The clash against the Bullants was a do-or-die contest after the Scorpions were beaten by North Ballarat in their opening VFL final.

North Port Oval was reminiscent of a swamp with heavy rain before the game. The centre square area was caked in mud while much of the ground was holding large amounts of water, which stifled the Scorpions' running game.

Bullants' Irishman and Carlton regular Setanta O'hailpin slotted the first goal of the match, although Scorpions star Brad Miller soon responded.

A late goal from Brock McLean was followed by a piece of brilliance from O'hailpin, who soccered the ball off the ground in what may be the goal of the season, putting the Bullants

in front by 20 points at quarter time.

After a passionate quarter-time address from Coach Brad Gotch, the Scorpions got off to the best possible start in the second term with a clever crumbing goal to Ben Macreadie within the first 90 seconds.

Miller booted his second to cut the margin to just nine points halfway through the term.

The Bullants controlled the remaining 10 minutes of the term and

kicked two goals to make the

margin 19 points at the main break.

The all-important third term could not have got off to a worse start for the Scorpions, with the Bullants kicking the first two goals of the term.

The remainder of the term became a dour struggle as the heavy conditions began to really take their toll on the players, with the Scorpions going into the final term trailing by 25 points.

Gotch, in what was another outstanding motivational address, pleaded with his side to throw caution to the wind in the final term. Ryan Creed kicked the opening goal of the final term and when Matt Fieldsend unloaded a bomb from 50 metres with a heavy ball to make the margin just 13 points, the Scorpions began to believe that they could steal a victory.

The Bullants did an outstanding job of shutting the game down by putting numbers behind the ball and turning the game into a stoppage-fest, and despite a late goal from Rhys Healey, the result was beyond repair.