The Pineapple Bowl - Rough but Sweet Victory for the Kangaroos July 16,  2005, Nashville, TN A Nashville Kangaroos vs Atlanta Kookaburras game can be like a pineapple - very rough, but very sweet. If you play footy in the USA, quit your job, pack your bags and move to Atlanta or Nashville. You can find another job, another house, another girlfriend, but you won't find another rivalry like this in US footy. Twenty of the best Aussie rules players to ever represent Nashville ran out on the best Elmington Park surface ever seen. The return of Harvard "Glam" Reynolds, John "Rocco" D'Andria, Adam Carter, Jason Barnes and Chad Huie evoked memories of past 'Roos glories, with the disturbing twist that Barnes and Huie wore the hooped socks of Nashville's arch rivals, the Atlanta Kookaburras. With nineteen other Atlanta players taking the road trip, the teams appeared well matched. From the first bounce, the 'Roos approached the game with urgency. The Kookaburras, caught behind play, gave up consecutive free kicks from pushes in the backs of Dee Vsetecka and Grant White. Club president White kicked for goal from 35 yards, and a stretch by the Atlanta full back only succeeded in a fingertip touch after the ball had crossed the line for Nashville's opening score. Travis Quigley repelled another rapid Roo start, providing an offensive surge that resulted in a minor score to Atlanta. 'Roo veteran Adam Carter provided a minor response to regain the six point advantage. However, the Kookaburra kickout was immediately rebounded by 'Roo coach Bo Link, and Carter was back in the action, passing to Gilberto Ortiz who soccered Nashville's second goal. However, Brent Bacon's signature "banana" kick soon reduced the difference back to six points, assisted by former 'Roo Chad Huie. Chad Huie featured again in the second Atlanta goal, scoring one himself after swooping on a loose ball. Other opportunities for Nashville only produced three behinds and one kicked out on the full. Atlanta's energetic running game was limited by the 'Roos desperate defense and center square domination, leaving the first quarter score at: Nashville 2.4.16 Atlanta 2.1.13 Atlanta sought to address their slow start by creating a loose man on the wing and running hard from the first moment of the second quarter. Dee Vsetecka was key to repelling ten minutes of Kookaburra offensive pressure before Wayne Kraska found Chad Huie, who marked at half forward flank. Huie kicked the ball into a one-on-one competition between Roo Justin Davis and Atlanta captain-coach Brent Bacon, resulting in a free kick in front of goal for the experienced Brent Bacon. Bacon's second goal gave Atlanta a brief lead for the first time. In response, the Roos put together an inspired passage of play. Vsetecka combined with Ben McCrostie, who handpassed to the running Bo Link. Link kicked for goal, and the lead had quickly returned to Nashville. Behinds by Nashville's Jose Amden and Atlanta's Chad Huie, along with two rushed behinds at the Atlanta end, left the narrowest difference with only minutes to go in the first half. Just as it seemed the teams would start the second half virtually neck and neck, Jose Amden marked to earn himself a second opportunity. This time he put it straight through the middle, directly over the goal umpire's head. With the horn sounding the end of the first half, the scores were: Nashville 4.5.29 Atlanta 3.4.22 The premiership quarter was all Nashville, as they scored 2.4 to the Kookaburras disappointing rushed behind from a huge effort by veteran Justin Biggs. As in the first half, Nashville dominated the center, with Vsetecka continuing to get to the ball ahead of his opponent. Atlanta's defense had great difficulty clearing the ball. Two consecutive clearing kicks by Curtis Jones went out on the full early in the quarter, leading to a more cautious, short game which failed to gain headway into the breeze. Wayne Kraska was involved in everything, dampening the 'Roo surge, and eventually Atlanta started to move the ball and think about where it was going. With Nashville goals from a huge Bo Link sideways kick and Moore's snap shot, Atlanta went to the final break with a 22 point deficit. Nashville 6.9.45 Atlanta 3.5.23 Although Nashville had dominated the center for three quarters and appeared dominant on the scoreboard, play around the ground had been much more evenly shared. Overall, Atlanta had benefited by holding more marks and earning more free kicks than Nashville. Recognizing that the Roos key central players were beginning to tire, the Kookaburras came out determined to play strongly throughout the last quarter. An early attack was limited to a rushed behind by the equally determined Dee Vsetecka. With an opportunity provided by a wayward Kookaburra kick landing out on the full, Luke Nemeth and Jeff Persson combined to deliver the ball to 'Roo legend Adam Carter, who ran in with nobody between him and the goal umpire to make certain of his second goal. A 'Roo center square mix-up found the Nashville team with five in the square for the restart of action, providing an immediate opportunity for Atlanta to set up a scoring opportunity. From directly in front, Greg Cave hooked his kick to gain only a minor score. However, Alan Mobley soon chipped in to make amends, reducing Nashville's lead to 20 points with thirteen minutes to go. A minute later, Jeff Persson beautifully roved the ball and scored a running goal as he so often does, building the 'Roo lead back to 26 points, 8.9.57 to Atlanta's 4.7.31 The Atlanta team continued to play with discipline and tenacity, maintaining firm belief that they could still produce a win. Taking the ball forward again and again, the Kookaburras scored a string of three behinds before Brent Bacon at last booted his third goal, reducing the Nashville lead to 17 points with four minutes remaining. From the center, the ball came to Greg Cave who passed to Kraska. Kraska's shot went between the big sticks and the Nashville lead was down to 11 points with three minutes remaining. Another Atlanta shot at goal went out on the full, slowing the tempo as the Roos desperately held on. Former 'Roo Jason Barnes showed what an asset he has become for Atlanta, scoring the goal that put Atlanta within a goal of Nashville with a minute remaining in the last quarter. With thirty seconds to score the winning goal, Atlanta's Ben Crist passed to Brent Kewley, who sent the ball in the direction of Greg Cave in the forward pocket. Pressured by the Roos' final surge of defensive energy, Cave gained control of the ball but was stranded short of the needed goal when the horn sounded to end this incredibly exhilarating but exhausting game. Final scores: Nashville Kangaroos 8.9.57 defeated Atlanta Kookaburras 7.10.52 Goals: Nashville: Bo Link 2, Gilbert Ortiz, Jose Amden, Adam Carter, Stuart Moore, Grant White, Jeff Persson. Atlanta: Brent Bacon 3, Wayne Kraska, Alan Mobley, Jason Barnes, Chad Huie