Tara Murray
Williamstown mastered Richmond and the conditions on the way to another win in the Victorian Football League.
Winter hit hard on Saturday with heavy winds and rain turning football matches into hard slogs and it was no different on Saturday night.
The Seagulls were able to play the conditions at DSV Stadium better for longer to come away with an 8.10 (58)-5.6 (36) win.
Seagulls director of coaching Jeff Andrews said they were pretty happy with the win. He said playing at home did make a bit of a difference where they know the conditions a bit better.
“It was not pleasant,” he said. “It was cold, wet and windy.
“They were one spot above us on the ladder and had been playing well. It was a much needed win for the boys.
“The boys played really well and played the way we know that we can play.”
Andrews said they had been hoping to continue the form from the week before after a tough run of games.
Despite seven changes heading into that game, the Seagulls were able to come away with the points and get back on the winners list.
On Saturday night, it was about who could use the wind the best.
“All the scoring was done at one end besides two goals,” Andrews said. “You had to try and score in the quarters you had the wind and stop them from scoring in the other quarters.
“In the first quarter we controlled the game before they kicked two late goals to get them back on track.
“We were good in the second and we held them in the third before kicking away in the last.”
“We played the conditions well.”
Tom Downie was the only multiple goal kicker for the Seagulls with two, along with 28 disposals.
Andrews said while it wasn’t conditions for the big men, Downie was head and shoulders above everyone else on the ground.
Corey Ellison and Riley Collier-Dawkins were another couple of standouts for the Seagulls.
The win moves the Seagulls to seventh on the ladder.
Andrews said they would likely get a few more players back the next couple of weeks before a bye.
He said they needed to continue to focus on doing what they had been doing to lock up a finals spot.
“We know if we continue to play our brand the last few weeks we should be able to do that.”
The Seagulls this week face the Box Hill Hawks on Sunday.
