Williamstown coach Peter German.
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
WHEN Port Melbourne answered Williamstown’s challenge in the last quarter with two quick goals after Matthew Panos brought the margin back to within three goals, Peter German knew it was now or never.
Apart from the early stages of the first quarter, when nerves were a factor, Port Melbourne had been able to counterpunch any attack Williamstown launched, and time was running out.
With Port Melbourne 27 points up halfway through the last term, Williamstown went all out in attack. “I felt we were in good enough nick in terms of our preparation and blokes’ fitness and everything like that to be able to go the distance, but some crucial pieces of play allowed them to get a goal or two which forced us to really try and roll the dice, which left us vulnerable,” German said.“We tried to set up really offensively and play where we could try and kick some quick goals ourselves so when you do that you’re always leaving the door open a bit.”
Port Melbourne’s forwards, particularly Dean Galea and Patrick Rose, were unstoppable. Their respective opponents, James Mulligan and Dane Rampe, struggled to contain the dynamic duo, but German was bereft of an alternative solution.
“We haven’t got any other backmen. In many ways our backline’s almost makeshift anyway. (Brennan) Stack and (Josh) Hill have gone from being forwards to become defenders, Mulligan’s still learning the game, Rampe’s never played in the backline before in his life,” he said.
“In saying that they’ve done the job a lot of times this year. We just got a little bit exposed down the back today.”
German said Port dictated play after quarter time and Williamstown could not settle in to its game plan. “Last week we didn’t let Werribee play the way they wanted to play, and that’s what good sides do. Today Port were able to nullify our style of play … and once that happens then you’ve got to try and find another way and I thought we fought it out but it was almost like we were always struggling to get the game on our terms.
“I just felt that (Gary Ayres) coached them well. They were hungry for it, they were deserving of it and in many ways I thought the better side won on the day.”
Despite the loss, Williamstown has reason to be proud of its season, having been without a home ground all year and still achieving a Foxtel Cup title and making the VFL grand final.
“There’s many things about Williamstown this year where we had to roll with the punches in many ways,” German said. “We travelled here, there and everywhere, and we gained a lot of experience and allowed a lot of our players to develop in a lot of those games like the Foxtel Cup, and even in finals.”
