A week ago Bendigo Bombers broke new ground at the expense of the Roosters - having their first victory over North Ballarat in 10 encounters.

The Roosters go into today's assignment in a reverse role.

They have beaten the Tassie Devils, but only once, and that was four years ago, on the first occasion they clashed.

With the non-aligned Tasmania new to the VFL in 2001, North Ballarat ventured to Launceston and triumphed by 28 points.

The Devils have had the wood on the Roosters in six clashes since.

North Ballarat is well placed to turn the trend on its head and get its first victory over Tasmania at home.

While it carries no significance to this year's campaign, the Roosters owe Tassie.

Many of the North Ballarat players will still be feeling the pain of last year's semi-final loss to the Devils at Hobart.

North Ballarat seemed to have the match in the bag before capitulating in a last quarter which had a lot in common with the Roosters' humbling at the hands of Bendigo a week ago.

The Roosters will have learnt much by each experience.

Bendigo Bombers were simply in another class and developed a run that nothing was going to stop.

Tasmania, which is yet to win, will be much different.

North Ballarat's main focus will be on recapturing the type of form it displayed in overcoming Geelong two weeks ago.

The big question though is whether ruckman Mark Porter will be at helm to lead the charge.

Porter has been carrying a bruised knee and although he has been named, coach Gavin Crosisca will not take any risks with him if the big man is not completely right.

If he does not come up, North Ballarat's task will be tougher, but ultimately the key to its game will be the run it can generate through Marc Greig, Jim Plunkett, Jacob Spolding, Andrew Eccles, Jason McNamara. Jarrod McCorkell

and Julian Field, and opportunities it provides for key marking forwards in Nathan Saunders and Hugh Foott.

The Roosters have had problems isolating Saunders and he has had to work overtime to get clean possessions.

Fix this and the Roosters will be so much more dangerous.

THIS WEEKEND'S VFL GAMES: today, Scorpions v Bendigo, North ballarat v Tasmania, Coburg v Frankston; tomorrow, Geelong v Werribee, Sandringham v Williamstown, Box Hill v Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne bye