ALL season Werribee Tigers and Williamstown have co-existed harmoniously at Chirnside Park as the Seagulls’ Point Gellibrand home undergoes a makeover.
Expect no pleasantries or civilities as the two clubs vie for a place in the 2011 Peter Jackson VFL Grand Final.
Williamstown has owned Werribee in recent years, but the Seagulls don’t need any reminding that North Ballarat had their number over the past five seasons until the Qualifying Final.
And, Williamstown has a bogey of its own to discard – they’ve lost the past four Preliminary Finals they’ve contested – 2010; 2008; 2007 and 2006. Many of those games saw Williamstown start favourite, just as they will this weekend.
Several factors will give Williamstown confidence they will be able to return to its first Grand Final since they won the 2003 premiership.
While the tempo ramps up in finals and the personnel is different from during the home and away season, Williamstown won both its games against Werribee this season.
The Seagulls belted Werribee by 51-points in the season opener, but the margin – 13-points - was nowhere near as decisive when the clubs last met in round 17.
More importantly, Williamstown comes off a resounding 67-point win against North Ballarat, a club which had beaten it, albeit narrowly, in both games this season.
After an arm wrestle in the first quarter Williamstown took control and really put the Roosters to the sword over the final three quarters.
It was an emphatic victory and dauntingly for Werribee the Seagulls have a swag of eligible Western Bulldogs players to come into the team.
Patrick Vezspremi, Jason Tutt, Ed Barlow and Jayden Schofield all played with the Dogs when Williamstown last played the Tigers, but are qualified and if available all will play.
But, Williamstown’s biggest inclusion is captain Brett Johnson, one of, if not the best big game player in the competition.
It presents a formidable challenge for Werribee, but the young Tigers have made gigantic strides this season under new coach Paul Satterley who has taken them back to the finals for the first time in three years.
Werribee has improved as the season has progressed with young players Matt O'Dwyer, Sean Tighe, Kyle Hartigan, Brad Mangan and Jarrod Mather all emerging as bona fide VFL players.
The Tigers have also been well served by captain Dominic Gleeson, goal sneak Robbie Castello and midfielder Ben Sharp, who’s enjoying a career year.
But, perhaps Werribee’s most influential player is former North Melbourne utility Leigh Harding who has been outstanding all season as he’s directed proceedings and set up play from across half back.
As with most games this Preliminary Final will be determined by who wins in the midfield. Williamstown has the services of big Will Minson, who has been among the best players every time he’s played for the Seagulls and also polled in the top 10 of the Liston.
If Minson can win out against the emerging Majak Daw then it will provide an armchair ride for Messrs Johnson, Ben Jolley, Tutt, Mitch Wallis and co.
Mangan did a great job last week shutting down Brendan Fevola. His task this weekend is likely to subdue Bulldogs veteran Mitch Hahn who has been in great form all season long.
Werribee will take the match right up to Williamstown, but they may fall short in the class department.
Click HERE for the ABC TV preview of the game.
Click HERE to view this weekend's teams.
WHEN: Sunday September 18, 2:10pm
WHERE: TEAC Oval
Head to head
Played: 51
Williamstown Seagulls: 28
Werribee: 23
2011 meetings
Rd 1 Werribee Tigers 15.13.103 def. by Williamstown 23.16.154
Rd 21 Williamstown 13.11.89 def. Werribee Tigers 11.10.76
High/low scores
Williamstown Seagulls
30.18.798 (1983) / 1.9.15 (1996)
Werribee Tigers
26.23.179 (1982) / 3.6.24 (2009)
Last Modified on 16/09/2011 15:08