Atlanta Kookaburras

The coin toss was completed by Dr Florence Barnett the surgeon who had perform such an amazing job putting the Kookas former teammate Brent Pollard back together after his recent motorbike accident. Jim Martin for the Blues won the toss and elected to kick with the aid of a slight breeze to the Cumming end of the field.

The game was fast and furious from the first bounce and it was St Louis who drew first blood with Aderholt goaling from close in. Already Sarbacker in the middle with Sergot in the ruck were looking like they were going to cause the Kookas grief. Atlanta relied on Gambaro, Collins, Kraska and Crist in their center line up and although a lot taller than their northern opponents it was St Louis who seemed to be able to get the ball easier out of the center contests.

The Kookas fist sign of life came with a bang when Captain Brent “Piggy” Bacon hard up against the boundary line threaded a banana curving goal through the big sticks for the Kookas first goal. Soon after Mobley slipped down from the wing and snapped another and the Kookas were back in business. At the first beak it was Atlanta 2.2.14 leading St Louis 1.3.9 a good result for the home team against the breeze.

Much was the pattern for the day neither team was able to take a strangle hold on the game. Atlanta opened with goal to Kraska but soon after Sarbacker who was becoming St Louis’ best ballgetter slotted through an answering goal at the other end. Bacon replied later in the quarter and St Louis managed another as the ball transferred quickly from end to end in the perfect spring conditions. Challen at half forward was doing well as was the evergreen Barnes for Atlanta. The battle of the day was in the ruck were Sergot for St Louis and Gambaro for Atlanta continued an enthralling battle of youth v experience. At the main break while the Atlanta women’s team had a practice session the score was Atlanta leading 4.5.29 to St Louis 3.6.24

Into the third term and still no team could gain a break that would win them the game. Goals to Bacon and Biggs gave the Kookas a 17 point lead the largest for the day and just when it looked promising the wheel turned again. When Kraska was felled late and the ensuing scuffle found Bacon sidelined for a 10 minute breather St Louis rallied. The Blues rammed home four goals in the last few minutes of the term the last two by Lipman and Kocka real team lifters. So at the last change it was now St Louis holding a slender lead 7.9.51 to Atlanta 6.6.42. All was set for a great last quarter.

And the 100 strong crowd were not let down either, after Lipman made it five unanswered goals in a row for St Louis the Kookas put through three goals of their own to take the lead half way through the thrilling last term. Those goals were Sheffield, Kraska and then Bacon getting his fourth for the day, one in each quarter. But St Louis were not to be denied and perhaps it was the younger legs prevailing over the more experienced Atlanta line-up. Its was Kocka and Alderholt who did the scoring damage late and after a titanic struggle the Kookas found themselves out of timt going down by 9 points. Atlanta 9.7.61 defeated by St Louis 10.10.70.

This was a great game of footy all day. The hard running and tackling was a great spectacle and some great skills in front of goals for both teams was a highlight.