller kicked another Central had extended their lead to 15 while kicking against the wind.

The Bulldogs’ first goal for the quarter came from Simon Treloar who was having a quiet day for his standard.

The Bloods, although danger forward Anthony Ruffles was being well held by Port’s Chris Stephens, were able to find alternative goal kickers.

When Kristopher Crabb kicked truly after the siren Central had a 14-point lead, outscoring the wind assisted Bulldogs by 10 points during the term.

At the start of the final quarter Port came out fired up, Coombe kicked his second goal and the first of the term, and when Andrew Waters goaled at the ten minute mark of the quarter the bulldogs had narrowed Central’s lead to just two points.

But from that point the Bloods once again started to take control with their leading forward for the game Ashley Grantham kicking two goals in succession, another major from Crabb and when Grantham kicked his fifth the Bloods were out to a 26-point lead.

Andrew Waters kicked a late goal for Port but in the end Centrals played the better football on the day and earned their 19-point win.

Both sides had players missing from their line ups, Central was without Ben Yeomans, Nick Callary, Aaron Struck and Tim O'Connor while the Bulldogs were without Andrew Fleming, Jamie McNamara, Norm Wombat, Chad Parrish and Adam Wilson.