By Travis Parnaby
A brilliant third quarter has spurred Williamstown to its 10th Reserve grade premiership by 31 points over Box Hill at TEAC Oval last Saturday.
The Seagulls were paced by five goals from gun full-forward Dean Galea and a best on ground effort from damaging half-back James Beaumont, who was awarded the Fred Hill Memorial Medal.
The Seagulls poured on seven goals to three in a telling third quarter and held off the Hawks in a tight final quarter.
The Hawks fighting spirit could not be questioned as they took it right up to the Seagulls in the first half and trailed by just three points at the major break.
Box Hill's ability to clog up Williamstown's space frustrated the Seagulls, who struggled to carve a direct passage to goal and gave away reckless free kicks.
But the Seagulls, who finished second after the home and away season, re-set at half-time and its fringe VFL senior players such as Galea and Beaumont demonstrated their class.
Best for Box Hill was George Angelopoulos with three goals.
Williamstown coach Saade Ghazi was pleased his side was able to curb its undisciplined acts and increase their intensity in the second half.
“Early on they flooded and we knew that if we were going with the wind they would put a couple back,” Ghazi said.
“We were undisciplined in the first half and they got I think four goals from 50m penalties.
“We just said to persevere, get a bit more disciplined and to stick at it and we had a great third quarter.”
Ghazi said Galea was a good focal point for the Seagulls at full-forward and was pleased with Beaumont’s dashing performance.
“He is a very good player, he’s played probably 10 senior games this year,” Ghazi said.
“He’s been good through the year, a good rebounding half back and kicks the ball well.”
Seagull Jarrad Boumann chipped in with three goals and Jackson Barling impressed.
Ghazi stressed the importance of strong depth at a VFL club and said pressure for spots in the senior side was crucial.
“One thing about Williamstown over the years is that they’ve had good depth,” he said.
“They (the reserves players) know they could come in at any week and the senior guys have got to perform.”
Ghazi added that the Reserves premiership would spur on many of the younger players at the club.
“There’s a couple of kids who haven’t’ played a senior game – Luke Cartelli and Josh Young,” he said.
“They were very close towards the end of the year. Those two players should push up and play senior footy.
“Then there are guys who played three or four games who should be looking at 12 games of senior footy.”