The North Ballarat Rebels caused the biggest upset of the TAC Cup season on Sunday in toppling ladder leader the Calder Cannons by 40 points.
The win represented a 194 point turn around from the Rebels round 7 drubbing at the hands of the same side.
Ten minutes into the first quarter a win was the last thing on the Rebels players minds. Down three goals to nil and battling to win possession the Rebels looked anything but winners.
However slowly the tide turned. For some players the match represented their last game for the club after three years in the TAC Cup competition, a theme that had been constantly reinforced during the week. This seemed to inspire the team and unlike their encounter early in the year the Rebels didn't back down.
After trailing 3 goals to 6 at quarter time, the Rebels went goal for goal with the Cannons in the second term to trail by 21 points at the main break.
The third quarter will go down as one of the best in the Rebels recent history as they slammed on 8 goals to the Cannons two. Ruckman Daniel Batson dominated the centre bounces and took countless marks around the ground. Liam Picken constantly drove the ball into attack and team leader Matt Rosa showed why his name will come into calculation at the National Draft.
The highlight of the quarter was a magnificent individual effort from Clinton Young to beat three opponents, take two bounces and hit his teammate on the chest 10 metres out from goal.
At three quarter time assistant coach Rob Fuller implored his charges to maintain the intensity. Yet even the bravest of Rebels supporters wouldn't have forecast what would happen next as the home team dominated the final term.
North Ballarat kicked 4 goals 4 to the Cannons meagre 3 behinds. Young finishing with 4 goals and Rosa 3 as for the first time in a long time the Cannons were made to look ordinary. The win will gives the Rebels great hope for the 2005 season with more than half of the side eligible to play next year.
Nth Ballarat Rebels 18.9 (117) d Calder Cannons 11.11 (77)
Goals: Young 4, Rosa 3, Banwell 2, Herring 2, Batson, Cameron, Ewing, Grigg, Harris, Jamison, Feery
Best: Batson, Picken, Rosa, Clifton, Hurse, Young
Last Modified on 08/02/2009 14:20