The Lions recovered from the bombardment, but still lost by more than 60 points.

When the game was there to be won - and in this case the first quarter - Peter Jackson was in the ruck feeding Quigley, Wilson, Callary and Hull.

They then shot out of the middle, kicking long to Shane “Too Tall” Curnow at full-forward or Jared “Too Small” Reid, who combined to ensure every forward 50 entry was capitalised on.

Finally the Bloods were playing to their undoubted potential; finally they kicked straight and finally made the most of their natural advantage – height.

With Centrals kicking straight and direct at a forward leading up the ground, the Lions defenders so adept and cutting off chipped and lateral kicks, had no answer as they were under constant pressure.

In fact, they were left exposed because the runners out of the middle could not back in time to help.

The Bloods were irrepressible and shared the spoils on the scoresheet with three goals to Reid, two each to Crabbe and Hull and singles to Harvey, Curnow and Grantham.

Late in the piece Lions skipper Matt Promnitz restored some pride with two majors and Sawyer and Harmer also chipped in but the combine were 37 points down going into the second stanza.

The next quarter was more like what we have been used to this season; very tight with both sides breaking down across half forward.

With opening goals to Curnow and Reid, the procession did not look like stopping, but Promnitz kicked another goal for the Lions and from then on it was game-on.

In defence for the Bloods, Fullerton was outstanding particularly overhead, Ryan Morris surprisingly stationed at Centre-Half-back was impregnable and Strangways and McKnight spoilt and repelled time and time again.

On a wing, O’Connor, Marsland out of the middle while Lagoudis and Dan Pine in defence worked very hard to stem the Bloods flow.

At the main break Centrals were up by seven goals.

It was a football clinic in the third quarter as the Bloods added five goals to three from the Lions.

With 20 minutes to go, the Lions started well in trying to run down a nine-goal deficit, but Centrals proved they can play four quarters and ran-out deserved winners over a very good but still a “work-in-progress” outfit.

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