By Mark Murray
WILLIAMSTOWN suffered its first loss of the Victorian Football League (VFL) season on Saturday, going down to reigning premier Sandringham by 22 points.
The Seagulls went into the match without suffering defeat, having played in two draws this season.
But they were quickly reminded of what it takes to be a power in this competition by a seasoned pro in the Dragons, who remain undefeated on top of the VFL ladder.
More bad news for Williamstown was the knee injury to Chris Egan.
The Collingwood forward could miss up to a month with a medial ligament strain.
Williamstown was playing catch-up football from the onset after conceding 5.3 to 1.1 in the opening quarter.
They rallied in the second term with captain Brett Johnson leading from the front, piling on 6.7 to 4.2 for the term to narrow the margin at the main break to nine points.
Danny Stanley, Kane McKenzie, Clinton Proctor and Daniel Nicholls worked hard for the Seagulls and helped them stay in the match heading into the final term.
But they couldn’t find a leak in a watertight Sandringham defence in the last quarter to snatch victory.
However, the performance did show the Seagulls are around the park this season and they remain in fourth position after seven rounds.
With the help of several Melbourne-listed stars available to play, the Dragons moved a game clear on top following the impressive win.
Livewire forward Russell Robertson returned from injury to boot four goals for the Zebras while Byron Pickett, serving a club suspension for a no-show after being dropped from the Melbourne side last week, had an impact.
He collected 16 quality disposals, clutched seven marks and kicked two invaluable goals to be a headache for Williamston coach Brad Gotch.
Fellow Demon Clint Bizzell was the most damaging player on the ground with 30 possessions across halfback and must surely be close to a recall into the Melbourne team.
He played in Sandringham’s premiership team last year after fighting his way back from a fractured leg and has clearly regained all confidence.
Team-mate Paul Wheatley also starred against the Seagulls with 32 touches.
Williamstown faces the Box Hill Hawks in a fortnight, with the VFL having a general bye this weekend.
Werribee, which had a bye last weekend, will meet the Casey Scorpions on 2 June.
