By Tom Williamson, Williamstown Media
Events began early in the day when star recruit Damon Hollow was injected into the 22 after a late withdrawal from co-captain Finn O’Dwyer.
O’Dwyer’s departure meant the Seagulls were without both captains. Vice-Captain Jack Toner was unexpectedly called upon to lead the team in just their second clash of the season.
Played in wet and scrappy conditions, the ball was on the ground for most of the day, making it difficult to create a smooth flow.
Good pressure was key in the first quarter, with Williamstown out-tackling the GIANTS 19 to 13 which allowed the Seagulls to regain possession and apply pressure in their front half.
The GIANTS felt the pressure early, which lead to some poor execution setting up Colenso for the first goal of the quarter.
The ball spent most of the time moving back and forth between the 50s of both teams, resulting in a low-scoring 1.5 (11) to 1.3 (9) in Williamstown’s favour at the first break.
With tough, hard footy on a slippery deck, long kicks became the best option for any chance of scoring.
The pressure remained high in the second quarter. One player who had plenty of opportunities in front of goal was Nick Ebinger, making the most of them by kicking two in the second term.
Ebinger’s second came from some classy ruck work by Tom Downie, who put the ball in front of Toby Triffett, allowing him to deliver it into Ebinger’s lap for his second goal.
Downie dominated the hit-outs, winning 19 to 13 in the first half, helping Williamstown get first use of the ball from contests.
Forward pressure was on display from the Seagulls, led by Colenso, who had five tackles at the half, and Hollow, who capitalised on his opportunity when rewarded for his tackling inside 50.
Luke Parks was also impressive down back with his intercept marking, allowing Williamstown to rebound and create more opportunities.
However, goal accuracy proved costly for the Seagulls, who kicked three goals and five behinds in the third quarter, preventing them from extending their lead further. Still, they held a seven-point advantage heading into the final term.
James Cousins and Riley Collier-Dawkins saw plenty of the ball for Williamstown, each collecting 18 disposals and three tackles in the midfield.
Meanwhile, Triffett applied the most midfield pressure with six tackles – the highest for any Williamstown player on the ground. Parks worked hard down back, refusing to allow easy marks and ensuring the ball didn’t get past him.
Toner also demonstrated his ability to break lines, playing a key role in a play that dismantled the GIANTS’ structure. He stepped past the man on the mark to deliver the ball into McHale’s hands for his second goal. This was followed by a consecutive goal from McLaughlin, set up by Collier-Dawkins moving the ball quickly from the middle.
However, the final quarter belonged entirely to the GIANTS. Williamstown, unable to score a goal in the last term, saw their seven-point lead at three-quarter time disappear rapidly, ultimately resulting in a 29-point loss as the GIANTS piled on six unanswered goals.
The Seagulls simply didn’t have enough of the ball in the end, being out marked by 15 and losing the disposal count 360 to 293.
Despite the loss, there were some standout performances, with Joel Fitzgerald and Riley Collier-Dawkins both collecting 24 disposals, while Cousins had 23.
The Seagulls did out tackle the GIANTS and was led by Triffett (10) and Colenso (8). Young gun Damon Hollow also showed great promise, finishing with two goals.
Final Score:
WILLIAMSTOWN 1.5 | 5.9 | 8.14 | 8.16 (64)
GWS GIANTS 1.3 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 14.9 (93)
Best Players: Fitzgerald, Collier-Dawkins, Cousins, Triffett, Minton-Connell, Ebinger
Goal Kickers: McHale (2), Hollow (2), Ebinger (2), McLaughlin, Colenso
