In an tense and low scoring grand final, Adelaide won its first premiership since 1974-75 in a match played in cool conditions on a excellent pitch. After winning the toss and batting with rain threatening, tall right arm fast bowler Paul Rofe destroyed the Adelaide upper order trapping Luke Williams, Nathan Woods in front and the dangerous Ben Johnson all for ducks to leave the Buffalos three for 14 in the opening half hour. The experienced Ben Hook joined Chris Davies and these two rescued the innings somewhat adding fifty in good style, before Hook was run out just as he started to get going with his younger partner. Sam Williams was trapped in front by the veteran Joe Scuderi for his sides fourth nought and Adelaide had the job in front of them at five for 70. As the weather closed in on the first weekend of the football season, Davies passed his half century and found an able partner in Dale Agars, who helped him add 34 before the rains came at lunch time which prevented any further play for the day.
Sunday morning dawned clear and in what turned out to be the largest partnership of the match, Davies and Agars continued on from where they left off on Saturday and took the score to 139 before Davies was dismissed after two and half hours at the crease in a fine innings which included nine fours and one six. Adelaide then subsided to nine for 157 before Erin Bernhardt and Shane Maraun teamed together for a last wicket stand of 41, with Bernhardt last out for 27 which was his sides second highest score.
East Torrens, needing just under 200 for their first flag since 1990-91 started off in great fashion with Brett Lydeamore and Andrew Carver adding 54 for the first wicket before Lydeamore was bowled by the accurate Bernhardt. The experienced Carver went on with the job reaching his fifty in aggressive style but wickets started to fall at the other end with Sam Williams exposing Graham Yates' defence at 78 and skipper Joe Scuderi went at 109, slicing a full-toss to the gully. Carver took his side to within 66 of victory before becoming Bernhardt's second victim and also the second to a full toss, his innings lasting 148 minutes, including ten fours and a hooked six over mid wicket off Maraun. East Torrens' middle order now showed some tension as with fifty needed Michael Wood trapped Jimmy Vowias in front, then at 6/161, the lynchpin of the middle order, veteran Craig Bradbrook was bowled by Ben Johnson for 24. Two runs later Bradman Medalist Adam Polkinghorne was bowled by Johnson for a duck and Kym Gray suffered the same fate to make East Torrens 8/164 - a collapse of 5/21. Stubborn batting by keeper Joel Urban, who had batted an hour and a half, and Ashley Bourne saw East Torrens inch their way to within 19 of victory, when play was halted at 6pm after play had started some eight hours earlier.
On Monday morning it took just fifteen minutes for Adelaide to wrap things up with Ben Johnson getting the last two wickets as Adelaide, like University the season before played the best cricket at the right time of the year.