2000's
The 2000 VFL season saw the merger of the Victorian-based AFL clubs reserves teams with the VFL clubs from the previous year. This resulted in an 18-team competition comprised of AFL stand-alone clubs, stand-alone VFL clubs, AFL/VFL alignments and the Murray Kangaroos, an affiliation between North Melbourne and the Ovens and Murray League. Williamstown was in a partial alignment with the Western Bulldogs, and resulted in a return to finals action which saw an elimination final victory but then defeat at the hands of Carlton in the first-semi, which was Club champion Saade Ghazi’s last appearance for the Seagulls.
The affiliation with the Bulldogs was to last only one season, and a new alliance was formed with Collingwood going into the 2001 season. The team finished in ninth position, just one win outside the final eight, but the Reserves team made the grand final only to lose to Werribee by four goals. Andrew Bews finished up as coach and was replaced by Brad Gotch, who would go on to coach the Seagulls for the next eight years.
2002 saw the Club finish sixth and earn a first-ever home final but went down to the Murray Kangaroos by 5 goals. The Reserves, under first-year coach Anthony Eames, gained some revenge in the grand final by downing Werribee by seven points to win the first pennant for Williamstown in any grade since 1990.
The 2003 season resulted in the team finishing second on the ladder, and finals victories against Box Hill and Port Melbourne saw the Club’s first senior grand final appearance for 13 years. The Reserves also made the grand final play-off. The Seniors were successful by five goals, once again over Box Hill, and Adrian Fletcher won the Norm Goss Medal. The Reserves had a comfortable nine-goal victory on a great day for the Club.
A premiership hangover was experienced in 2004 with the team finishing in tenth position with just six victories for the season. The Reserves fared much better to finish in fourth place with 10 wins, 7 losses and a draw. They won the elimination final against Werribee by two goals (95-83), and had a huge win in the first-semi by 83 points over Sandringham (157-74). They got home by 10 points in the preliminary over North Ballarat (90-80), but were no match for Port Melbourne in the grand final and went down by nearly 11 goals, 19.13.127 to 8.15.63.
Troy West overtook Ray Smith’s long-standing games record at Williamstown in round four of 2005, but was badly injured shortly after and retired on 208 games for the ‘Town. Brownlow medallist Nathan Buckley made the first of his two appearances for the Seagulls in a round 11 victory at Box Hill, but this was not enough for the Club to make the finals, missing out by a mere 4%. The Reserves finished on top of the ladder in that grade with 16 wins and only two losses, and after defeating North Ballarat in the second-semi final (97-86) they met the Roosters again in the grand final and won their third premiership in four years, 16.7.103 to 12.9.81. Nick McArdle was voted best-on-ground.
Williamstown returned to the finals after a two-year absence in 2006 with 11 wins and 7 losses for the season to finish in fourth position. They met the Bullants in a qualifying final at Cramer Street, and triumphed 19.16.130 to 12.13.85 after a 10-goal final quarter. However, the team was no match for Geelong in the preliminary and went down 17.13.115 to 12.16.88 to end the season. The Reserves went through the season undefeated to register 18 wins and a percentage of 252! They won their first final against Frankston 12.8.80 to 8.10.58, but then suffered their first defeat for the year in the grand final, going down to Box Hill by two goals, 10.11.71 to 8.11.59. Brad Lloyd played his 150th game for the Seagulls early in the season, and Brett Johnson was runner-up in the JJ Liston in his first year with the Club.
A win and two consecutive draws in the first three rounds started off the 2007 season under new captain Brett Johnson. Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley made his second appearance for the Seagulls in a 115-point win over Port Melbourne in round 19, and, at the completion of the home-and-away rounds, the team finished in fourth place with 10 wins, six losses and the two draws. The Reserves also ended up in fourth spot on the ladder with 12 wins, 5 defeats and one draw. Williamstown won the qualifying final by two points at Sandringham, however, in the preliminary Coburg were too strong and won 20.17.137 to 11.10.76 to end the season for the ‘Town. The Seconds won their elimination final by six goals and were victorious in the first semi but Port proved superior in the preliminary final winning 17.10.112 to 8.10.58. Outgoing coach Anthony Eames had guided them to five grand finals in his six seasons, producing three premiership flags.
The Club entered into a new alignment with the Western Bulldogs for season 2008, which saw the Seagulls finish in third position with 15 wins and 5 losses, while the Seconds ended up in second spot with 14 wins and two losses and a percentage of 232%. A loss in the qualifying final was followed up by a thrilling one-point victory over Frankston in the second-semi. The ‘Town then suffered their third consecutive preliminary final loss to conclude the season. The Reserves won their qualifying final before downing the previously unbeaten Coburg in the second-semi, and entered their seventh grand final in eight years. They won the Club’s 10th premiership in that grade by defeating Box Hill by 31 points. Dean Galea kicked 5 goals, while James Beaumont was best-on-ground.
Seven consecutive wins to start the 2009 season saw the Seagulls finish in second spot with 13 wins and 5 losses, while the Reserves also finished second with 15 wins and three losses. Finishing second gave Williamstown a home qualifying final but they lost to the Northern Bullants 11.12.78 to 6.13.49, the Club’s lowest score of the season. Another loss in the second-semi to Collingwood ended the eight-year coaching reign of Brad Gotch. The team contested the finals in six of those eight seasons. The Reserves lost a knock-out preliminary final to Sandringham, 14.10.94 to 6.14.50, which saw Saade Ghazi also finish up as coach of that side. Before the year was out Williamstown had appointed Peter German (senior coach) and Adam Potter (Seconds coach) to guide the Club into the next decade.
Season by Season Summaries
|
Year |
President |
Coach |
Captain |
Leading Goalkicker |
|
2000 |
Trevor Monti |
Andrew Bews |
Troy West |
Christin Macri (35) |
|
2001 |
Trevor Monti |
Andrew Bews |
Troy West |
Brent Tuckey (41) |
|
2002 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Troy West |
James Podsiadly (33) |
|
2003 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Troy West/Brad Lloyd |
Marcus Baldwin (61) |
|
2004 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Troy West/Brad Lloyd |
Ben Kinnear (16) |
|
2005 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Brad Lloyd |
Jeremy Dukes (31) |
|
2006 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Brad Lloyd |
Andrew Williams (30) |
|
2007 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Brett Johnson |
Andrew Williams (53) |
|
2008 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Brett Johnson |
Patrick Rose (55) |
|
2009 |
Trevor Monti |
Brad Gotch |
Brett Johnson |
Matthew Little (52) |
|
Year |
Gerry Callahan Medal Best & Fairest |
Best & Fairest Runner-Up |
Reserves Coach |
Bill Sheahan Memorial Reserves B&F |
|
2000 |
Brad Lloyd |
Christin Macri |
Bruce Davis |
Matthew Montebello |
|
2001 |
Brad Lloyd |
Craig Anderson |
Bruce Davis |
Anthony Eames |
|
2002 |
Adrian Fletcher |
Andrew Dimattina |
Anthony Eames |
Matthew Cape |
|
2003 |
Adrian Fletcher |
Brad Lloyd |
Anthony Eames |
Luke Jarrad |
|
2004 |
Brad Lloyd |
Sam Cranage |
Anthony Eames |
Nick McArdle |
|
2005 |
Jeremy Dukes |
Jason Cloke |
Anthony Eames |
Patrick Rose |
|
2006 |
Steven Greene |
Brett Johnson |
Anthony Eames |
David Stretton |
|
2007 |
Ben Davies |
Sam Iles |
Anthony Eames |
Matthew Miller |
|
2008 |
Liam Picken/Brett Johnson |
Ben Jolley |
Saade Ghazi |
Luke Cartelli |
|
2009 |
Wayde Skipper |
Brett Johnson |
Saade Ghazi |
Matthew Cravino |
|
Year |
Most Consistent |
Coaches Award |
Gulls 1% Award |
Ron James Most Valuable |
|
2000 |
? |
? |
? |
Brad Lloyd |
|
2001 |
? |
? |
? |
Craig Anderson |
|
2002 |
Carl Steinfort |
Matthew Pearce |
Jeremy Dukes |
Matthew Cape |
|
2003 |
Sam Cranage |
Troy West |
? |
Matthew Pearce |
|
2004 |
Luke Jarrad |
Luke Jarrad |
Justin Crow |
Jeremy Dukes |
|
2005 |
Matthew Lokan |
Andrew Williams |
Sam Cranage |
Jeremy Dukes |
|
2006 |
Adam Iacobucci |
Patrick Rose |
Kane McKenzie |
Tom Langlands |
|
2007 |
Liam Picken |
David Stretton |
Kane McKenzie |
Matthew Cravino |
|
2008 |
Jason Cloke |
Adam Cook |
Ben Jolley |
Ben Jolley |
|
2009 |
Ben Jolley |
Guy O’Keefe |
Ben Jolley |
Wayde Skipper |
|
Year |
Best in Finals |
General Manager/CEO |
Treasurer |
Best Club Person |
|
2000 |
N/A |
Brendan Curry |
Glenn Murphy |
Bruce Davis |
|
2001 |
N/A |
Brendan Curry |
Glenn Murphy |
Ian Cashill |
|
2002 |
N/A |
Brendan Curry |
Glenn Murphy |
Chris Pace |
|
2003 |
Jarrod Molloy |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Max Atkin |
|
2004 |
N/A |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Jami Moran |
|
2005 |
N/A |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Kathy Sheahan |
|
2006 |
Brett Johnson |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
David & Carol Utber |
|
2007 |
Ben Davies |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Dr. Jason Chan |
|
2008 |
Callan Ward |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Natalie Chahine |
|
2009 |
Easton Wood |
Brendan Curry |
Graeme Kennedy |
Ron Williams |
Competition Awards
2001 A. Todd Medal Reserves Competition Best and Fairest – David Round
2002 Fred Hill Memorial Medal (best-on-ground Reserves grand final) - Leigh Sheehan
2003 Norm Goss Memorial Medal – Adrian Fletcher
2003 Fred Hill Memorial Medal (best-on-ground Reserves grand final) - Ben Kelly
2005 Fothergill-Round Medal – Jackson Barling
2005 Fred Hill Memorial Medal (best-on-ground Reserves grand final) - Nick McArdle
2006 A. Todd Medal Reserves Competition Best and Fairest – David Stretton
2006 Runner-up JJ Liston Trophy – Brett Johnson
2008 Runner-up JJ Liston Trophy – Brett Johnson
2008 Fred Hill Memorial Medal (best-on-ground Reserves grand final) - James Beaumont
2009 Runner-up A. Todd Medal - Matthew Cravino