In addition to the double-header, this year’s round saw the debut of a new feature: the Legends Match.
Played between the VFLW and VFL games against Port Melbourne on Saturday at ETU Stadium, the friendly clash brought together former Williamstown players ranging from 1980s names like Thomas McGowan and Roger Cordy to recent retirees such as Erin Meade and Ben Jolley.
From the outset, Williamstown made it clear that Ben Jolley was non-negotiable — with more games in the blue and gold than the blue and red, he was going to line up for the Seagulls.
The side featured 1149 games of experience, including four life members, two former captains, and 29 Best and Fairest awards.
Additionally, there were Liston Medallists, club record holders, and names etched into the Teams of the Decade and Century.
Coaching the team were none other than Kim Kershaw (84 games) and Lindsay Cahill (86 games).
Despite a stacked resume, Williamstown was a little short on numbers and ran without an interchange bench. Port Melbourne, meanwhile, fielded a full squad.
The Seagulls did, however, add two fresh faces to their lineup. Office staff members Luke Attard and Lauren Wood made their unofficial football debuts, both stepping well outside their usual roles for the Club.
The match itself was played in good spirits, but as time ticked on and the legs grew heavier, Williamstown found themselves goalless and 30 points down with five minutes to play.
Typically more comfortable behind the camera than on the field, Wood found herself with her first touch of the game — marking the ball before copping a light clip around the chin.
The result? A 50-metre penalty and a chance at goal.
Few were confident but Wood lined up and sent the ball through the middle, giving Williamstown its first (and only) goal of the match.
While the scoreboard didn’t favour the Seagulls, the day was a win in every other sense. It was a chance to reconnect and celebrate the people who’ve helped shape the Club across generations and Williamstown looks forward to building on this tradition in the years ahead.
A big thank you goes to Troy West for captaining the side and helping bring the team together, and to our coaches for leading both the game plan and the post-match refreshments.
And finally, thank you to our legends for pulling the blue and gold guernsey back on once more.
Williamstown Legends Team – Heritage Round 2025:
Craig Anderson
Jackson Barling
Roger Cordy
David Fahey
Matthew Grossman
Ben Jolley
Terry Knight
Joseph Laverde
Thomas McGowan
Erin Meade
Nick Meese
Allen Nash
Clinton Proctor
Aaron Ramsay
Clinton Runnalls
Salesi Uhi
Troy West
Jacinta Reid
James Philpot
Adam Walters
Daniel Burmeister
Donny Denato
Luke Attard
Lauren Wood
Kim Kershaw (Coach)
Lindsay Cahill (Assistant Coach)
