Tara Murray
Williamstown showed glimpses of what it can do in the Victorian Football League on Saturday against Southport.
While the Seagulls entered the match undefeated, they had been anything but convincing in their first two wins,
On Saturday, it was a good battle for the first half, with only one point separating the two teams at the main break.
The Seagulls found another level in the third quarter to break open the match. That would prove the difference in the 17.10 (112)-8.18 (66) win.
Seagulls director of coaching Jeff Andrews said not only were they happy with the win, but the way they went about it.
He said having the week off between rounds two and three had really helped.
“It was what we needed,” he said. “We gelled significantly better and came together well.
“We had a few meetings during the last couple of weeks. As we’d played a couple of Friday games we had only trained once a week.
“We were able to train for things and give the players a bit more clarity on how we want to play and that is what we did.”
The difference in the game would be the third quarter when the Seagulls kicked eight goals to Southport’s none, with the margin going from one point to 45 points.
Andrews said while on the scoreboard it was one quarter that was the difference, overall their performance was much stronger.
“The effort and intensity was there for four quarters,” he said. “We broke down a little bit by not hitting the last kick.
“The intensity and the pressure wasn’t there for four quarters in the first couple of matches and that was our focus and we were happy to get the result.”
Corey Rich kicked three goals for the Seagulls, while Jovan Petric, Noah Gadsby, Nick Ebinger, Blake Coleman, Josh Browne and Jack Brown kicked two goals each.
Andrews said it was crucial to have a spread of options which makes it harder to match up on.
Star recruit Brodie McLaughlin will be back either this week or next to add another option up forward.
Aiden Bonar had 24 disposals, while Finn O’Dwyer and Riley Collier-Dawkins had 22 possessions.
Andrews said Bonar, O’Dwyer and Luke Parks had good games in defence, while Jack Toner was good in the middle.
He said Rich up forward along with Jack Brown, who was making his debut, were also good.
The Seagulls have another task this weekend, facing the Footscray Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs are also undefeated after three rounds.
“We’re looking forward to it,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve beaten them in a couple of years.”
In the VFLW, Williamstown lost to ladder leaders, the Box Hill Hawks, 4.7 (31)-3.3 (21).
