A big crowd was on hand at Carara Stadium on the picturesque December afternoon as their beloved Crusade would clash with Sydney for the BFC trophy. But before the main game, the fans would be treated to Adelaide clashing with the enthusiastic Berlin Warlords for third place.
Third Place Playoff
The game couldn't have started worse for Adelaide, with their captain (Sterling Mortlock) leaving the field after less than two minutes of play. A penalty minutes later got them up 2-0, before Gary Coleman continued his fine recent form with a good try through some feeble Berlin defence on the line. Apokalips failed to convert, giving his side a 6-0 lead. Less than two minutes later, Coleman went over for his second, with the successful conversion pushing it out to a comfortable 12-0 lead for the Attitude.
The fans, mostly supporting the underdog Germans, were given plenty to cheer about when the Warlords worked it up to Adelaide's line through a series of penalties, with big man Rinat Shamsutdinov finally muscling his way over for his side's first try. Sammy El Hajij's conversion put it back on at 12-6. Radike Samo got his side back in control in the 26th when he was the unlikely finisher of an Elton Flatley grubber, and a further try to his back row partner minutes later had the Attitude in the box seat at 22-6.
HALFTIME: Adelaide Attitude 22 lead Berlin Warlords 6
The second half was a far more torrid affair, Adelaide scoring in the 56th to make it a near impossible comeback for Berlin, and Troy Wozniak barging over for Berlin minutes later to set it up at 28-12. End to end football ensued, but both sides were clearly fatigued, and fulltime came with the Attitude comfortable 28-12 winners.
Adelaide Attitude 28
Lote Tuqiri
Gary Coleman 2
Radike Samo
Phil Waugh
Apokalips 4/6
defeated
Berlin Warlords 12
Rinat Shamsutdinov
Troy Wozniak
El Hajij 2/2
PoM Points
Red Apokalips..........3
Harry Prince............2
Elton Flatley.............1
Bob Fulton Cup Final
Gold Coast Crusade Sydney Oilers
1 Brent Webb 1 Joe Rokocoko
2 Shaun Briscoe 2 Jason Robinson
3 Tommy O'Reilly 3 Steve Kefu
4 Matthew Gidley 4 Willie Tonga
5 Luke Rooney 5 Daniel Fitzhenry
6 Scott Hill 6 Grant Martin
7 Matt Orford 7 Craig Gower ©
8 Joel Clinton 8 Steven Price
9 Danny Buderus 9 Craig Wing
10 Paul King 10 Jason Ryles
11 Ali Lauitiiti 11 Matt Adamson
12 Steve Simpson 12 Sonny-Bill Williams
13 Andy Farrel © 13 Ben Kennedy
++Interchange
14 Karl Pratt 14 Chris Jack
15 Sione Faumunia 15 Anthony Laffranchi
16 Carl Webb 16 Andrew Ryan
17 Paul Stringer 17 John Skandalis
The two sides took the field to rapturous applause, but it was a partisan Gold Coast crowd who got the early reason to cheer when Andy Farrel knocked over a penalty from a Jason Ryles high tackle. From the kick-off, the Crusade went further ahead when Scott Hill chased his own grubber to score a soft try. Converted, it gave the favourites an 8-0 lead. Despite the early try, things remained intensely competitive, and when Daniel Fitzhenry continued his solid pre-season campaign by leaping above the pack to collect a Craig Gower bomb, it was suddenly game on at 8-6.
The Crusade didn't let the Oilers' hitback demoralise them, however, and Shaun Briscoe continued his try-scoring trend by finishing of a break started by former Oiler, Ali Lauititi. The conversion put the Crusade back ahead by eight, at 14-6. Luck was definitely on the home side's team, with scrums won against the feed and freakish bounces continually giving them the upper hand. When Steve Simpson powered over in the 30th, it looked as if the Oilers would crumble, but minutes later veteran prop John Skandalis muscled over to bring his side back into the game at 18-10. Another Skandalis try on the stroke of halftime blew the game right open.
HALFTIME: Gold Coast 18 lead Sydney 16
The Oilers finally took the lead in the second half, with Sonny Bill Williams showing why he is league's hottest property by chasing through a kick and grounding it under pressure. The conversion from Gower gave the Oilers a 22-18 lead heading into what would be a hectic and entertaining second half.
Tensions were high as the game wound on, with fights breaking out on several occasions. It took the Crusade until the 62nd minute to reclaim their lead, Matt Orford being put into a hole by a brilliant Luke Rooney inside pass. The conversion from Farrell gave the Crusade a slender 24-22 lead, and set up a frantic final eighteen minutes of play. The Crusade had their chance to seal the game denied in the 69th minute when Tommy O'Reilly was moved to have run behind Steve Simpson on his way to the line, and shortly after this a series of stupid penalties for high tackles and fighting put the Oilers right on the Crusade line for several sets. The defence held, however, Daniel Fitzhenry losing the ball over the line in a heavy Luke Rooney tackle.
The game continued, and as the crowd began the countdown, Matthew Gidley made a bust and raced downfield. The veteran centre had plenty of support, and found Danny Buderus in the open. The NSW and Australian rake ran it in under the sticks, the anticlimactic finish leaving the scoreline at 30-22 in favour of the Crusade- BFC champions for a second consecutive year.
Gold Coast Crusade 30
Matt Orford
Danny Buderus
Steve Simpson
Shaun Briscoe
Scott Hill
Farrell 5/6
defeated
Sydney Oilers 22
Sonny-Bill Williams
John Skandalis 2
Daniel Fitzhenry
Gower 3/5
PoM Points
Luke Rooney..............3
Sonny-Bill Williams......2
John Skandalis............1
