11th May v Tasmania @ 1.40 pm.

[Dale61]

For those who are going to this week's game against Tasmania, I have been reliably informed that the starting time has been changed to 1.40 pm. This time change also means that the reserves game against Port Melbourne has also been bought forward to 11 am.

This week should see the return of Adrian Fletcher, along with 'Tex' Walker and Bo Nixon. The VFL Tribunal will determine whether Leon Davis gets to play, whilst it is possible that one or two players from CFC will also be demoted so as to find some form.

Team selections will be known later in the week so stay tuned.

[Stunning Steve McKee]

Williamstown side .....
PLEASE NOTE THE EARLY START OF 1.40PM at Point Gellibrand, Morris Street Williamstown.

B : Hollow West J Cloke
H-B : Betheras Walker Maxwell
C: Freeborn Cranage Mahoney
H-F: Smoker Kinnear Nixon
FOR : Swan Baldwin Davis
FOLL : Richards Lloyd McGough

I/C (From) :Anderson, C Cloke, Dukes, Fletcher, Pearce, Runnals, Shackleton, Sheehan
This is an extremely strong Williamstown line up considering Adrian Fletcher is on the bench. Cam Cloke can feel very unluckly to be on the bench as his form when he came on last week was sound.

From last week Ben Kelly is out with an injured hamstring, but the returns Nixon, Walker from injury and Mathhew Pearce from the 2nds are very positive for the Gulls.

Last year Tasmania caused a major upset, as the conditions favoured them as it was one of the coldest days ever at Willy.
This year Tasmania boast former AFL players on Ben Beams (Melb), the mercurial Jason Cripps (I'm joking), Trent Bartlett (Bears & Dogs) and former Eagle, Saint and North Heidelberg boy Jason Heatley.

One can only hope Jason Cloke plays some accountable football and finds some confidence.
Dane Swan also considered by MM for senior selection needs to find some consistency. Maxwell (Pies rookie) continues to impress, and it would not surprise to see him elavated to the senior list.

The Gulls should not lose this one & this will help consilidate a top four position, with Franskton (away) to come next week.

The Seagulls by 38 points

[molloymagic]

I want to see the Tassie Devils do well but I also wanna see the Seagulls win(what is a Tassie magpie fan to do*s*).

Will it be shown on tv??????????.

[Dale61]

Following on from Collingwoods heart stopping victory last night, Williamstown have repeated the performance and have beaten Tasmania by 4 points.

I don't have an indepth report from the game, but I do have a truck load of pics.

Scores:
Will: 3.4.22 ~ 10.8.68 ~ 12.11.83 ~ 15.15.105
Tas: 3.2.20 ~ 6.4.40 ~ 12.5.77 ~ 15.11.101

Goals: Baldwin 3, Cranage 3, Kinnear 3, Nixon, C.Cloke, Taylor, Lloyd, Mahoney, Pearce.

Best: Kinnear, Fletcher, Mahoney, Cranage, Lloyd, Baldwin.

[foxy]

great pics Dale!

here's my summary of how our guys played, also posted on EB & W.

leon didn't play, no idea why.

freeza - read the play very well a few times, but also stuffed up a few times and seemed a bit slow-thinking. it was a pretty intense game and he seemed to struggle with the pace. then again, some of his saving marks were important. struggling.

rupe - didn't see too much of him. never dominates at this level. played all the game in the forward line, though may have switched to defence at one stage. largely unsighted.

bo - i was quite impressed. made a couple of mistakes, but overall he really looked classy. some of his handpasses to set up goals were GREAT. and took some decent marks. kicked a wicked goal from the boundary. probably his best game so far.

MCG - didn't see too much of him. got a few touches in the first half but may have been on the bench during the second half. possibly injured?

kinnear - possibly BOG, along with fletcher. best game i've seen him play. a constant presence at CHF. took some good marks, lead well all day, and was very good in close. kicked 2 or 3 goals and set up a few. verrrry good.

c.cloke - not as good as he's been early in the season, but still commendable. looked powerful in the ruck but wasn't overly effective. also showed a bit of dash.

j.cloke - quiet, but solid. took some decent marks and was confident with his kicking, but also made some bad errors, e.g. trying to mark when he should've punched. played most of the game in defence but also spent a little time up forward.

swan - didn't dominate the game, but certainly gotta lot of touches. was allowed to run through the midfield and looked verrrry classy at times. still not good enough for senior selection, though.

walker - not too bad. looked verrry powerful. spent most of the game in defence and played a bit in the ruck. also moved well at times.

maxwell - very good, though he made a few bad mistakes. moves very well for a tallish guy. i think he did his hamstring with about 3 minutes to go. seems to be rated by a lot of the willi fans.

an entertaining game overall. the wind wasn't too strong so the skills weren't that bad.

[natkingcole]

Just to add a couple of things to your report Foxy. Firstly a great game of footy - would be nice to see a few more Collingwood people at the game. I could have gone to the Melbourne - Port game at the MCG, but I much rather see Williamstown play, particularly when Gotch has them playing this well. Much better team this year when you add Cranage, Baldwin, Dukes and West (back from injury) into the mix. Dukes laid one of the best tackles you're ever likely to see in the third quarter, which saved a goal and was the difference in the end. Tasmania are as good a team as Port Melbourne IMHO so I can't understand why they have only won two games.
Benny Kinnear- played the best game I've ever seen him play. Kicked a freakish goal from the flank. Played mostly at CHF.
Bo - a classy player. Bit overawed playing against older players, I don't expect him to play seniors this year. Looks a definite forward. Hopeless when played back.
Maxwell- will continue to develop (CHB or FB). Unfortunately did a hamstring with two minutes to go.
Cameron - Competes 100% of the time ( something McKee needs to learn)
Will eventually take over as No. one ruck in 2004.
Jason - looked proppy favouring an ankle. Typical Cloke, never gives up trying. Got carved up by Bartlett before being shifted. I think it's going to be a while before he gets his place back.
Betheras/ Freeborn - both played OK. Personally think both are looking at retirement at the end of the year.
Richards/ Leon - didn't play
Swan - Does great things, then spoils it by doing stupid things. Very pacy, covers great ground, another development year.
McGough - not his best game but shows enough to suggest his deserves another go at senior level.

[Dale61]

Nat, Richards did play, albeit in the reserves. There is an exciting crop of players learning their trade in the early game and this is where the long term future of CFC lays.

I realise that people have other things to do early on a Sunday morning (like going to church!), but I urge everyone to get to the ground early one day and see for yourselves what the recruiting department saw in these guys to warrant their drafting.

[where's kent butcher]

Couldn't believe it when Maxwell did his Hammy. That kid, and he still looks so young, is a great player in the making (almost said champion). He's efforts at the ball are phenomonal and I personally rate him very highly. Hopefully he'll be back sooner rather than later.

Just curious he was promoted off the rookie list with Tarks injury?

[fan4collingwood]

Thank you all for the fantastic info on willi.........my first visit to this section of nicks.....and Mr J is forever greatful to have an extensive report on our players.
Dale.....superb pics...is that an expensive camera........Foxy and Nat, great reporting.

[Dale61]

f4c, all I'll say about how much my camera cost is that I didn't get much change from $1500. There are quite a few cheaper ones on the market, but this was the better option out of a choice of three that could do what I was looking for in a digital camera. So far, it's been money well spent, although my SLR could take pics of similar quality, as soon as I started to manipulate the prints, the clarity and quality quickly deteriorated.

[fan4collingwood]

looks like you get what you pay for.....the pics are of the best quality! Look forward to seeing more. Do you go to training as well?