May 07, 2007
From Ballarat Courier
WERRIBEE embarrassed North Ballarat with its biggest defeat in four years in the Victorian Football League in Ballarat yesterday.
WERRIBEE embarrassed North Ballarat with its biggest defeat in four years in the Victorian Football League in Ballarat yesterday.
The Tigers thrashed the Selkirk Roosters by 100 points.
North Ballarat has to go back to round four in 2003 to find a bigger loss - when Tasmania walked all over the Roosters by 123 points.
Werribee looked anything but a team which up to arriving at AUSTAR Arena had not tasted victory as it turned on champagne football to run away 26.14 (170) to 10.10 (70).
Werribee was winless before arriving at AUSTAR Arena, and looked unlikely to change its record until turning on champagne football, finishing 26.14 (170) to 10.10 (70) winners.
Werribee has always had the wood on North Ballarat, winning 15 of 18 encounters since 1996.
And yesterday's score fell two points short of the Tigers' highest against North Ballarat.
Roosters coach Gerard FitzGerald was almost lost for words as he searched for reasons behind his team's demise.
The day began well enough for FitzGerald.
North Ballarat had a six-goal opening quarter to lead by 14 points.
All the Roosters' goals came from crumbing and opportunities for running players, avenues they rarely take advantage of enough.
From there though it was all Werribee as they rammed home 23 goals to four in three quarters.
It was the magnitude of the turnaround which stunned FitzGerald and his support staff.
No matter what North Ballarat tried to stem the flow, it was unable to respond to the required level and continued to be overwhelmed.
North Ballarat went into the match on the back of a stinging 60-point loss to Geelong, but that paled in insignificance as Werribee did almost as it liked.
Western Bulldogs ruckman Peter Street and the experienced Mitch Hahn and Matthew Robbins set the trend.
Street was unbeatable in the centre ruck duels, and Hahn and Robbins were virtually unstoppable.
Andrew McDougall and Wayde Skipper maintained the relentless Tigers' aerial domination, but it was more than that - much more.
North Ballarat could not lay a hand on Werribee.
And then to rub salt into the wounds, James Podsiadly broke away late with six goals.
North Ballarat did not have a genuine winner.
Rob Gregg made the most of his opportunities and Steve Clifton battled hard with Lachie George, but the Roosters could make little impression.
North Ballarat remains in eighth position, but its percentage has taken a pounding and needs to pick up the pieces quickly before facing Port Melbourne on Saturday.
