By Star Weekly
PICTURE GALLERY: Foxtel Cup: Williamstown v West Perth
Williamstown is once again the premier state league football club in the land.
The Seagulls collected their second Foxtel Cup title in four seasons with a stroll-in-the-park 63-point win over shell-shocked West Perth in the grand final at Simonds Stadium in Geelong.
It would be a groundbreaking night as the unrelenting Gulls restricted the WA side to a single goal and the lowest score in the competition’s history, with a lop-sided scoreline of 10.11 (71) to 1.2 (8).
THE MATCH: Quarter by quarter breakdown
The Seagulls are the first club to swoop on multiple Foxtel Cup titles, having already won one under previous coach Peter German in its inaugural season in 2011.
The mastermind of this cup run, Andy Collins, created his own slice of history, standing on the podium as the only two-time premiership coach in the short history of the knock-out competition.
Collins won his first title with West Adelaide last year.
In the club’s 150th year and a year after breaking away from its alignment with the Western Bulldogs, the Seagulls were eager to add some silverware to their already bulging trophy cabinet and prove that it can once again succeed as a stand alone club.
Ben Jolley has played a significant role in the Gulls two Foxtel Cup triumphs, the first time as best-on-ground in the decider and this time as the inspirational captain.
Jolley paid tribute to his team on the premiership dais.
“[It was a] fantastic effort,” he said. “We set ourselves a goal, I suppose, we were in this competition to win it, and we achieved that.”
The Seagulls had winners across all lines and in every position on the ground.
Their ball movement was slick, utilising the overlap created by hard working teammates.
They were more direct with their ball use and even happy to go to the air such was their aerial domination.
On the other hand, West Perth was left embarrassed by their sloppy skills, ill-discipline and unwillingness to take risks.
It was no surprise to see the Falcons finish with just the one goal across four insiped quarters, such was their lack of invention with ball in hand.
Experienced Seagulls midfielder Ben Davies collected the Coles Medal for best-on-ground.
His work rate was unsurpassed and his impact was at its greatest early on when the game was up for grabs.
Scott Clouston, who made the move from Werribee to Williamstown in the off-season, showed why the Seagulls were so eager to get him with a stellar performance across half forward.
The former Brisbane Lion marked everything that went his way, including one for the highlight reel when he went back with the flight of the ball in the face of oncoming traffic.
Clouston, Jack Johnstone and late inclusion Charlie Nastasi were the Seagulls multiple goalkickers with two apiece.
Sean Tighe was an important physical presence when the game was at its hottest early on.
Not only did Tighe win the lions share of ruck battles, he followed up at ground level to either win possession or create a hole for prominent onballers such as Davies, Jolley, and Kane Lambert.
If the Foxtel Cup is treated as a shop window for AFL recruiters, Lambert did not do his chances any harm, collecting 20 possessions.
Lambert oozes class with every touch of the ball and it would be a shock if he misses out again at the draft table.
Defensively, the Seagulls were miserly, building an impenetrable wall between the centre line and half back through Peter Faulks, Brad Mangan and Jake McKenzie.
2014 Foxtel Cup grand final
Williamstown 10.11 (71) d West Perth 1.2 (8)
Williamstown – Goals: Nastasi 2, Johnstone 2, Clouston 2, Owen, Dorgan, Lambert, Tighe.
Best: Clouston, Tighe, Lambert, Davies, Jolley, Faulks.
At Simonds Stadium, Geelong.
Check out our quarter by quarter rundown of the Foxtel Cup grand final here.
