WILLIAMSTOWN sealed its berth in the finals with a determined 24-point win over Northern Blues in the Victorian Football League at a soggy Burbank Oval on Saturday.
The message to the Seagulls players heading
into the game was clear: win the stoppages, win the game.
“The Northern Blues are the No.1 stoppage side and that was always going to be the key,” Seagulls assistant coach Andrew Mirams told the Weekly.
“The first quarter we came out kicking into a three to four-goal wind, but we smashed them in the stoppages and that was important.”
It was a huge win in the context of the season for the Seagulls, as it means they can’t be dislodged from the top eight in the last two weeks.
It also adds to the team’s ever-growing confidence that it can make a rare run to the flag from the bottom half of the eight.
“We’re in it to win it,” Mirams said. “We think we’ve got a realistic chance if we keep playing the way we have been.”
The depth of talent at the Seagulls has been crucial.
They have been able to absorb the long injury list sustained by AFL affiliate Western Bulldogs because of the strength of their undefeated development squad team.
“We don’t care who we have playing as long as when they pull on the jumper they play the style that we play and do the role we ask of them,”
Mirams said. The Seagulls flew home in a low-scoring game with a four goals to one last quarter.
The midfield group of captain Ben Jolley, Brett Goodes and Ed Carr, along with youngsters Stephen McCallum, Michael Fogarty and Kwame McHarg, worked tirelessly to lead their side to victory.
Youngster Ayce Cordy relished the freedom of playing as the Seagulls No.1 ruckman and was named best-on-ground for his influence at the stoppages.
“He was super,” Mirams said.
Patrick Veszpremi was the only multiple goalkicker for the Seagulls with two.
Easton Wood, playing in his first VFL game for the year, and James Wall, were named in the best.
Youngsters Jack Charleston, Stephen Witkowski, Anton Woods and Nick Sing showed their improvement.
However, Mirams said it would be unfair to single out individuals after such a good win.
The Seagulls will be out to make it five
straight wins when they host Sandringham Zebras in the penultimate round at Burbank Oval on Saturday.
