Centrals showed their premiership credentials are no joke when they battered and bruised an off Pinjarra outfit at Sir Ross McLarty Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The reigning premiers welcomed star midfielder Rohan Kerr back for his first game of the year, but the Blues made a statement with a prolific first half leaving the result beyond doubt and paving their path to a 6.13 (43) to 15.14 (104) win.
In a game that saw Tiger Leroy Jetta and Blues Bruno Faulkner and Jacob Martinez all shown yellow cards, it was Centrals that turned their aggression into numbers on the scoreboard.
They were off to a good start when Lee Murray showed he was in for a big game in the opening stages, as he constantly propelled the visitors forward.
His efforts - teamed with those of Toby Gianatti - helped Centrals register the match’s first three goals with Matthew Thompson on fire in the forward arch.
Pinjarra strung together a collection of behinds and thought they had snapped their hoodoo with some Rory O’Brien magic on the cusp of quarter time, but the kick was deemed touch ball leaving the hosts goalless in the first quarter.
That trend continued when Ryan Henley bagged the second term’s opening major for the Blues, followed by goals to Callum Collard and Murray.
Tempers began to flare with Centrals sitting pretty with a 36-point lead, but a composed Dom Hardy broke through for the Tigers’ drought-breaking goal nearing half time.
However, Thompson had a pair of answers at the ready and extended the Blues’ lead to 44 points at the long break.
Pinjarra needed an instant response if they were to a stand a chance, but Thompson nailed the fourth of his five goals to open the second half and the Blues soon stormed to a massive 69-point buffer.
But just as things were at the bleakest, the reigning champs conjured a run to suggest the game wasn’t entirely over yet.
Spurred on by Hardy’s second and third goals the Tigers strung together four straight, with a Jetta major cutting the margin to seven goals at the final change.
Pinjarra needed a quick start if they were to pull off the unlikely, but it wasn’t to be as Paul Mugambwa’s goal put paid to any comeback hopes.
Martinez was issued his yellow card in the dying stages of the game when a scuffle with Tigers Brennan Gillam and Dean Beswick spilled over, but his side had well and truly wrapped up the win.
Centrals have now won three of their last four games, with victories over top three sides Rockingham and Pinjarra.
Their only loss in the stretch was a one-goal defeat on the road to the league-leading Baldivis.