Season Summary: 2015

Delisted St Kilda forward Sam Dunell joined the Club in 2015 along with Taylor Hine from North Melbourne. Dunell had finished runner-up in Sandringham's best and fairest twice in the previous three seasons while with St Kilda, while Hine had played 14 games with North in 2013-14 and 9 with Gold Coast in 2011-12. Brett Bewley and Billy Myers joined from the Western Jets, Ed Carr's younger brother, Alex, came from Gippsland Power while Jacob Chisari arrived from Bendigo Pioneers. Carr and Chisari were both Morrish Medal winners in the TAC Cup. In total, 38 players were retained from the 2014 list, including 17 out of the top 20 place-getters in the Seniors best and fairest, with Ryan Ferguson retiring after one year with the Club, Ben Davies opting to play local football in 2015 and Kane Lambert was drafted by Richmond. Successful Seconds coach, Brett Henderson, took the coaching position at the Bendigo Pioneers TAC side and was replaced by Shane Joyce. Former Hawthorn ruckman, Robbie Campbell, became senior assistant coach in this season.

The VFL competition altered again in 2015 with the withdrawal of Bendigo after two winless seasons, reducing the number of teams to 15. Channel 7 began telecasting matches in this season after the ABC ceased sports broadcasting due to budget cutbacks after 27 years of VFA/VFL coverage.

The season began promisingly with three consecutive wins:

· against the Northern Blues at Carlton in a thriller by one point, 13.12.90 to 12.17.89, with Peter Faulks best-on-ground;

· against Sandringham in the season’s first home game by 58 points, 17.12.114 to 7.14.56, featuring a 10 goal to 3 second half and a seven-goal third term, with Anthony Anastasio kicking 4 goals and Ed Carr best; and

· over North Ballarat at Eureka Stadium by 81 points, 17.19.121 to 5.10.40, highlighted by a nine-goal to nil first half with Ben Jolley best player.

Two narrow defeats, both by two points, to Port at Williamstown (102-100, Dunell 4 goals & best player) and then to Werribee at Werribee (96-94, Marcon best) followed in rounds 4 & 5. This ended a run of 12 consecutive wins over the ‘Bees, and was their first win over the Seagulls since 2008.

The team bounced back with another three wins in succession in rounds 6-8:

· against Coburg at Williamstown, 17.20.122 to 6.8.44, in Ben Jolley’s 200^th VFL game;

· against Geelong at Geelong, 11.16.82-12.8.80, in the fourth game won or lost by two points or less in this season; and

· against Footscray at Whitten Oval, 9.22.76 to 5.7.37, in captain Jolley’s 150^th game for Williamstown and vice-captain Cameron Lockwood’s 100^th.

Going into the round 9 bye, Williamstown were on top of the ladder with 6 wins and 2 losses, while the Development League team were also on top undefeated with 7 victories.

The Seagulls then lost badly to Box Hill at Pt Gellibrand, 19.8.122 to 8.12.60, before stringing together five consecutive wins:

· over Richmond at Punt Road, 14.23.107 to 10.7.67, after kicking 3.12 in the third term and Mitch Banner being best player;

· against Essendon at Williamstown, 20.8.128 to 13.6.84, after the Bombers were two goals up at half-time before the Seagulls unleashed a nine-goal third quarter, with Adam Marcon best;

· over Frankston at Williamstown, 21.21.147 to 6.4.40, in Scott Clouston’s 50^th VFL game; and

· against Port at North Port (113-53) and Collingwood at Pt Gellibrand (97-65).

A loss to Footscray at home in round 17 (73-62) was the first defeat in six weeks and cost Williamstown top spot on the ladder and preceded a win at Casey (96-79, Dunell 5 goals, Jolley best) after the Seagulls trailed by 7 points early in the last quarter. A second loss for the season to Werribee at Williamstown (88-73, Lockwood 5 goals) cost the Seagulls the chance of a home final as they dropped to third place but was followed by a great win at Box Hill against the ladder leaders in the last home-and-away game, 11.16.82 to 10.8.68, with Dunell kicking another 4 and Taylor Hine being best player.

Williamstown finished 3^rd on the ladder with 13 wins and 5 losses, while the Development League team finished 2^nd with 11 wins and 5 losses. The Seagulls met Sandringham on their Beach Road home ground in the qualifying final where an extremely strong wind blew to the southern end of the ground all day. The ‘Town were 48 points up at three-quarter time before the Zebras kicked 6 unanswered goals with the wind in the last quarter to almost snatch victory, but the ‘Gulls hung on to win by 7 points, 13.6.84 to 11.11.77. Best players were Nick Meese, Adam Marcon, Willie Wheeler, Jack Johnstone, Ben Bese and Ben Jolley.

Williamstown then met Essendon at North Port Oval in the preliminary final before a crowd of 7,000 and, after being 27 points up midway through the third quarter, suddenly found themselves trailing by 5 points at three-quarter time. A spirited final term saw the Seagulls through to the grand final for the first time since 2011 by triumphing 15.12.102 to 12.18.90.

The grand final was against a Box Hill team containing 16 Hawthorn-listed players at Etihad Stadium before a crowd of 12,900 and, following an even first half, the Seagulls kicked 11 goals to two in the second half, including 5 in 17 minutes in the third quarter, to run out 54-point winners, 18.12.120 to 8.18.66. This was Williamstown’s first premiership since 2003, which was also won against Box Hill, and the first as a stand-alone Club since 1990 and its 16^th VFA/VFL title. Cameron Lockwood, Dylan Conway and Andrew Gallucci all kicked three goals, while 20yo Michael Gibbons was best-on-ground and received the Norm Goss Memorial Medal. Other good players were Jolley, Marcon, Banner, Lockwood, Masters and Charleston. It was coach Andy Collins’ second flag after leading Sandringham to the premiership in 1997.

Williamstown's 2015 premiership side was:

Backs: Jack Charleston David Fahey Tim Currie

Half-Backs: Brad Mangan Peter Faulks Jack Johnstone

Centres: Mitch Banner Ben Jolley (c.) Ed Carr

Half-Forwards: Sam Dunell Scott Clouston Cameron Lockwood

Forwards: Leigh Masters Sean Tighe Dylan Conway

Followers: Nick Meese Adam Marcon

Rover: Willie Wheeler

Interchange: Andrew Gallucci, Anthony Anastasio, Nick Sing, Michael Gibbons, Billy Myers

Coach: Andy Collins

Highlights from the 2015 grand final can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4oBWGnDmBE&feature=em-uploademail

The Development League won their 3rd consecutive premiership under new coach Shane Joyce a week earlier when they defeated the unbeaten Box Hill once again and for the 2nd time in 3 years by a ‘golden point’ kicked by Jake Owen, 8.13.61 to 8.12.60. Jake McKenzie was best-on-ground and was awarded the Fred Hill Memorial Medal, while other good players were Jake Greiser, Sean Hetherington, Jacob Chisari, Taylor Hine and Owen. Hetherington also kicked three goals.

The closing stages of the Development League grand final can be viewed by copying and pasting the following link into your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffSA2vIzIJw

Captain Ben Jolley won his fourth Gerry Callahan Medal for senior best and fairest for the season, from first-year player Sam Dunell and Mitch Banner. Dunell was also leading goalkicker with a total of 41. This brought Jolley level with premiership ruckman Kim Kershaw (1983-86) for the most number of best and fairest awards won at the Club. He also took out his sixth Ron James Memorial Trophy for most valuable player. Jake Greiser took out the Bill Sheahan Memorial Trophy for best and fairest in the Development League team from Simon Deery and Tyler Curtis. Life memberships were awarded to volunteer support staff members Max Atkin and Jami Moran, while senior vice-captain, Cameron Lockwood, received his for achieving his 100^th game in round 8. Kay Ruddle was voted the best clubperson for the season.

Other notable events during the year were:

- Ben Jolley, Adam Marcon, Sam Dunell, Peter Faulks, Nick Meese, Andrew Gallucci and Mitch Banner were all selected in the VFL Team of the Year. This was the 6th successive season that Jolley had been picked in the side;

- Adam Marcon being awarded the Fothergill-Round Medal for the most promising player in the VFL and being selected in the AFL rookie draft by Richmond, as was Andrew Gallucci by Carlton;

- Dylan Conway won the A. Todd Medal as the best and fairest player in the Development League despite only playing 9 games at that level. Remarkably, teammates Tyler Curtis was runner-up and Alex Carr was third; and

- Recruit Sam Dunell was runner-up in the Liston Trophy, just one vote behind the winner. Ben Jolley was in third place. Jolley also played his 200th VFL game and 150th Williamstown game during the year.

2015 senior playing list

Delisted St Kilda forward, Sam Dunell, was recruited to the Club in 2015

The Club's longest-serving President, Trevor Monti, entered his last full season in the position in 2015

The season opener at Carlton resulted in a narrow one-point victory over the Northern Blues

The first home game of the season saw Williamstown victorious by almost 10 goals over Sandringham

Another big victory in round 3, this time over North Ballarat by more than 13 goals

Peter Faulks marks against Port Melbourne in round 4, 2015

Andrew Gallucci in action during 2015

Liam Carter played in the 2015 Development League premiership team

Andrew Gallucci shooting for goal at Williamstown during 2015

Ben Jolley after his 200th VFL game against Coburg at Williamstown in round 6

Ben Jolley in his 150th game for Williamstown v. Footscray at Whitten Oval, round 8

Another comfortable victory, this time by almost 7 goals over Richmond at Punt Road in round 11

Round 12 saw victory over Essendon at Williamstown by more than 7 goals

Dylan Conway celebrates a goal v. Frankston in round 13 at Williamstown

Peter Faulks punches the ball clear against Frankston in round 13

Anthony Anastasio in 2015

Adam Marcon in action v. Footscray at Williamstown in round 17

Western Jets recruit, Brett Bewley, made his senior debut in 2015

Dylan Conway gets a kick away against Casey in round 18

Jake Owen fires off a handball in the round 18 fixture at Casey Fields

Scott Clouston takes a big grab at Box Hill in the last home-and-away game for the season

Senior team list for qualifying final against Sandingham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval

Sam Dunell breaks clear in the qualifying final at Sandringham

Ben Jolley marks strongly against Sandringham in the qualifying final

Defender David Fahey heads upfield in the preliminary final against Essendon

Ben Jolley spoils in preliminary final v. Essendon

Ben Bese in action v. Essendon in preliminary final before injuring his collarbone which ended his season

Ben Jolley in action v. Essendon in preliminary final at North Port Oval

Tim Currie outmarks his Essendon opponent in the preliminary final

David Fahey gets a fist in v. Essendon at North Port Oval in the 2015 preliminary final

Willie Wheeler with the ball against Essendon in the preliminary final

Ben Jolley heads downfield in preliminary final v. Essendon at North Port Oval

Defender Peter Faulks takes possession against Essendon in the preliminary final

Nick Meese in a contest with Essendon's Shaun McKernan in the preliminary final won by the Seagulls

Development League team list for 2015 qualifying final against Box Hill

The Development League team won their 3rd consecutive premiership by defeating Box Hill for the 2nd time in 3 years by a ‘golden point’, 8.13.61 to 8.12.60.