By Lance Jenkinson
Williamstown CYMS has tackled all the challenges thrown its way to head into the Queen’s Birthday break undefeated and on top of the Victorian Amateur Football Association Premier C ladder.
The CYs improved to 8-0 after a 33-point win over Marcellin that was frankly not their best showing of the season at Fearon Reserve on Saturday.
CYs coach Mathew Montebello conceded his team might have had one eye on the bye week during the second half of Saturday’s win, but his players had done enough in a nine-goal second-quarter blitz to come away with a win.
“I didn’t think we necessarily played overly well,” he said. “The second quarter we got on top of them, started to win the footy and were clean with our execution, which made a massive difference.
“We came out after half-time probably thinking a little too much about the bye coming up.
“I don’t think they expected Marcellin to come out the way they did [in the second half] … we had a firm discussion at three-quarter time about what it means to be the hunted and how preparing for that means you’ve got to be switched on all the time.”
Williamstown CYMS has been business-like in the season to date.
The CYs are yet to fully hit their straps, even though they are two games clear on top and seemingly untouchable at this stage.
“I don’t think it’s like last year where we jumped out of the blocks, playing outstanding footy straight away,” Montebello said.
“We’ve had to manage players, we’ve had players going in and out, we’ve had some inconsistencies within games and with cohesion.
“But those challenges have been really good. We’ve been able to explore our depth a bit more and I think the boys have a better understanding of themselves.
“That can’t be lost on a game like today and where everything is sitting in the big picture.”
Williamstown CYMS knows all too well that June form is not a key indicator of premiership form.
The CYs went through last season’s home-and-away rounds undefeated, only to be bundled out of the finals in straight sets.
Montebello does not need to remind his players of the growth that is needed between now and finals.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement and there always is,” Montebello said. “We saw in 2018 the proof of that.
“You can finish on top of the ladder and be the most dominant side and then in the finals you can realise there were things that you didn’t get right.
“That’s a big motivation for us. We don’t talk about 2018 too much, but it sits in our head that until we get to the end where we want to. There’s a constant improvement that’s required and constant reviewing.”
Nick Blackney was the standout for Williamstown CYMS in the victory over Marcellin.
Blackney, a ruck-forward, jumped up off his sick bed after suffering with flu and produced one of his best games of the season.
“He was crook as yesterday and he played as good a game as I’ve seen anyone play in the last two or three years,” Montebello said.
“He would’ve taken a dozen contested marks. He played 50-50 in the ruck and was roving his own taps and creating his own centre clearances – that’s how dominant he was.
“Any time the ball went anywhere near him, he just engulfed it.”
Jack Gialamatzis and Damon Tucker were superb in defence for CYs, with Lachlan Fairley leading the way in attack with three goals.
