Above: Werribee’s high-leaping Ben Warren attempts a mark against Williamstown. Pictures: JOE MASTROIANNI
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
WERRIBEE led almost all game but not when it counted, going down by seven points to Western rival Williamstown in an epic encounter that finished in somewhat controversial circumstances.
Williamstown’s Jason Tutt was awarded a 50-metre penalty in the dying stages to put the Seagulls one point in front, and then Jack Redpath marked on the final siren, and also received a 50m penalty to seal victory.
It was a game that ended in plenty of “what-ifs” for the Tigers. What if the umpire had not awarded Tutt a 50m penalty? What if the half-time siren blew five seconds earlier to prevent Cameron Lockwood kicking a goal? What if the Tigers took their chances early?
Werribee was 17 points up with five minutes to go, but goals to Tom Hill, Damien Bugeja and Tutt in a thrilling climax gave Williamstown the four premiership points.
The Tigers kicked the first four goals and went in to the main break with a 39-point lead, but the Seagulls willed themselves into the match in the second quarter to close the gap to 16 points.
The Tigers momentarily surrendered the lead late in the second quarter, but Ben Warren slammed one through from 50m to hand Werribee a four-point lead going into the main break.
Warren was Werribee’s best player, kicking six goals and proving difficult to match up on.
At the other end of the ground Leigh Harding was superb when the Seagulls had their tails up and were coming hard, and was part of a back line that withstood Williamstown’s pressure and allowed the Tigers to keep their noses in front.
It was only two small patches – early in the third quarter and late in the final quarter, that Werribee let Williamstown get a run-on, but the Seagulls had enough class to make the most of their opportunities.
It took Williamstown a half of footy to work out how to break down Werribee’s pressure. Even when the Seagulls cut the margin in the second quarter, it was more through sheer force of will than an expertly executed game plan.
Werribee coach Scott West was gutted after the match, but said he was proud of the side’s effort.
“I think sometimes when you get behind you take the game on more than you usually would. They took the game on a little bit, they got a couple of goals, and obviously a goal from a 50m penalty and those sort of things don’t help,” West said.
“They just got the run of the ball in the end and we couldn’t get out a stoppage to get it going our way, and we didn’t take our chances early. I thought we were quite good all day. Games are going to ebb and flow, and that’s what happened today, we flowed early they ebbed and vice versa later in the game.”
“You’ve got to take something out of the game and I take (Williamstown) are a top two side before today, won the Foxtel Cup and played in last year’s grand final. For three and a half quarters we were very competitive … and you’ve got to take that out of it. But as I said to the players it’s a four quarter game. You can’t even have 10 minutes rest.”
Williamstown coach Peter German said his side played three great quarters and one poor one.
“We were being beaten at the stoppages, low in our tackle count, and beaten for the hard ball,” he said.
“Ben Jolley probably single-handedly got us back on track. The boys just seemed to grow and get a bit more confidence.
“I think as a team we were able to hang on. You just hope you’ve got enough legs or luck goes your way.”
German said the Seagulls spent plenty of time during the week working out how to slice through Werribee’s high pressure style of play.
“Certainly what Westy has done is made them an honest side. You don’t get easy possessions against them. I think both teams are very similar the way they play.”
Williamstown 17.18 (110) d Werribee 15.13 (103)
Goals: Williamstown: J. Tutt 4, T. Dickson 3. Werribee: B. Warren 6, L. Hansen 3.
Best: Williamstown: B. Jolley, L. Jong. Werribee: B. Warren, L. Harding.
