A blistering five goal to one final term from Williamstown has spurred the Seagulls to a 30-point win against Collingwood at Victoria Park on Saturday, catapulting them back to second position on the ladder. Brendan Lucas reports.
Williamstown were coming into the game in the wake of a dismal performance in their top of the table clash with Port Melbourne last week, whilst Collingwood were looking for two in a row, after defeating Geelong in a thriller.
The first three quarters provided a spectacle, as fans watched on in anticipation.
The Pies had the wind in the first quarter, but it was the Seagulls’ Ed Barlow who opened Williamstown’s account with a goal. Tight contested footy provided the setting, as the game began to shape into what would be a thrilling contest, as the Pies’ Declan Reilly soccered through a late goal to give them a narrow five-point lead at the first change.
Western Bulldog Barry Hall spent the week in the VFL to find his form, along with Mitch Hahn and Brian Lake. But Hall quickly made his presence felt in the second term, with a strong mark and goal at the eight-minute mark, followed by another to finish with two for the half.
By half time the Pies were still in front, and held a ten-point lead at the main break, capitalising on costly turnovers by the Seagulls.
The second half started slowly, as a ten-minute drought in the third quarter was broken by two quick Seagulls’ goals - with one coming from Barry Hall to give him his third – and put them in front by two points at the 12-minute mark.
Collingwood were quick to respond with a check side from Pies’ Brad Dick which snatched back a four-point lead, to give him his third for the day.
Heading into the last change, Pies’ coach Tarkyn Lockyer was keen to finish strongly, as Collingwood AFL coach Mick Malthouse and apprentice Nathan Buckley helped to spur on the team.
However, it was all the Seagulls in the final term, as they proved the more willing to close out the game. A depleted Pies’ bench saw them run out of legs, as goals through Sam Reid and Mitch Hahn - who finished with two for the quarter - dented the hopes of the Pies’ faithful.
Barry Hall sealed the game at the 22-minute mark for the Seagulls, finishing with 4 goals, 5 behinds. Inaccurate kicking was the only downside of his performance, and he looks the most likely of the trio of Bulldogs’ players to return to the AFL this week.
“[Barry] was good, he was positive, he could have kicked a few more though, although there were times where we went to him when we could have gone elsewhere,” said Williamstown coach Peter German on Hall’s performance.
“Brian [Lake] looked at bit out of touch, but he has been working hard over the last four or five weeks, he is still not one hundred per cent, but a couple of times he did show his experience.”
Peter German also commented on the persistence of the players after three quarter time, when the game was there for the taking.
“I thought our players probably just lifted that five or ten percent that enabled us to win the contested football in the really important contests, and they were able to actually capitalise. If we were able to do that earlier on we would have made it easier for ourselves,” he said.
Williamstown will look to consolidate second position on the VFL ladder, as they will face the in form Casey Scorpions at the Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday, whilst Collingwood travel to Coburg to take on the Tigers in the ABC TV game.
Collingwood 4.3 9.6 10.7 11.10 (76)
Williamstown 3.4 7.8 10.9 15.16 (106)
Last Modified on 23/05/2011 15:35