WILLIAMSTOWN has swooped on fifth spot on the VFL ladder, with an early attack by the bay catching the startled Sandringham Zebras by surprise last Saturday as Brendan Lucas reports.
Three quick goals from diamond-in-the-rough Stephen McCallum got Willy going in the shocking conditions and they pulled away for a 66-point victory at Point Gellibrand.
It was win number five on the trot for the Seagulls and coach Peter German called it a ‘big step’ going into September.
Tom Campbell gave far more effective use to the Seagull midfielders, but only narrowly tipped the hit-outs in his side's favour 38-32 against Michael Sikora.
The Zebras' leading goalkicker, Daniel Archer, finally gave the visitors the kick-start they needed in the second quarter.
But despite a wave of forward 50 entries the Zebras failed to mirror the Seagulls' scoreboard damage up until half time.
Williamstown's offensive press was continuing to prove efficient with the breeze.
A soccer-style kick off the ground gave McCallum his fourth, out-bodying opponent Cameron Shenton early in the third term.
The Seagulls then turned up the heat at the 16-minute mark, kicking seven unanswered goals.
The Zebras went scoreless in the third quarter, reflecting a dismal day.
They had gathered 78 and 72 possessions respectively in the first and second terms, but were smashed in output with only 50 in the third.
Coach Simon McPhee was beside himself at three-quarter-time, labeling the effort "unacceptable''.
Despite carrying a wind advantage into the last quarter things went from bad to worse for Sandy.
The Seagulls turned a one-point scoring end into a sea of opportunities, resulting from relentless pressure from small forward Andrew Hooper who finished with three.
With both sides carrying heavy legs out of the game Seagulls coach German said he did not want their home ground to host finals.
"Not in these conditions I won't, not at all. I think it won't worry me where we play. I just want to play on a ground where there is spectators, it is a spectators sport," he said.
German praised his side's ability to capitalise on the scoreboard kicking into the wind.
"`I think the longer you go without kicking a goal in conditions like that the more you panic. It was good, a couple of early goals set us up.
"`I think that is where tactics do play a big part. It takes me back to the days with the Casey Scorpions and how in the wind you had to manufacture goals with it.''
Sandringham, sixth on the ladder and assured of playing finals, visits Casey Scorpions in the final round. In form teams Williamstown and Geelong will go head to head on Saturday at Simonds Stadium.
Last Modified on 23/08/2012 11:53