The Atlanta Kookaburras started their 2008 season the best way possible with a 55 point win over the Florida Redbacks in Atlanta yesterday. Playing on a ground hugely affected by the heavy storms over the previous 24 hours it was Florida that started the best winning the toss to kick with a steady wind and turning that into a 5 point lead at the first change. The Kookaburras took a while to settle down but under threatening skies all day the home team slowly took the game away from the visiting Redbacks.

Back into the fray for Atlanta was former Captain Coach Brent Bacon playing his first game since 2006 and also Allen Bowdler who also had not played for the Kookaburras since a brief appearance the same year. In the second term Atlanta broke out kicking with the breeze and although inaccurate up forward kicked 3.5 for the quarter without Florida kicking a goal. This perhaps was a sign of things to come.

Goals were hard to come by in the heavy conditions especially down the southern end where there were 15 yard wide areas of 4" deep standing water to negotiate. The Kookaburras did the better though for the quarter with Brent Bacon snapping through some great goals and they won the quarter 3.2 to Florida's 2.0. This left the home team with a handy 35 point lead going into the final quarter and kicking with the aid of the breeze.

The Kookaburras didn't pass up the chance to put their southern friends away slamming on 6 goals to 1 and ran out easy winners by 55 points. The Florida team still sporting plenty of players that will improve with a few more games under their belts and certainly both teams will look forward to some better conditions for their next game.

Best Players
Atlanta: Ross Larosa, Curtis Jones, James Glenn, Warren Ballagh
Florida: Cameron Freeman. CJ Morton, Alex Mirakian, Craig Nicholson