An interruption by a real-life 'soccer-roo' halted a local match in Canberra this weekend for more than half an hour, with commentators saying the animal even sent "a good quality pass".
The large eastern grey kangaroo first hopped onto the field during half time in the game between the Belconnen United Blue Devils and the Canberra Football Club on Saturday.
Officials tried to move it on from the grounds in Deakin with a soccer ball, but the roo seemed to enjoy having a go at the sport — using its hind legs and paws to temporarily dribble the ball.
The roo's antics made headlines around the world after the video went viral on social media.
Commentator Russ Gibbs said the interruption was the only one of its kind he had seen in "15 years of football commentary in Canberra".
"He was quite happily watching the first part of the match and decided he'd join the field of play when the girls went off at half time," he said.
Gibbs said the kangaroo then went and hung out in the carpark for a short while before making a confident return to the field during the second half.
"It sent the girls scattering," he said.
"It was one of the weirdest things I've ever commentated on."
Roo sent a 'good quality pass'
And Gibbs said the roo "wasn't having a bar" of attempts to move it on using a soccer ball.
"It was quite happy to control it and send a good quality pass," he said.
While sightings of kangaroos in Canberra are far from rare, Gibbs said it was unusual for the animal to find its way onto an enclosed oval — and made it even more difficult to remove it.
"It was difficult without aggravating it any further and making it upset," he said.
"They're one of the iconic animals of Australia and you don't want to be hurting them.
"But fortunately the Belconnen United head coach got in his ute and corralled it out one of the open fences."
Belconnen United won the match 2-0. But according to social media, the kangaroo was the star player.
