Match result: North Ballarat 11.17.83 defeated Casey Scorpions 9.9.63
Venue: Eureka Stadium, Ballarat
Conditions: 13 degrees. Windy, heavy rain, normal Ballarat winter’s day.

In action
- Cam Delaney (5 disposals, 2 tackles)
- Trent Dumont (32 disposals (18 contested), 9 clearances, 7 inside 50’s, 6 tackles)
- Ben Jacobs - injured during game (8 disposals, 3 clearances, 1 goal)
- Brad McKenzie (18 disposals, 80 per cent efficiency, 4 inside 50’s, 2 goals)
- Eric Wallace (7 disposals, 27 hit-outs, 1 goal, 7 one percenters)
- Max Warren (5 disposals, 2 tackles)
- Mitch Wilkins (7 disposals, 6 tackles)

NMFC.com.au’s best: Trent Dumont

Matchups
- Eric Wallace v Max Gawn and Jack Fitzpatrick

Story of the game
Coming off a stirring victory over the reigning premiers, North Ballarat returned home to face Casey. A fifth successive win looked a long way off at quarter-time when the Roosters trailed by 23 points.

After the first break the home side worked its way into the game. Four goals in the second term narrowed the deficit to 18 points, and another two goals to in the third left the margin at 11 points with a quarter to play.

Last week the Roosters came from four goals down in the last quarter against the Hawks and it ended up being a similar burst again against the Scorpions. North Ballarat kicked 4.9 to just two behinds in the final term, eventually notching a 20-point win.

What the coach said
“We had to try a couple of structural changes at half time and those couple of things worked.

“Early in the last quarter we had a couple shots and didn’t get them, so we needed to take our opportunities and eventually we did.” - Gerard Fitzgerald to Casey Radio post-match

Points of interest
1. Trent Dumont continued his fine form with 32 disposals and 9 clearances. In the absence of Ben Jacobs after the main break, North’s 2013 draftee was forced to carry more of the midfield load, responding in fine fashion.

“He was excellent. That’s the best game I’ve seen him play this year. His work in tight was just outstanding. It was as good as I’ve seen in tough conditions.

“His spread was really good, he tackled well, his intensity across the whole game was just excellent – it was a great game.

“He’s beginning to have really elite touch at the stoppages.” – Senior Development Manager Gavin Brown

2. Eric Wallace had to deal with the double-team of Melbourne’s Max Gawn and Jack Fitzpatrick, both capable AFL players. He stepped up along with the team in the second half, drawing praise from the North Ballarat coach.

“He was very good. We wanted more out of him at half-time and we got it. He’s developing well and he’s a terrific player.” – Gerard Fitzgerald.

The big man kicked a vital goal late in the game with the result in the balance.

“A big long kick came in (to the forward-line), he was running back and took a terrific mark in the hands 15 metres out.

“He had a look at the goals, was going to play on, then wasn’t, then decided to go and kicked it. It was a clutch goal just when we needed one.” – Gavin Brown

3. Cam Delaney played his first game for the season for the Roosters, making his comeback from a long and frustrating injury.

“He played just the second half with a couple of rotations in amongst that.

“He was quite serviceable given that he’s missed a fair bit of footy, in really tough, wet conditions.

“He was a little but underdone from a fitness and conditioning point of view, but he got into some good positions, he knows the game really well.” – Gavin Brown

4. Ben Jacobs’ hopes of a senior call-up could be on hold for another week after he left the ground during the second term.

“Benny went off just before half-time with ankle soreness.

“He’ll have some scans today. Hopefully it’s only a half-grade and he might be right for next week, but we just have to wait and see.

The Roosters will also be sweating on the fitness of Max Warren.

“Maxy came off early in the third quarter. He was going back into the contest and copped a knee right in the hip-pointer.

“He tried to hop around a bit but then the physios pulled him for the day.”

5. While the coaches were celebrating the Roosters’ fifth win in a row, it didn’t come without its challenges.

“Early in the game the rain hit the window and dead-set it was like looking out your car window with no wipers.

“The North Ballarat crew ended up finding a squeegee and had to tape a broom handle onto it to reach the coaches’ box window. All you could see during the course of the game was a squeegee, going up and down at random times.

“In the last quarter it came really foggy and you just couldn’t see out of it at all. All the coaches went down into the grandstand for the last 15 minutes to coach.” - Gavin Brown

Most likely call-up: Brad McKenzie, Trent Dumont
Next week: Richmond, Eureka Stadium, Sunday June 22 at 2pm