The stakes were too high for Williamstown to let this one slip.
The Seagulls had to find a way to grind out a hard-fought 17-point win over Casey Scorpions in the Victorian Football League at Casey Fields on Saturday, knowing a victory would all but secure a finals double chance before two extremely tough games to round out the regular season.
“It’s your goal at the start of the year, you always want to secure the top four and the double chance,” Seagulls football manager Chris Dixon told Star Weekly.
“A bit like us, they were coming off a pretty disappointing loss the week before, so we knew they were going to come at us pretty hard and we were respectful of what they’ve been able to do this year.
“It was a good challenge, so we’re really pleased to get the result.”
It was a game that was full of momentum swings.
The Scorpions had the hot start but did not take full advantage, leading by 10 points at quarter time when it could have been more.
The Seagulls hit back in the second quarter, banging on five of the six goals to take a 19-point lead into the half-time break.
The game was at near level pegging come three quarter time, but it would end up a war of attrition with both sides finishing the game two rotations down and big name players to boot.
Two of the Seagulls driving forces, Adam Marcon and Jack Johnstone, had their day ended in the first half due to injury, while Scorpions stars Jack Fitzpatrick, who kicked four goals, and Jimmy Toumpas also had early showers due to ailments.
The Seagulls were on the back foot at times in the second half, but their defence once again came to the fore.
The Scorpions had 13 more inside 50s on the Seagulls stats sheet but finished with seven less scoring shots.
“Our defence really held up well, we were able to repel a lot of their attacks and use that to generate some of our ball movement,” Dixon said.
“We were able to withhold their pressure when they were coming at us and score a bit more efficiently the other way.
“It certainly wasn’t a comfortable win.”
When the Seagulls have needed a lift this season, it has generally been their leaders Ben Jolley and Sam Dunell pointing the way.
Jolley, the inspirational captain, had to dig deep with his side a couple of soldiers down.
“Our numbers had him for 25 disposals in the second half alone,” Dixon said.
“It was a really great performance from him, he led the way.
“It was a real energy-sapping game, we were down a couple of our runners, so it was important for him to keep running hard and doing what he does.”
Dunell, one of the VFL recruits of the year, has made a name for himself at Williamstown for his ability to play the swingman role.
It was his exploits on the attacking end this week that drew the plaudits with the former St Kilda player finishing with five goals and 12 marks.
“It was really pleasing for those guys to stand up when it mattered,” Dixon said of Dunell and Jolley.
Mitch Banner won plenty of the ball in the midfield for the Seagulls, while ruckman Nick Meese imposed his will on the contest.
Anthony Anastasio, Andrew Gallucci and Sam Critchley snared two goals apiece.
While the Seagulls have all but mathematically clinched a top four berth, they are not going to settle for that.
In a week in which the club extended its venue naming rights sponsorship with Burbank for the next five years, the Seagulls want to reward their partner with a home final.
“We’d love to show them off by getting a home final there,” Dixon said.
“It’s going to mean we’re going to need to get past two good footy teams to do that.
“Werribee beat us last time and Box Hill best us last time, so we’re well aware of the challenges we’ve got ahead in the next two weeks.”
The Seagulls will host Werribee in the western derby at Burbank Oval on Saturday at 2pm.
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