By Malaya Rodezno, Williamstown Media
Early Saturday morning, footy saw a tight fight through the opening term before the Seagulls took control in the second quarter. From there, Williamstown never looked back, producing a dominant display to secure their seventh victory of the season.
The Seagulls made two changes for the clash, with Georgia Smith making her Williamstown debut, while Sharnie Whiting returned to the blue and gold for her first appearance of the 2026 season.
A tight opening term saw both sides locked in a scrappy, constant pressure, forcing limited shots on goal for both teams.
Hot on the whistle early in the contest, Williamstown capitalised on holding the ball free kicks to maintain sustained pressure, locking the ball inside the attacking 50 for extended periods.
Williamstown maintained a strong structure across the ground, allowing captain Eliza Stratford to capitalise on a free kick with a composed set shot. She converted truly to kick the opening goal of the match just five minutes in.
Bulldogs broke the deadlock minutes later in the first term, converting on a 50-meter penalty, drawing the match at the first break.
Pushing the ball forward, early in the second quarter, the Seagulls found Mia Zielinski, who launched from 50 meters to kick her first goal of the match, with the ball sailing over a pack of players.
Moments later, Megan Williamson found Neve Crowley, who converted Williamstown’s third goal of the game. Crowley finished cleanly and celebrated strongly after the major.
Constant pressure all over the ground allowed Williamstown to lock the ball in their attacking half. Sharnie Whiting set up for a goal on the right wing; however, Zielinski, out of nowhere, marked it on the line before kicking her second goal of the match.
The Bulldogs quickly responded, kicking their second goal for the match.
However, Zielinski’s goal gave the Seagulls momentum and a boost heading into halftime, taking a 14-point lead.
The Seagulls had intentions of heading into the forward 50 but struggled to capitalise on their opportunities in the opening minutes of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs did, kicking their third goal of the match fourteen minutes into the third, squeezing the Seagulls’ margin back to 9 points.
Responding quickly, Williamstown surged from the centre clearance, as Zielinski beat her opponent on the line once again, before kicking her third goal to extend the lead back to 15 points, entering the last quarter.
On her return, Sharnie Whiting opened the fourth quarter with a composed finish from the boundary, lengthening Williamstown’s lead to 21 points.
Minutes later, the Bulldogs responded, but it was too late, as Williamstown held on, winning the match by 17 points.
Mia Zielinski was very effective in this game, kicking 3 goals, gathering 7 marks and 11 disposals.
Midfielder Megan Williamson also provided a spark, collecting 17 disposals, a game high 12 tackles and 5 clearances.
For the third consecutive game, the ruck pairing of Georgia Howes and Krystal Russell proved too strong for the Bulldogs, dominating the hit-outs to give the Seagulls’ midfield first use of the football. Their work at the stoppages laid the foundation for Williamstown to win the clearance battle and control the contest.
Despite controlling possession for much of the contest, Williamstown’s pressure never wavered, finishing with a commanding 84-26 advantage in tackles.
The Seagulls led from start to finish, producing a complete four-quarter performance to maintain control throughout the match.
Williamstown now turns its attention to its next assignment against the Tasmanian Devils in two weeks. The Seagulls will take the field on Saturday morning at DSV Stadium at 10:05 am, aiming to extend their winning streak and maintain their strong form.
Full Time Score
Williamstown: 6.6 (42)
Bulldogs: 4.1 (25)
Goal Kickers: Zielinski (3), Whiting, Straford, Crowley
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