No doubts … Zephaniah Skinner kicks truly against Frankston. 66238 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Michael Esposito
WILLIAMSTOWN coach Peter German relished the opportunity to coach the son of his former North Melbourne team-mate and good friend Ian Fairley on Saturday.
Western Jets player Lachlan Fairley, playing as the 23rd player, donned the Seagulls guernsey for the first time in Williamstown’s comfortable 74-point win against Frankston at Avalon Airport Oval.
The 18-year-old impressed German in his first game, despite not matching the stunning debut of his father, who played his first game for Williamstown as a 15-year-old and kicked eight goals.
“I was really pleased with his game,” German said. “When you get a 23rd player you’re never really sure because you don’t know a great deal about them and you don’t know how they’ll react to certain situations.
“Whether North Melbourne will look at him as a father-son I’m not too sure but he’s so much like his dad it’s uncanny.
“I had the pleasure of playing with his dad and rooming with him on many a trip interstate and overseas, and I’m good friends with him and to be able to coach his son in his first game for Williamstown was great.”
German was only mildly satisfied with Williamstown’s performance against Frankston.
“I wasn’t really enthused by the game. We let them kick three late goals in the last five minutes of the game. That was a little disappointing.
“For us to win like we did, I guess especially after our average performance last week (against North Ballarat) was good.”
Lukas Markovic, Brett Goodes, Brett Johnson, Ben Davies and Sam Reid were among Williamstown’s best players.
“We’ve still got a fair way to go yet to reach those standards that I know we can reach,” German said.
For a team sitting on the bottom of the ladder, Frankston’s recent form has been solid. In its past four games, Frankston defeated Coburg and lost to Box Hill, North Ballarat and Northern Bullants by an average of four goals.
Athletic forward Zephaniah Skinner kicked two goals and took seven marks in an encouraging display for Seagulls’ and Western Bulldogs’ fans alike.
“Zephy played a productive forward role for us. He was one of our better players,” German said.
“He’s taken a little while to settle in and he’s probably got a little while to go but what do you expect for a guy who’s been taken out of his comfort zone in many ways. So far we’ve been really pleased and enthused by what he’s been able to produce.
“He chases and tackles, and that’s one of the reasons why the club looked at him because he when he’s on he can put on good forward pressure.”
Williamstown has a much tougher task this week – against Bendigo in Bendigo – where the Bombers’ leading goalkicker Matthew Little will be playing against his former club.
