Tara Murray
Williamstown remains unbeaten despite not playing its best football in the first two rounds of the Victorian Football League.
After a round one win against Frankston, the Seagulls faced another standalone side, Coburg, on Good Friday.
The match went down to the wire, with the Seagulls claiming the win, 12.11 (83)-11.11 (77).
Seagulls football general manager Jeff Andrews said while they were happy to take the win, they still have a lot of improvement to come.
“We would like to play a touch better,” he said. “Both teams Frankston and Coburg have improved a fair bit.
“They will shake a few teams. They have a crack, that is for sure.”
Andrews said for much of the game they were able to get out to a lead and then Coburg was able to real them back in.,
He said the difference came down to one area.
“We were able to play the important moments pretty well,” he said.
“We were able to hold the momentum.”
Nick Ebinger and Blake Coleman kicked three goals each for the Seagulls, while Toby Triffett and Jack Toner kicked two apiece.
Andrews said Finn O’Dwyer, who had 27 disposals, Riley Collier-Dawkins had good games while Ebinger and Coleman were both influential in the result.
Andrews said the team was slowly coming together after a number of changes in the off season. Among those the Seagulls lost, were key defenders Oscar McDonald and Marty Hore, who are both back in the AFL system, while Ben Jolley retired.
“We’re getting to know each other,” Andrews said. “We’ve got 10-11 new players who are starting to come together.
“There was a little bit more experience on [Friday] which was important in the one-on-one contests.
“It is coming together, we were missing James?>> Cousins and Tom Downie on the weekend.
“It takes time. As much training as you can get into them, nothing meets the experience of playing together.”
The Seagulls have a bye this week with a VFL team facing a South Australian National Football League representative side.
Downie and new recruit Brodie McLaughlin were the two Seagulls named in the initial squad of 50 which will be cut this week.
Andrews said the break would give them the chance to freshen up before a tough three game block at home.
“We’ve got Southport, Footscray and then Werribee on Anzac Day,” he said. “They are challenging games coming up.”
Meanwhile, the Seagulls women’s side had to settle for a draw in their VFLW clash with Essendon on Saturday.
The Bombers jumped out to an early lead and led by 21 points at quarter time. The Bombers held a steady margin at the next two breaks.
The Seagulls came home strongly, with the only two goals of the final term, to level the scores, 5.5 (35)-4.11 (35).
