VFL Round 21: Williamstown vs GWS Giants
17th August 2024
By Jaryn Makepeace, Williamstown Media
After navigating a rough patch of form, Williamstown heads into the wildcard round with momentum after securing a well-deserved win over the Giants in their final home-and-away game of the season.
A scrappy forward kick from Jack Greiser led to Nathan Colenso slotting the first goal of the match. GWS quickly responded, and the goals began to flow for both sides. Brodie McLaughlin then found the end of a play to kick one for the Seagulls. Both teams showcased impressive ball movement, making it a high-scoring affair. After the Giants stretched their lead to seven points with two quick goals, Nick Ebinger brought the Seagulls back into the contest, slotting a goal to cut the deficit. Nick Ebinger looked dangerous, taking three shots at goal within four minutes and converting two of them, giving Williamstown a slender lead. Corey Ellison, in remarkable form, added another quick goal for the Seagulls. However, GWS regained momentum late in the first quarter, kicking two goals to take a two-point lead into the second term.
Corey Ellison, playing as a makeshift ruck man, snuck through a goal to start the second quarter. However, the goal-scoring pace slowed as both teams struggled with accuracy. James Cousins kicked a timely goal, extending Williamstown’s lead to 10 points. The Giants closed the gap to four, but just before the siren, Nick Ebinger launched a goal from beyond the arc to kick his third, giving the Seagulls a 10-point advantage at halftime. The Giants needed a 10-goal win to secure a wildcard spot, but the Seagulls’ lead at the break meant GWS needed a massive second half.
A brilliant play from the Seagulls set up Brodie McLaughlin for his second goal of the day, followed by intense forward pressure that saw Nathan Colenso add another. Williamstown dominated the early stages of the third quarter, with McLaughlin kicking his second for the term, pushing the Seagulls’ lead to 29 points. Liam Conway then took a massive pack mark and kicked just his second goal of the season, marking Williamstown’s fifth consecutive major. The Seagulls carried a comfortable lead into the final quarter after a strong third term.
Riley Collier-Dawkins intercepted the ball and launched one through to start the fourth quarter. Brodie McLaughlin quickly added another, marking the Seagulls’ second goal of the quarter within two minutes. Nathan Colenso intercepted a kick-in and slotted his third, igniting the crowd as Williamstown were playing their best footy in weeks. The lead ballooned to 48 points before the Giants stemmed the flow with a goal. Lucca Grego responded with his first major in the VFL, capping off a dominant performance.
Williamstown played their best game since Round 10, securing a 26-point victory that ended the Giants’ season and kept the Seagulls’ finals hopes alive. They’ll face Richmond on August 25th at DSV Stadium in the second wildcard final of the weekend. Hopefully, our community can rally behind the Seagulls as they fight for one last chance at making finals.
Final Score
Williamstown: 17.11.113
GWS Giants: 12.15.87
Goals: Brodie McLaughlin 4, Corey Ellison 3, Nathan Colenso 3, Nick Ebinger 3, Lucca Grego 1, James Cousins 1, Liam Conway 1 and Riley Collier-Dawkins 1
Best Players: Riley Collier-Dawkins, Nathan Colenso, Luke Parks, James Cousins, Brodie McLaughlin, Nick Ebinger
