The Pickers were beaten 42-20 by Macquarie at Maitland Sportsground on Saturday while at the same time a Ryan Walker-inspired Bulldogs ­finished with 22 unanswered points away from home to defeat Coalfields rivals Cessnock. 

An under-strength Maitland were never in the hunt against the Scorpions while the Bulldogs came from 20-6 down at half-time to record a 28-20 victory over the Goannas at Cessnock Sportsground.

These results saw Maitland finish the 14-round season in last spot after staying put on seven points and Kurri Kurri sneak past into seventh with eight points on the competition ladder. 

“It was very disappointing and we didn’t play well today,” Pickers coach Trevor Ott said.

“It’s been tough for us this year and injuries have taken their toll – where we finished probably reflected that.”

Charlie Woods became part of a long list of last year’s under 18s to debut for the Pickers this season after Australian Schoolboys representative Jayden Butterfield was called up for the Newcastle Knights’ NSW Cup on the weekend alongside fellow Maitland products Matt Soper-Lawler and Jayden Rosenberg.

Pickers prop Damien Frize also pulled out late with a knee injury, which saw PJ Ellis return early from a shoulder complaint to play 80 minutes.

Tylar Carter scored a double for the Pickers at home in a standout performance and despite getting within six Maitland were never able to turnaround a 22-10 half-time deficit.

It was the opposite for Kurri Kurri against Cessnock with a 30-minute point-scoring frenzy getting the ­visitors home.

The hosts led by 14 at the break, but the second try of Walker’s hat-trick sparked the Bulldogs into action with Tim Bennett, Lachlan Hill and Scott Dunn also crossing the stripe.

The six-point victory was capped-off by two conversions to Daniel Abraham, who played his 100th and final first grade game for the club on Saturday. 

“I was a very happy coach,” Bulldogs mentor Phil Williams said.

“It could have gone two ways after half-time, but the boys chipped away, defended well and played for each other.”

Neither the Bulldogs nor the Pickers will play semi-finals, but Cessnock and Macquarie now swap positions in the top five with the Goannas slipping to fourth and the Scorpions going to third.

Around the grounds, Wests claimed a fourth straight minor premiership with a convincing 44-18 win against fifth-placed Central Newcastle on Sunday, while South Newcastle fell short of their semi-final bid despite a cameo from former NRL player Andrew Ryan, going down 36-4 to second-placed Lakes at Townson Oval on Saturday. 

In other rugby league news, the Group 21 title defence of the Greta Branxton Colts has been dashed following a preliminary final loss to the Denman Devils at home on Sunday.

And in all age both East Maitland (B-grade) and Abermain (C-grade) have been eliminated following week one of the finals at Raymond Terrace on Saturday while Woodberry (C-grade) and Clarence Town (D-grade) both live to fight another day.