By LIAM TWOMEY
WILLIAMSTOWN is the VFL Development League premiers after a thrilling one-point win against Box Hill on Saturday.
After leading for the first three quarters, the Seagulls were challenged in the last term as the Hawks powered home.
Box Hill kicked 6.1 to Williamstown’s 2.7 and drew level as time ran out on the clock.
The teams then played out the golden point format which sees the match continue with the next score winning.
To the delight of the Seagulls’ faithful it was Williamstown which hit the front with a point to kick off the premiership celebrations.
“We got five or six goals in front and we were sort of out on our feet a little bit with injuries and everything,” Seagulls’ development coach Brett Henderson said.
“You don’t really know when the golden point time kicks in so around the 30 minute mark we sort of thought it could be happening.
“It is a bit of a guessing game and you are just trying to get messages to players not to rush points and the logistics of doing that is pretty difficult.
“Box Hill certainly had their chances to score and fortunately for us our boys really stood up under pressure. It went for about six and a half minutes before someone scored and luckily it was us.”
The Seagulls’ future looks increasingly bright with a number of the club’s young stars standing up on the big stage.
Josh Bench was named best on ground while Sean Hetherington was also outstanding.
“It is just great for all the boys,” Henderson said.
“They are a really close group and they have worked really hard. They were pretty disappointed last year to win every game and then get bumped out in a prelim by three or four points. It would have been pretty devastating to lose yesterday so it is very pleasing for them. It has been a fantastic year.”
With Williamstown going standalone in 2014, Henderson is also confident a number of the club’s development side members will grow into quality VFL players.
“That would be the expectation,” he said.
“I think of the players we rolled out yesterday in the development, there are probably 14 or 15 of them that have played senior footy and the ones that haven’t are still capable of doing so themselves.
“From that group you would be hopeful that 10 to 15 of them can become really consistent top-line VFL players in the coming four or five years.”
