The Roosters won simple because they played the atrocious conditions better than Roopena.

Umpires Deakin and Trussell were in charge, with Roopena wearing black armbands in respect of the sad passing of club stalwalk Dave Laube.

Conditions were shocking for football a seven goal cyclonic gale favoured the Westland end.

Roopena won the toss and kicked with the wind and were straight into attack.

Elliot kicked the Roos first after clever play from Dale Williams, and the Roos were all over Central early.

Further goals to Zucker and Burgess kept the momentum going.

Roopena were playing no nonsense football with the wind, Greg Fiebig was in everything and would go on to play a best on the ground performance in a wonderful display, whether in defence or propelling his side into attack.

Centrals’ defence, lead by George Kite, Phil Hillman and company, held up many Roopena sorties - it was not pretty football but in conditions like this there was no other way coach Byles had no option but to go the flood, and flood he did.

At one stage it looked liked every man woman and child involved in the Central Football Club was in its defence.

The Roos persisted, and Burgess goaled at the 15 minute mark then Zucker goaled at the 19 minute mark to stretch the lead to six goals.

Roopena had used the wind but some inaccurate kicking for goal during the latter part of the first quarter would cost them dearly in the context of what was about to unfold later in this game.

First quarter scores Roopena 6.6 Central 0.0

The Reds had a goal on the board via Hillman before the clock had ticked over, and Roopena attacked against the gail force wind, but resolute defence by the Roosters kept them out then at six-minute Mark Turner goaled.

Central went on the attack.

Fabian Williams found Turner to bring up his second and when Peter Carter goaled at the 15 minute mark there was an air of confidence about the Central team.

Its senior players of Kite, Burton, Carter, Turner, Huish, Babiak and Williams were finding confidence in each other and were linking up superbly.

They were being well supported by youngsters Micheal Schwenke, Aaron Byles and Donald Nicolson.

Collison goaled after a great one-on-one mark, then Burton goaled and it was the icing on the cake when Huish put Central in front on the siren.

Half time scores Roopena 6.7 Central 7.2

The third quarter started with Central knowing it had to restrict Roopena to a manageable total and what unfolded was Central of old.

Against the wind they lifted as one of their experienced players closed the game up.

Central out-played the Roos in the close quarter contest - Williams, Kite, Burton, all superb in achieving this .

They were assisted by some dumb football by the Roos forwards at times.

Roopena only managed 2.3 for the quarter, its two gaols coming from Fiebig and Zucker.

When Cameron Stewart, who had a very consistent game, broke through to score against the wind an upset was well and truly on the cards.

The third quarter had been a torrid affair, the game at times resembled a rugby union game rather than Aussie rules.

The tackling by both sides was fierce and relentless but by three quarter time the Roosters had played their best football for the year thus far and had restricted the Roos lead to just eight points.

The last quarter was a case of Central with a seven-goal wind at its back should run out easy winners but Roos coach Kelly went on the attack in an effort to score goals into the howling wind.

Great defensive work by Kane Grund, Fiebig, Seeley and company denied the Roosters early but at the five-minute mark Carter goaled to reduce the lead to two points.

To Roopena’s credit, it pushed forward in numbers but broke down at critical times and failed to hurt the scoreboard.

For the first time all day the game opened up and when Stewart goaled at the 10-minute mark the Reds had grabbed the lead.

The Roos, not to be denied, kept having a go Burgess,Manfield and Elliot all having forward opportunities to score goals, but a combination of the elements and resolute Central defence denying them.

When Geddes ,who had been a fine contributor all day goaled, the Reds had a

10-point lead and when Babiak goaled after a contentious freekick at the 16 minute mark the game was out of reach for the Roos.

Central would score one more goal for the game from the boot of Carter who in typical Carter fashion bobbed up all day to hurt the Roos when it really counted.

Final scores Central 13.6 Roopena 8.11.