Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT FINAL Monarchs 0 3 3 7 0 13 Blues 3 0 7 10 0 20
Game Statistics: Monarchs Blues First Downs 15 12 Third Down Conversions 4 7 Third Downs 13 16 Third Down Percentage 30.8% 43.8% Fourth Down Conversions 1 0 Fourth Downs 2 1 Fourth Down Percentage 50.0% 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 5 Offense Redzone TDs 1 2 Offense Redzone FGs 1 2 Offense Redzone Percentage 66.7% 80.0% Rushing Attempts 22 32 Rushing Yards 78 115 Rushing Average 3.5 3.6 Rushing TDs 0 1 Passing Yards 153 105 Passing Completions 25 16 Passing Attempts 35 30 Completion Percentage 71.4% 53.3% Passing Average 4.4 3.5 Passing TDs 1 1 Offensive Pass Interceptions 0 2 TOTAL OFFENSE 231 220 Defensive Pass Interceptions 2 0 Punt Return Yards 0 27 Kick Return Yards 88 127 Punts 5 4 Punt Avg 45.4 52.3 Fumbles 2 1 Fumbles Lost 2 1 Penalties 2 6 Penalty Yds 5 45 Turnovers 2 3 TIME OF POSSESSION 29:05 30:55
Match Report;
Blues brick wall end Monarchs season --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sydney,NSW- It is not often you can say defense is exciting but when watching this Sydney Blues team go to work it is as impressive as any offense. The physical and mental pressure they bring has you in fear for their opponents who seem to spend 4 quarters just running around for their lives.
This was the case again in the Wildcard Playoff with the Mlebourne Monarchs. Melbourne on paper were perhaps the strongest team in the competition. Yet off field dramas seemed to derail their year and they were always coming from behind and always stumbling just when it seemed they were on a roll. "It was disappointing that we did not take our chances today. Against such an aggressive defence as Sydney there are opportunities with the one on one coverage that you can take advantage off and we did not get it done" said Coach Ella. His statement was correct from an analytical point of view but watching young Hayden Napoletano work with such limited time on just about every play it was hard to imagine he could have done any better. But muddying the waters even more when he did take one too many hits and had to leave the game Matt Ryan stepped in and drove the Monarchs down the field to score to bring the game alive. Should Ryan have started? Did his own decision to stand down after the last time the Monarchs played against Sydney end the Monarchs year? All we know is that it was just another situation that kept interrupting any momentum the Monarchs were trying to generate.
With such a strong defence Sydney's game plan was easy. DO not turn the ball over and play field position. That plan was working until late in the half when Quarterback Matt Heasman saw an opportunity and went for it. Safety Tane Auva'a was too good for him and intercepted the ball in the end zone. On Sydney's next series Heasman was picked again this time by Frank Cowan and the Blues left valuable points on the table.
After Cheyne Hyde fumbled possession away at his own 25, Sydney finally took their chance. This time Heasman worked a two on one down the left and found Greg Watene from 12 yards for the score. Melbourne responded with a field goal but the telling moment came from on of the Monarchs best, Peter Marks fumbling away a punt return to give the Blues another scoring opportunity. A field goal followed by a Matt Smith crash over from short yardage skipped the Blues out to 20-6 lead. Then Ryan came into the game and smartly moving to his right found Tyrone Redman over the middle for the score.
However with no times out left, Melbourne had to win the onside kick but a poor effort from Scott Lawrence saw Chevy Fale take possesion before the ball had travelled 10 yards and the penalty was enough for Sydney to take the win.