Frank: 2.2.14 5.4.34 7.7.49 12.7.79
Goals: Lovett-Murray 4, Steinfort 4, Fletcher 3, Anderson 2, Kinnear 2, Adkins, Scotland, Swan, A.R.Hill, Podsiadly, Richardson, Rippon.
Best: Steinfort, Anderson, Didak, Dimattina, Dooley, Scotland.
(For those interested, Williamstown reserves beat Sandringham 23.18.156 to 10.8.68. Several Collingwood listed and rookie players performed well, with Tom Davidson kicking 3 goals, and Justin Crow amongst the best players. Mark Dubyna and Leith Teakle also played well.)
An early setback when Troy West left the ground inside the first five minutes with a possible broken jaw threw the Williamstown defence into disarray. Alan Didak made the trip home from S.A. in time to take his place in the line-up, and with Donny DeAngelis (replacing West at full back), Andrew Dimattina (back to his aggressive best), Mark Richardson (starting at CHB) and Damien Adkins (another blinder) repelled a spirited Frankston midfield.
The forward line, led by Ben Kinnear (just about ready for a senior call-up), Craig Anderson (2 goals and always dangerous) and Dane Swan (quiet but effective) saw Williamstown go into the first break with a handy lead.
Nathan Lovett-Murray (on last year's Collingwood rookie list) and Richard Cole (back after injury) saw their first action of the game, and both made an immediate impact. Adrian Fletcher was again controlling the mid field, and with runners Carl Steinfort, Heath Scotland, Brad Lloyd (brother of Matthew) and Craig Smoker (sometimes too aggressive) everywhere, a big score was looking good.
Frankston kept up the pressure, to their credit, and at half time the scoreboard had them still in with a sniff, albeit only faint.
It was after the main break that Williamstown tore the heart out of Frankston. Richard Cole started to show why Collingwood took him in the first round of this years draft, and Lovett-Murray (3 goals) and Steinfort (2) had the Mustangs defence in tatters. "Chipper" Adkins was in everything and using his pace to best effect, Fletcher kicked two of his three goals thanks to his ability to crumb off the packs, and Kinnear was standing strong in attack and making a contest of everything that came his way, allowing the small men to gather possessions at will. The stand-out of an excellent quarter was Lovett-Murray.
A 49 point lead at the last change allowed Coach Brad Gotch to move his players around, and Richard Cole's quarter whilst in defence was the best football that I have seen him play. He was unstoppable and nothing got by him.
Previous weeks have seen Williamstown run out of legs, but an eight goal quarter saw them extend the margin to a 72 point victory, and a boost in their percentage.
Didak chipped in with a lot of possessions in the last quarter after being well held for the middle part of the game, Paul Dooley and Guy Richards won the ruck duels with ease, always giving the mid fielders first use of the pill. Andrew R. Hill pulled in a couple of screamers in the last, and showed that he is back from injury, whilst A.J.Hill (Wang) was not his usual lively self on the last line of defence. However, DeAngelis, filling in for the injured West, was playing like a man possessed and kept gun full forward Nick Sautner to 7 (maybe
goals, which out of a total of 12 is a fair effort by Sautner.Next week sees the Seagulls head across the West Gate to TEAC Oval to face Port Melbourne, and the back line is hoping that 'Plugger' gets a call from the Swans, but with the midfield running rampant, supply to the 'Big Fella' is bound to come up short.
"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."
[This message has been edited by Dale61 (edited 26 May 2002).]
[This message has been edited by Dale61 (edited 26 May 2002).]
