Scorpions’ loss ends finals chance and year

Cam Scott
DESPITE enduring a 10game losing streak through the middle of the year, the Scorpions had everything to play for on Saturday at North Ballarat.
Their finals campaign alive, they needed to win and hoped Tasmania won on Sunday to ensure a finals appearance. While the Devils scored a narrow victory over Williamstown, it was already over for the Scorpions, who offered little more than token resistance to a side that harboured no hope of playing finals football.
The Scorpions have only one away match this year, and their ontheroad blues hit again on Saturday as they lost to North Ballarat 18.11.119 to 7.10.52.
The Roosters made the Scorpions look secondrate, causing loyal Scorpions fans to cringe as their finals aspirations slipped away.
The difference between the two sides was undoubtedly Rooster Nathan Saunders.
The former Bulldog and Werribee forward worked his way through three opponents and kicked seven goals, missing only one shot for the match.
He drove a wedge between the sides that continued to widen, eventually breaking the Scorpions – and the game – apart.
After the Roosters set up a commanding threequarter time lead, Scorpions fans could only hope for the final siren as North Ballarat piled on six unanswered goals to win and finish the season one spot above the Scorpions, who ended the season in 11th position.