Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT FINAL Kookaburras 10 7 7 5 0 29 Falcons 7 10 0 3 0 20
Game Statistics: Kookaburras Falcons First Downs 10 22 Third Down Conversions 6 7 Third Downs 15 14 Third Down Percentage 40.0% 50.0% Fourth Down Conversions 0 0 Fourth Downs 0 1 Fourth Down Percentage 0.0% 0.0% Two Pt Conversions Made 0 0 Two Pt Conversions Attempted 0 0 Two Pt Conversion Percentage 0.0% 0.0% Offense Redzone Num 3 3 Offense Redzone TDs 2 2 Offense Redzone FGs 1 1 Offense Redzone Percentage 100.0% 100.0% Rushing Attempts 22 36 Rushing Yards 44 170 Rushing Average 2.0 4.7 Rushing TDs 1 1 Passing Yards 181 146 Passing Completions 18 20 Passing Attempts 28 33 Completion Percentage 64.3% 60.6% Passing Average 6.5 4.4 Passing TDs 2 1 Offensive Pass Interceptions 0 2 TOTAL OFFENSE 225 316 Defensive Pass Interceptions 2 0 Punt Return Yards 4 33 Kick Return Yards 92 98 Punts 6 3 Punt Avg 49.8 50.3 Fumbles 1 2 Fumbles Lost 0 1 Penalties 4 2 Penalty Yds 40 20 Turnovers 0 3 TIME OF POSSESSION 26:50 32:37
Match Report;
Picker and the Kookaburra's fly on with wildcard win over Adelaide ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adelaide,SA- Right now Canberra Kookaburra Head Coach Nathan Richards must be smiling as his late season switch at Quarterback is panning out despite almost universal condemnation. Ryan Picker lead the Kookaburra's to the teams first Play Off win in 30 years and since the controversial switch Picker has thrown 6 touchdowns and more importantly no interceptions.
"People have asked if we would risk him in the finals. Now people are asking will we risk him next week against Sydney. Watch the game people. Ryan is playing at elite level right now" said Richards who was basking in the glory of his teams win.
The Falcons were their own worst enemy. The unpredictable Andrew Mano threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball on a scrambled run. The early turnovers kicked the Kookaburra's out to a 10-0 lead. But to Adelaide's credit they kept on fighting. They were lead by Defensive End Ryan Brown who had three sacks in the first half alone. On offense Brynjar Dodds shredded the Kookaburra's defence for 110 yards. Mike Azar was the beneficiary of a long drive and a great spin move back to the inside caught out a hustling Seb Hogan who gave up the score.
Picker was not just taking care of the ball. With good protection he looked deep down the field and the speedy Zac Ioesefo broke open to the outside and Picker was on the money for the 42 yard score. But the Falcons kept on coming and a field goal was followed by a 5 yard swing pass to Dodds whose score tied the game back up at the half.
Canberra opened up the second half with a quick 6 play drive and facing down an all out 'casino' blitz Picker hit Cale Batilabasi over the middle for the go head score. The Falcons made another mistake when pinned down at their own end as Mano worked a screen from his own end zone and Willis Foran sniffed it out to make the tackle and the Safety.
Adelaide could only respond with a field goal as time began to run out and an onside kickoff was recovered by Canberra's Hame Wooden. The field position let the visitors add another three points threw the boot of Monikura Joe and that ended the game.