IT can be a thankless task rebuilding a football team when you have come so close to the holy grail.
Seven months ago, Peter German was sitting in the Williamstown coaches box plotting but ultimately failing in his attempt to mastermind the downfall of mighty Port Melbourne, which is still on an amazing winning streak.
A frustration for German and his coaching staff is the unfair pressure from external sources, who judge the Seagulls on recent history instead of rating the list on its current dynamic.
The Seagulls were dubbed by many as one of the premiership favourites before a ball was bounced this season, but that was unfair with the experienced players of yesteryear not readily available for selection.
Even a month into the new season, German told the Weekly he was still trying to figure out where his young side fits into the VFL pecking order.
“It’s a young group, a really young group, the youngest group I’ve been involved with in my time here,” he said.
“That takes time to develop. We haven’t got a lot of the experienced players from last year. We’re still finding out about them, we’re still learning and they’re trying to get their heads around their roles and a different style of play.
“Not until halfway through the year can we gauge if we’re top four or even finals material.”
The coaches are leaving no stone unturned to fast-track their list to be a contender again in the VFL, whether it be this year or further down the track.
The benefits of that will flow on to their AFL affiliate, the Western Bulldogs, where it will create better competition for spots.
The Seagulls took a giant leap forward on Saturday when they snapped a nine-year hoodoo at Eureka Stadium to beat bogey side North Ballarat by 52 points.
With both sides holding an unfamiliar 1-2 win-loss record heading into the weekend, it was going to be the more desperate side who would go on to win and that was the Seagulls from start to finish.
The Seagulls’ inexperience has seen them endure form fluctuations. That was not the case against the Roosters as they had the first six scoring shots of the game and were merciless in their pursuit of victory.
“You can play four quarters that look good on the scoreboard, but the reason I was pleased is that it was four quarters of what we focused on, getting numbers around the ball, being physical and defending as a team,” German said.
“We were able to maintain that for four quarters.”
Justin Sherman epitomised what the Seagulls were all about.
The past six quarters – two against Geelong on Easter Sunday and the best-on-ground performance against the Roosters – have been some of his best in the VFL.
“He was terrific,” German said. “It was his best game for us.
“The second half against Geelong we started to see his run and his intensity around the ball and he was able to back that up for four quarters at the weekend.”
Fresh-faced 199-centimetre forward Tom Hill is grasping his Seagulls senior berth with both hands – the inexperienced 21yearold booted three goals and is clearly benefiting from the time put into his development.
“We’re starting to see some good rewards with how hard he’s been working over the summer,” German said.
“We’re talking about his physical attributes, gett-
ing bigger with his weights and strength and being able to compete in the air.
“He’s maturing as a young man.”
German praise the efforts of his captain Ben Jolley, Patrick Veszpremi, Jamie McNamara, Ed Carr and Jason Johannisen but, in truth, he could have mentioned all 23 because that was the kind of contribution needed to break such a long standing Eureka Stadium hoodoo.
“It was a good team effort,” German said.
The Seagulls face their biggest challenge of the season to date away to Sandringham Zebras at the Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday from 2pm.
VFL SCOREBOARD
Seniors: North Ballarat 7.15 (57) lt Williamstown 16.13 (103). Williamstown – goals: T Hill 3, B Goodes 2, J Redpath 2, J Sherman, M Wallis, J Tutt, T Campbell, J Johannisen, M Stockdale, P Veszpremi, J Mead, D Pearce. Best: J Sherman, M Wallis, M Austin, J McNamara, J Johannisen, T Hill.
Development: North Ballarat 10.8 (68) lt Williamstown 14.16 (100). Williamstown – goals:
H Hector 2, D Bugeja 2, D Conway 2, M Cravino 2, B Christodoulou, N Walters, N Giles, S Wyatt,
R Muggivan, R Ball. Best: M Fogarty, D Bugeja, M Cravino, K McHarg, P Smith, N Giles.
