Saturday’s prelim was truly played at finals-like intensity. 87155_12 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
A BRAVE and exciting two-month run came to a fatal halt on Saturday as Williamstown was beaten by old enemy Port Melbourne in their VFL preliminary final at North Port Oval.
The young Seagulls had surprised everybody with their late-season string of successive scalps that included the final top four, but against the experience of the un-aligned Borough, their gas finally ran out.
Going into the replay of last year’s grand final for a spot in this year’s decider, heavy underdogs Williamstown looked shell-shocked in the opening exchanges, but steadied to ensure their quarter -time deficit remained respectable at just 13 points.
Two goals early in the second term brought the game level before Port again kicked clear to lead by 12 at the main break.
Williamstown fought valiantly throughout the entire day to stay in touch with the reigning premiers, but after half time the game’s intensity rose to a new level.
Both clubs put everything on the line in a contest fitting for this time of year, however on the scoreboard, not much changed.
Williamstown continued to press, but missed crucial chances when they came their way, while Port simply managed to keep them at arm’s length.
The Borough kicked three goals in the third term, but just two of Williamstown’s seven scoring shots were majors, making life very hard for the visitors.
At three-quarter time, the margin was out to 16 but the general consensus was the Seagulls should have been at least within a kick.
The intense physicality of the first three quarters began to take its toll on the young bodies of Williamstown, and the last quarter would have been a complete blowout had Port Melbourne kicked straight themselves.
Similar to what Williamstown produced in the third term, the Borough kicked 2.7 in the final stanza to the Seagulls’ single point, inflating the final margin to 34 points and booking Port their place in this Sunday’s grand final.
While disappointed to go down the way his side did in the final quarter, Williamstown coach Peter German was upbeat with what his charges produced for most of the game.
“If you look at it across the bulk of the game, the boys stood up pretty well,” German told Star.
“There were probably two or three times in the third quarter and even early in the last where, if we had have kicked straight we would have been only a goal or so in it and it would’ve been game on, but we just didn’t take those opportunities when they presented themselves.”
German went on to praise Williamstown’s entire second half of the year.
“They should be proud of the way they’ve approached the last eight weeks and their last two finals,” he said.
“Even this one, where they fought it out to the end when really, we were probably undermanned.”
Port Melbourne: 12.15 (87) d Williamstown: 7.11 (53)
Goals: Port Melbourne: Burstin 2, Bonaddio 2, Scipione. Williamstown: Roberts 3, McHarg, Goodes. Best: Port Melbourne: Dillon, Sandilands, Wooffindin. Williamstown: Frost, McCallum, Talia.
