Season Summary: 2016

 

The structure of the VFL competition altered yet again in 2016 when North Melbourne ended its 10-year partial alignment with North Ballarat and moved to full affiliation with Werribee, while the Roosters continued as a stand-alone entity. The number of teams remained at 15.

Recruits for 2016 included delisted Western Bulldog, Ayce Cordy, and former St Kilda forward Arryn Siposs, Lachie Schultz from Bendigo Pioneers, Christian Buykx-Smith, a 20 year-old joint winner of Gippsland Power’s best and fairest, Nick Ebinger from Williamstown CYMS, Liam Griffiths from Ainslie, Josh Minogue from the Murray Bushrangers, and four players from the Western Jets in Brayden Monk, Mitch Norton, Liam Carter and Lachlan Knight, winner of the Jets best and fairest in 2015. Ariel Steinberg, Essendon’s VFL best and fairest winner from 2015, and Matt Dea, Richmond’s VFL best and fairest, were also recruited but never played due to Steinberg being suspended as part of the Essendon supplements scandal and Dea being picked up by the Bombers as a top-up player while many players were out for a year at the AFL club.

39 players were retained from the 2015 list although six of the premiership team departed the Club, including Scott Clouston (Avondale Heights), Mitch Banner (Darley), Adam Marcon (drafted to Richmond), Andrew Gallucci (drafted to Carlton), and Sean Tighe and Brad Mangan (Strathmore). Ben Casley transferred to the Northern Blues, Jake McKenzie to Port Melbourne and Josh Bench went to Albion. Seconds premiership coach, Shane Joyce, took the reins at an A-grade Amateur team and was replaced by former Footscray defender, Michael Ford. 

The season opened with a 45-point victory over Richmond at Williamstown, 16.13.109 to 9.10.64, after the Tigers were 3 points up at half-time before the Seagulls kicked 10 of the last 12 goals of the game. Anthony Anastasio kicked 4 goals and was best player.

Highlights of the round 1 win over Richmond can be viewed by clicking on the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCR6mqjlrIQ&feature=em-uploademail

This was followed by a 15-point loss to Box Hill at Pt Gellibrand in the grand final rematch, 17.10.112 to 14.13.97, after the ‘Gulls led by 10 points at three-quarter time but the Hawks kicked the last four goals of the game. Two flags were unfurled on this day with both team going down, the Development League team losing by 26 points. Sam Dunell booted 4 goals and Michael Gibbons was best for the seniors. 

Williamstown then won four consecutive games, including:

·         A 44-point win in round 3 at Casey under lights, 17.12.114 to 11.4.70, with recruit Arryn Siposs kicking 4 goals and Willie Wheeler best;

·         A narrow 7-point victory over Port at Williamstown, 8.4.52 to 5.15.45, after the Borough led by 9 points at three-quarter time in a low-scoring match and the Seagulls went scoreless in the third term. The Development League side beat Port by a single point earlier in the day;

·         A 12-goal win under lights at Werribee over the undefeated Tigers in round 5, featuring a burst of 10 goals in 20 minutes in the first quarter. 14 unanswered goals saw the Seagulls lead by 85 points during the second quarter, and the final score of 20.17.137 to 9.9.63 was Williamstown’s highest in 14 matches. Dunell kicked 5 goals and Siposs 4, with Gibbons best;

·         A massive 143-point percentage-boosting win over the Northern Blues at Pt Gellibrand in round 6, after kicking 9 goals to just one behind in the first quarter. Ben Jolley racked up 47 disposals to be best player, while Dunell kicked 6 goals and Cordy 4 in the 25.22.172 to 3.11.29 victory.

Collingwood’s first win over Williamstown since the 2009 semi-final in the round 7 clash under lights at the Holden Centre brought the winning run to an end, narrowly, in the 13.8.86 to 12.9.81 loss, with Jolley and Gibbons best.

Nick Meese and Ed Carr celebrated their 100^th VFL game against Footscray at Whitten Oval in round 9 with a 72-point win, kicking 13 goals to 4 after half-time, in the 19.14.128 to 7.14.56 result. Dylan Conway booted 3 goals and Gibbons was best again. Carr got to play his 100^th game for Williamstown (he had played one game for Casey as 23^rd man when with Gippsland Power) the following week against Frankston at Pt Gellibrand in a 30-point victory, 10.17.77 to 6.11.47, after the Dolphins led by 4 points at three-quarter time. Willie Wheeler was best. This game also marked Arryn Siposs’ 50^th VFL appearance and Jack Johnstone’s 50^th match for Williamstown.

The season’s third loss came in round 12 against Geelong at Pt Gellibrand, going down by 16 points despite having 22 scoring shots to the Cat’s 13, and kicking just 7 behinds in the second term. Final scores were 10.3.63 to 5.17.47, with Gibbons best yet again.

The Seagulls then had five consecutive victories in rounds 13-17, including:

·         A 28-point win over North Ballarat at Williamstown, 14.19.103 to 11.9.75, with Cordy and Anastasio both kicking 3 goals and Jack Charleston best;

·         A 10-point win at Box Hill in Nick Meese’s 50^th game for Williamstown, on a day where the Development League team lost by 130 points. Final scores were 13.12.90 to 12.8.80, with Jake Owen kicking 3 goals and Wheeler best player;

·         A 38-point defeat of Coburg at Williamstown to jump to top spot on the ladder with 10 wins and 3 losses for the year. The Lions led by two goals at quarter-time before going down 11.19.85 to 7.5.47 with Cordy best and kicking 3 goals;

·         A victory over Port at North Port by 33 points, 14.12.96 to 10.3.63, to go one game clear on top of the ladder. In Ayce Cordy’s 50^th Club game (he had played previously for the Seagulls during the alignment with the Western Bulldogs), Leigh Masters kicked 4 goals and was best;

·         A 4-goal win at Sandringham, 11.16.82 to 6.22.58, where Williamstown kicked the first 7 goals of the game and the Zebras had just one goal on the board at three-quarter time. Siposs and Conway both kicked 3 goals and Wheeler was best again.

Two losses followed in rounds 18 & 19, firstly to Footscray by 4 points at Williamstown (Wheeler best again) and then by 3 goals at Windy Hill in Willie Wheeler’s 100^th VFL game (he played 33 with Coburg in 2011-12). Wheeler joined Jolley, Lockwood, Meese and Carr as centurions. It was also the 50^th game for Dylan Conway and David Fahey. Cordy kicked 4 goals and Gibbons was best.

The last home-and-away game for the season resulted in a 55-point win at Carlton, 13.20.98 to 6.7.43, with Dunell kicking 4 goals and Tim Currie best against his old side. The Seagulls finished in 3^rd place on the ladder with 13 wins and 5 losses, while the Development League team finished 4^th with 9 wins and 7 losses.

The team returned to Carlton to play Collingwood in the qualifying final and lost badly by 46 points, 16.6.102 to 7.14.56, with Currie best again. Williamstown then met Sandringham at North Port in the first semi-final and this time won by the same margin of 46 points, 14.11.95 to 7.7.49, to go through to the seventh consecutive preliminary final and 10^th in the last 11 years. In Michael Gibbons’ 50^th game, the Seagulls led all day and kicked six goals to one in the final term. Dunell and Cordy booted 3 goals each and Wheeler was best yet again.

The preliminary final was against Casey at North Port and resulted in a disappointing 7-goal defeat. The Seagulls trailed all day to lose 12.13.85 to 5.13.43, with Wheeler best for Williamstown.

Vice-captain Cameron Lockwood was injured in the semi-final and missed the preliminary and then announced his retirement after starting in 2007, playing a total of 124 games, winning the 2013 Gerry Callahan Medal, being a State representative in 2014, being voted best player in the successful 2015 finals series & gaining life membership after playing 100 games for the Club.

The Development League team beat Port in the elimination final, 18.16.124 to 9.11.65, with Dylan Conway kicking 4 goals and Josh Minogue best player. However, they lost the preliminary to Casey by six points, 16.9.105 to 14.15.99, with Nick Ebinger and Tom Condon both kicking 4 goals while Tyler Curtis was best. Coach, Michael Ford, finished up after the season and moved to Sydney. 

Willie Wheeler won the Gerry Callahan Medal for best and fairest, from Michael Gibbons and Sam Dunell. Dunell was also leading goalkicker with a total of 37. Jake Owen received the Bill Sheahan Memorial Trophy for best and fairest in the Development League with Alex Carr runner-up and Lachie Schultz third. Ben Jolley received his seventh Ron James Memorial Trophy for most valuable player and Ed Carr was awarded life membership for playing his 100^th Club game in round 10 against Frankston. Jan Dandridge was voted best clubperson, following on from her son’s win of the Bill ‘Darkie’ Raffle Memorial Trophy in 2013. 40 players were used in the seniors during the season, including 8 debutants. 

Notable events that occurred during the year included:

·         Michael Gibbons winning the JJ Liston Trophy, the first Williamstown recipient since Paul Dooley in 1996, and the 10^th Seagull to win the award. Ben Jolley finished equal third. Gibbons became the first player to win the Liston, as well as a Norm Goss and Frank Johnson Medal, after being Victoria’s best player in the State game clash with SANFL in May ;

       Willie Wheeler, Sam Dunell, Peter Faulks, Nick Meese, Leigh Masters, Michael Gibbons and coach Andy Collins all represented the VFL in the inter-league clash with the SANFL; 

·         Trevor Monti stepped down as president of the Club in late April after a record 17 years in the role, and was succeeded by board member, Fred Hall;

·         October 27 marked the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the Seagulls Nest gaming venue;

·         Ethel (Melba) Maloney passed away on ANZAC Day aged 88. Melba was a life member and her family claimed that she saw every Williamstown game for more than 50 years. Her father and uncles all played for Williamstown;

·         Former senior player Ben Kelly tragically passed away at the age of 35 in June. From Heyfield, he played 13 senior games from 2001-2003, and was co-captain of the 2002 and 2003 reserves premiership teams, and received the Fred Hill Memorial Trophy for best-on-ground in the 2003 triumph;

·         10-year Gulls coterie member 61 year-old Henry Ismailiw also passed away in June;

·         Captain-coach of 1952-53, Billy Williams, passed away in July. He played 41 games and kicked 89 goals for the Seagulls and ran several different hotels in the ‘Town for many years after he finished playing. He was the father of life member, Rod Williams; and

 Former vice-president from 1960-73 & life member Kevyn Holdsworth passed away in November. The son of George Holdsworth, also a long-term vice-president and life member of the Club, Kevyn was involved with Williamstown from the early 1960’s until the early 1980’s and was a founding member of the Gulls coterie group. 

Delisted St. Kilda forward, Arryn Siposs, was the star signing for 2016

                                                                             2016 playing list 

Trevor Monti finished up as President in April after 17 years in the job & was succeeded by board member, Fred Hall 

                               

  Brayden Monk, best & fairest winner at the Western Jets in 2014, was one of the new recruits in 2016.

                                   Lachie Schultz joined Williamstown from TAC Cup side Bendigo Pioneers in 2016

                                     Mitch Norton, one of the players recruited from the Western Jets in 2016

                           Nick Ebinger from Williamstown CYMS was another new player to the Club in 2016

                                                                                                  Sammy Dunell in action during 2016

                                        Michael Gibbons with the ball during a game at Williamstown in 2016

                                                         Ed Carr fires off a handball against Richmond in round 1, 2016

     Williamstown opened the 2016 season with a comfortable victory over Richmond at Pt Gellibrand 

                                        Jacob Chisari send the ball forward against Box Hill in round 2 

                                                    Dylan Conway celebrates a goal at Williamstown in 2016

                                                                     A determined captain Ben Jolley in 2016

                                                                  Defender David Fahey marks against Richmond in 2016

                                                                                                              Defender Billy Myers in 2016

                                                                  Willie Wheeler gets a kick away during 2016

Former St Kilda forward, Arryn Siposs, was recruited to the Club in 2016 & marks against Casey in round 3

 

                                      Jack Dorgan has eyes only for the ball in this round 3 clash with Casey in 2016

                                                        Captain Ben Jolley and Arryn Siposs against Casey in round 3, 2016

                Sammy Dunell celebrates a goal v. Port Melbourne in the round 4 fixture at Williamstown

Jack Dorgan and Dylan Conway celebrate a goal against Port Melbourne at Williamstown in round 4, 2016 

                                      Michael Gibbons with the ball in the round 4 fixture at Williamstown v. Port Melbourne 

               2016 Gerry Callahan Medallist, Willie Wheeler, applies a tackle against Port Melbourne in round 4

                       Sam Dunell kicked 5 goals under lights against Werribee in round 5 

Ruckman Nick Meese in action under lights against Werribee in round 5 

Ben Jolley racked up 47 disposals in the massive 143-point win over the Northern Blues in round 6.

Nick Meese & Ed Carr both played their 100th VFL game against Footscray at Whitten Oval in round 9

          Michael Gibbons was best afield in the round 9 game against Footscray at Whitten Oval 

                         Nick Meese after his 100th VFL game in the 12-goal win at Whitten Oval in round 9

                            Vice-captain, Cameron Lockwood, fires off a handball against Frankston in round 10, 2016

                  Willie Wheeler, best-on-ground in the round 10 victory over Frankston at Williamstown

 

               Ed Carr after his 100th game for Williamstown v. Frankston in round 10, 2016

 

                                         Jake Greiser prepares to handball against Geelong in round 12 

      Jack Johnstone searching for the ball in the round 13 fixture against North Ballarat at Williamstown

                                         Ben Jolley in action during 2016

                                                             Jake Owen kicked 3 goals against Box Hill in the round 14 encounter

Dylan Conway celebrates one of his two goals in the 10-point victory at Box Hill in round 14

          Williamstown went to the top of the ladder with a comfortable victory over Coburg in round 15

Leigh Masters, 4 goals and best-on-ground at Port Melbourne in the round 16 33-point victory                                      

                                Ben Jolley at Port Melbourne in round 16

                                 Nick Sing in a contest for the ball at Sandringham in the round 17 fixture 

                                        Arryn Siposs kicks one of his three goals at Sandringham in round 17, 2016

Willie Wheeler played his 100th VFL game v. Essendon at Windy Hill in round 19 

Ben Bese marks strongly in the qualifying final v. Collingwood at Princes Park 

                 Jake Owen in the Development League elimination final

 Development League team list for preliminary final v. Casey Scorpions, lost by just six points 105-99

Sammy Dunell in action v. Sandringham in the first semi-final at North Port Oval 

                                                                    Sean Hetherington in his last season at Williamstown

Cameron Lockwood in his last game for Williamstown in the first semi-final v. Sandringham at North Port

             Jack Johnstone clearing from defence in the first semi-final v. Sandringham at North Port Oval.

Michael Gibbons played his 50th game for Williamstown in the first semi-final v. Sandringham 

             Tim Currie prepares to handball while being tackled against Sandringham in the first semi-final

                                                      Leigh Masters about to mark against Sandringham in the first semi-final

Sean Hetherington celebrates his goal in the first semi v. Sandringham at North Port Oval 

                                   Ben Jolley gets away a handball against Sandringham in the first semi-final

Senior team list for preliminary final v. Casey Scorpions, lost by seven goals 85-43 

                    Ed Carr fires off a handball in the losing preliminary final v. Casey at North Port

               Leigh Masters clears from defence against Casey Scorpions in the 2016 preliminary final

                                                           Leigh Masters with the ball in the preliminary final 

                         Anthony Anastasio on the attack in the preliminary final

 Ayce Cordy gets a tap away against Casey Scorpions in the preliminary final 

Jack Johnstone takes a mark against Casey Scorpions in the preliminary final 

                                                 Jake Greiser goes for a run with the ball in the preliminary final 

                                            Coach Andy Collins during the 2016 preliminary final

                   Nick Meese gets his hand to the ball during the preliminary final 

                             Defender Tim Currie during the preliminary final 

 Michael Gibbons won the JJ Liston Trophy, the first Williamstown recipient since Paul Dooley in 1996. 

                                                                        Life-long Seagull fan, Melba Maloney, passed away in April aged 88

                   Former player Ben Kelly tragically passed away in June 2016 at the age of just 35.

                 10-year Gulls coterie member Henry Ismailiw passed away in June.