Seagulls loving life in Dogs' house

[Dale61]

http://www.leadernews.com.au/article/2008/04/22/33748_vfl_story.html

WILLIAMSTOWN president Trevor Monti is convinced his club's alignment with the Western Bulldogs is ticking over smoothly despite last Saturday's 32-point loss to reigning VFL premier Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

He said it is more harmonious than the relationship with Collingwood which came to a conclusion at the end of last season.

"We are travelling terrifically well," Monti said. "Our relationship is far more effective, more satisfying and closer and more intimate than we had at Collingwood.

"Both clubs are really enjoying it. I believe I can speak for the Western Bulldogs, when I say we are both really happy."

Monti said the Western Bulldogs have embraced the concept right from the top with president David Smorgon and several of his board members and AFL players attending home games at Burbank Oval.

"The Bulldogs have taken it on as a genuine partnership," he said.

He said, understandably, Collingwood's main aim was to have its players receiving first priority in any Seagulls line-up.

"They wanted their players to play when they wanted and where they wanted," he said.

"The Bulldogs know it's a partnership and in any partnership there is give and take, bad and good.

"I know we had to play Farren Ray and Andrejs Everitt against Geelong after coming back from injury. It was our duty to do that."

He said Williamstown coach Brad Gotch had relished freedom in selection and positioning of players on the field.

"Brad is no longer in a straight jacket in terms of his coaching," Monti said.

"He is coaching Williamstown the way he wants to coach. He is not being told by others he has got to do this or that."

Gotch said Williamstown was right in the ball park to steal the Geelong match, particularly early in the final term when they got within a goal.

"We didn't play as well as we expected but we were still in with a chance," he said.

"They kicked three goals late in the game and blew us out of the water.

"We had a good crack at it, but the ground was longer than we are used to and we had a bit of problem adjusting to it.

"They are a polished side."

It was the Seagulls' first defeat of the season.

Gotch was pleased Ray (fibula) and Everitt (knee) got through their first matches since the pre-season.

Ray picked up 18 touches working across midfield, while Everitt kicked a long goal in the first quarter.

"Ray probably played about 75 per cent of the game," Gotch said. "Everitt was a bit scratchy working on the wing and across half-back."

The Seagulls found it hard to contain Geelong's 18-year-old tall forward Scott Simpson who booted eight goals against a variety of Bulldogs opponents Andrew McDougall, Everitt, Stephen Tiller and Wayde Skipper.

Williamstown ruck Peter Street put his hand up for AFL consideration with 43 knockouts and 14 disposals.

Gotch said he held sway against Geelong giant Dawson Simpson at centre bounces and around the ground. "I thought Street was our best player," Gotch said.

Geelong's defence, led by East Fremantle recruit Harry Taylor and David Johnson, put the shutters on Dean Galea and Callum Urch for a majority of the game.

Midfielder Ben Jolley had more than 20 touches, working hard at stoppages. Full back Scott Meyer was effective restricting Cats full forward Tom Lonergan to two goals.

[amnesiac]

Interesting that Williamstown are happy with the freedom the Dog's are giving them, considering that one of the reasons the alignment with Werribee fell through was because we didn't have enough control.

It is good that the board has been down to the games.
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"It would be great to be playing in finals and in teams that are winning all the time, but I chose to come to Richmond" - Nathan G. Brown