By Ben Ford
The match provided Williamstown with its first true taste of winter football, as strong winds swept across DSV Stadium while the Seagulls looked to end a four-game losing streak.
The home side received some disappointing news before the opening bounce with Braydon Preuss ruled out late.
However, they were buoyed by the return of Marcus Zipf and got off to a flying start, kicking two goals in the opening five minutes.
The visitors gradually steadied, but one Seagull who looked dangerous early was Nathan Colenso, who continued his recent strong form by kicking two first-quarter goals.
Another highlight of the opening term came from Diesel Moloney, who responded superbly after last week’s late miss by slotting a strong goal. Colenso had an opportunity after the siren to extend the lead but was unable to convert.
Despite having the breeze at their backs, Williamstown held only a three-point lead at quarter time after conceding four goals.
The Seagulls’ defence was largely responsible for keeping them in front. Ned Pendergast produced arguably his best performance of the season, finishing with 10 contested marks and repeatedly repelling opposition attacks.
A late surge saw Williamstown surrender the lead heading into the main break, trailing by 21 points at halftime and needing a response with the wind in its favour during the third term.
What followed was not just a response — it was a game-breaking quarter.
Williamstown exploded out of the halftime break, kicking four goals in the opening nine minutes to completely erase the deficit. The Blue and Gold tsunami had arrived, and the home crowd came alive with it.
Alex Mirkov began to dominate in the ruck, winning crucial tap-outs and giving his midfield first use of the football. Heath Ollington also worked his way into the contest, kicking two important goals as Williamstown seized control.
Kallan Dawson also stepped up in a major way, kicking two goals and taking full advantage of the breeze.
By quarter’s end, Williamstown had piled on eight goals and was playing some of its best football of the season.
The Seagulls continued hunting goals and attempting to build a match-winning cushion, but two late goals before three-quarter time reduced the margin to just 12 points.
Dark clouds began gathering overhead as rain started to fall, setting up a tense final quarter.
The opening eight minutes of the last term became a defensive grind, with every contest carrying enormous importance. The crucial first goal eventually came through Nathan Colenso, giving Williamstown valuable breathing space.
Even more importantly, GWS remained goalless for the opening 12 minutes of the quarter despite having the breeze at their backs.
As the rain intensified, every mark and possession became increasingly valuable. It was Kallan Dawson who ultimately delivered the decisive blow, kicking one of the biggest goals of his season.
His major restored the margin to 18 points with just four minutes remaining and ultimately proved enough to secure the victory.
Despite losing the overall scoring-shot count 28-23, Williamstown made far better use of its opportunities and did enough to snap its losing streak. The victory returned the Seagulls to the winners’ list and strengthened their position in the race for a top-six berth.
There were standout performances all over the ground, but Jack Toner was particularly influential. The midfielder finished with 30 disposals and played a crucial role around the contest in arguably his best game of the season.
Ned Pendergast’s intercept marking, Alex Mirkov’s influence in the ruck, Nathan Colenso’s three goals and Kallan Dawson’s crucial forward presence were also instrumental in the result.
With the winning feeling back around the club, Williamstown will now look to make it two victories in a row when it hosts Casey at DSV Stadium next week.
Full Time Score
Williamstown: 14.9 (93)
GWS Giants: 11.17 (83)
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