Williamstown has ended its alignment with the Western Bulldogs in the VFL. 87155_02 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By LIAM TWOMEY
WILLIAMSTOWN and the Western Bulldogs will end their Victorian Football League alignment at the end of the 2013 season.
The official announcement was made last week with both clubs electing to field stand-alone teams in the VFL by 2014.
Williamstown general manager Brendan Curry said the decision would give his club total control over its future.
“The new agreement for the 2013 season is a significant result for the Seagulls, and we are excited by the opportunities it will bring for the club as we transition into a stand-alone model in 2014,” he said.
“I think everyone we have spoken to who follows Williamstown is very excited.
“We haven’t had one piece of negative feedback or response or comment about Williamstown going stand-alone.”
The decision was made just days after Williamstown’s exit from the VFL finals series at the hands of powerhouse stand-alone club Port Melbourne.
After successfully playing out the second half of the 2012 season with predominantly Williamstown-listed players each week, the Seagulls are confident the decision will not affect the club’s on field performance.
Even though the two clubs will remain aligned for an additional season, Curry said the majority of match day spots would be for Williamstown-listed players next year.
“I think in the second half of this year we saw when we were playing predominantly our VFL-listed players there was a vast improvement in on-field results and effort.
“We have always had a strong VFL list. We sat down with our players last week to explain to our players what’s happening next year and in 2014. I know that going forward in 2013 that the majority of spots in our senior side every week will be for VFL-listed players.
“We were only playing with six or seven AFL-listed rookies in the last four or five weeks and we were more than competitive and performed well in the finals, so I don’t think we have to re-invent the wheel.”
The decision means by 2014 Frankston, Port Melbourne, Coburg, Bendigo, Essendon, Collingwood, Geelong, Richmond and the Bulldogs will all field stand-alone teams.
Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick said forming a stand-alone VFL side had been a strategic objective for the club.
“This outcome is consistent with our increased focus and commitment to the development of our young exciting players,” he said.
“This decision supports our strategic objective to build and develop our team from within and the ultimate delivery of sustainable success, both on and off the field.”
Garlick indicated the stand-alone side would play home matches at Whitten Oval and throughout the western suburbs region to reinforce the club’s standing as the team of Melbourne’s West.
