HAVING conceded five consecutive goals in 13 minutes to go from a match-high 23-point lead to an eight-point deficit, Central District looked in trouble. The Bulldogs had once again given another side a run for its money, but seemingly a lapse across a quarter – or less than that in this case – would cost the visitors yet again. This time, in Round 3, it was West Adelaide who had all the momentum. When Crows-listed Abbie Ballard sold candy to a Dogs defender to get onto her potent left foot, the Bloods were out to an eight-point lead and seemingly on he verge of running away with the contest. Then along came 15-year-old Georgia McKee.

Three goals in the space of eight minutes single-handedly dashed the hopes of all West Adelaide fans at the ground, to do something that Central had struggled to do so far this season – respond when another team had gained the momentum. The Bulldogs ended up winning by 10 points, 8.4 (52) to 6.6 (42) and captain Shelby Smith put it aptly to describe the incredibly talented McKee.

“She is a freak. There’s no other word to describe her,” Smith said. “She kicks goals that not many other people could, so she’s one to watch out for. “I’d put money on it for her to be playing AFL and I can’t wait. “It’s an honour to play with someone like her.”

Though the match looked like taking a similar storyline to the previous two games in one form or another – so close, yet so far – Smith said the team believed that it could overcome any side when the Bulldogs were up and about.

“We were coming off two losses so it was good to get the win,” she said. “We went in really hungry today I think we really wanted that win. “We’ve been trying really hard, been trying to fix up areas we’ve been working on, so it was nice to get the win.

“I think today we had the belief we could win any game if we string together four quarters. “They came back at us, but I think with some composure we got through the game and got the win.”

Smith said that the club had to continue to work on the new structures implemented by coach Ben Hunt, and continue building the belief amongst the group. When asked if the victory was one of the better ones in her career – away from home and against last year’s grand finalist’s – Smith said “a win’s a win”.

“They all feel as good as each other,” she said. “It was nice coming off the two losses and maybe in the trial games we might have lost a bit of respect. “So each week our goal is to gain a bit of respect back and I think we definitely did that today.”

The hardened Smith loves the contested aspect of football and puts herself in the line of fire each and every week. Despite only playing a few seasons, she has already won back-to-back best and fairests at the Bulldogs and has developed rapidly. The daughter of ex-Bulldogs skipper Greg who played 100 games himself at Elizabeth Oval, said the club “felt like home” and she would not play anywhere else.

“It would have been nice to play at a younger age, but the opportunity is amazing, and I’m so grateful that I get to play at a club my dad played at,” Smith said. “It feels like home to me so I cherish it, and it’s an honour.

“It’s (the captaincy) amazing. “I love Centrals and I wouldn’t play at any other club, so to be able to be given that opportunity and knowing that my dad did, it’s pretty cool.”

Port Adelaide is set to enter the AFL Women’s competition next season, and Smith is one of the most consistent onballers in the SANFL Women’s. Though there will be no shortage of talent for the newest South Australian team to pick from, Smith said she would love the opportunity to step up to the elite level. Though in saying that, she concedes her age – Smith turns 31 in August – may work against her.

“Absolutely I would give anything a crack,” Smith said. “I know my age is against me, but I would try as hard as anyone else. “If the opportunity arose absolutely, but if it doesn’t I’ll play at Centrals until I can’t no more.”