One up … Williamstown defender James Mulligan gets the jump on Brendan Fevola. 65227_05
By Michael Esposito
The Seagulls’ 40-point win against Casey on Saturday showed only patches of the type of football German is trying to get his side to play.
“We started well but we let them kick seven goals in the second quarter so I wouldn’t say that was too convincing,” German said.
“The way we’re playing at the moment is still a little bit inconsistent, we dominate for one quarter and then the game turns around so I think a lot of that is to do with our lack of urgency.
“In the first quarter we dominated the inside 50s and even the second half we dominated the inside 50s, we almost doubled them in all those quarters.
“We did at times use the ball really well but it’s not for four quarters, it’s for two quarters or two-and-a-half quarters.”
German said the youthful make-up of the side was always going to make consistency a challenge.
After a four-goal-to-nothing first quarter, Williamstown was just three points up at half-time. But the Seagulls tightened the screws in the second half and conceded only three more goals, while kicking four goals apiece in the third and fourth terms to run out 15.18 (108) to 10.8 (68) winners.
James Mulligan restricted Brendan Fevola to three goals and was named Williamstown’s best player, while Melbourne’s Tom Scully, returning from injury, was valuable but not damaging for Casey with 19 possessions and a goal.
German said Mulligan had been Williamstown’s best defender this year.
Midfielder Ben Jolley continued his outstanding season and was named in the Seagulls’ best for the fifth time this year
“He’s been a model of consistency,” German said. “Nothing changes from week to week whether it’s his training, whether it’s his preparation for the game, whether it’s his leadership within the club, he’s just an outstanding player for Williamstown Football Club.”
Ayce Cordy did his part to instil further confidence in the Western Bulldogs coaching staff and supporters that his injury woes were a distant memory with another heartening performance, sharing the ruck duties with Ben Hudson and kicking two goals from strong marks.
German said Cordy was getting better each week and had responded well to being played in different positions.
The Seagulls take on SANFL side West Adelaide in Adelaide in the second round of the Foxtel Cup this Saturday.
German said he wouldn’t know until tomorrow at the earliest whom he would pick for the trip to SA.
“The bottom line is we’ll be certainly going over there to win it, that’s for sure,” he said.
Williamstown 15.18 (108) d Casey 10.8 (68).
Goals – Williamstown: J. Grant 4, A. Hopper 3. Casey: B. Fevola 3, J. Howe 2.
Best – Williamstown: J. Mulligan, B. Johnson. Casey: M. Gawn, J. Howe.
