The Footscray Bulldogs are back in the top four of the VFL ladder after defeating traditional rivals Williamstown by 11-points in a thrilling contest on Sunday afternoon.
 
With the reigning premiers fresh off an impressive win over the Bombers and travelling to Burbank Oval to tackle the ladder leading Seagulls, it was a game that promised plenty and delivered in spades.
 
Williamstown came into the match the winner of five straight games, the most recent a five goal drubbing of the in-form Magpies, and the Dogs were going to have to get their hands on the footy early and often to come away with the points in the tough conditions.
 
Coach Ashley Hansen challenged his midfield brigade before the game to take it up to experienced Seagull mids, and it was in the engine room where the game was won.
 
“They were just outstanding today, that group.  I set them the challenge to really take it up to Willy’s midfield because they’re such an experienced and successful group,” he said
 
“They’ve played together for a long time but our boys got it done, and it was a nice blend of Kelly, Pearce, Hrovat, Prismall, Goodes and Honeychurch. They shared the load and set us up for the win.”
 
Tom Boyd was again impressive despite competing against two and sometimes three opponents at once; the big man finishing with a tally of three goals but could just as easily have kicked five or six.
 
Hansen said that the 19-year-old was a key player in the latter stages of the contest despite the extra attention.
 
“He’s putting himself in a position where he’s competing really hard even when he’s outnumbered.   We certainly didn’t help him - our other forwards needed to try and engage their spare and make them accountable, but that’s something we will work on.”
 
“But that said I thought he was really threatening early and certainly pivotal late in providing a contest and a target when we went forward.”
 
The Seagulls were just 16 points back at the final change after leading at the half and got within 10 points midway through the final term but Hansen said that his team took a step forward in being able to hold off a team off Williamstown’s standard on their home deck.
 
“The belief the group displayed in holding off an experienced team in the last quarter was really pleasing to see,” he said.
 
“To be under that level of pressure where they’ve got to not only defend a lead but then also deal with a really combative senior side that is on top of the ladder … I thought it was a really important win for the development of our young side.”
 
Another positive was the form of father-son prospect Darcy Macpherson in his first VFL game.  The son of Stephen Macpherson, who played 188 games for the club between 1982-1995 kicked a goal and looked more than comfortable in the red, white and blue.
 
“Darcy walked into an absolute furnace of a game in regards to the competitive nature of it and I thought he held up really well,” Hansen said.
 
“He didn’t shirk a contest and I thought he was clean with his use and made some really good decisions.  I thought he showed some really good signs for his first game.”
 
Footscray will take on Port Melbourne at Victoria University Whitten Oval next Saturday at 2:00pm.
 
 
Footscray Bulldogs             2.5   5.7   9.11    10.13    (73)
Williamstown                      2.4   6.7   7.7       8.14.   (62)
 
GOALS:
Footscray: T. Boyd 3, M. Honeychurch 2, D. Macpherson , N. Hrovat , W. Hayes, A. Cordy , Z. Cordy
Williamstown: S. Dunell 3, A. Gallucci 3, B. Casley , L. Masters
 
 
BEST:
Footscray: N. Hrovat , T. Boyd , B. Prismall , J. Kelly , A. Cordy, M. Honeychurch
Williamstown: B. Jolley , S. Dunell , E. Carr , C. Lockwood , M. Banner , L. Masters