SA Footy

Jai Bednall @ Messenger Press wrote:CENTRAL District defender Thomas Dunne has proven he can handle the big occasion, now he’s determined to show he can do it on a regular basis.

Debuting in the biggest minor round game of the SANFL season the Dogs’ ANZAC Day clash with Glenelg last weekend, the 19-year-old acquitted himself like a seasoned professional.

After initially playing up forward when he was brought on in the first quarter, Dunne was shifted to the back pocket in the second term where he played on Brett Backwell and helped reduce the Magarey Medallist to just 11 possessions.

``Sometimes I lost him a bit but I was able to keep up with him pretty well,’’ Dunne said.

Dunne also won the footy himself, gathering eight kicks and five handballs to secure the Coca Cola Star Seach Award nomination for Round Five.

A product of Gawler Central Football Club, Dunne said Central coach Roy Laird had given him some simple advice before the match.

``He just said he didn’t want me to do anything special and to just play the game.’’

With League spots at Central District hard to come by in recent years, Dunne said he was proud of breaking his way in to the side.

``You hear about people that have left the club because they can’t make it. So it means a lot to be given the opportunity.’’

He said he was keen to make the back pocket spot his own and be part of the Dogs’ push for an eighth premiership this decade.

``It’s good playing down back. I like being able to run and create.’’