The Footscray Bulldogs suffered their first defeat of the season after going down to Williamstown by 41 points in a physical encounter.
On a blustery Sunday afternoon at Williamstown’s Burbank Oval, the hosts seized the lead minutes into a fiery first term before piling on four unanswered goals leading into quarter time.
The Seagulls’ quarter-time lead of 20 points proved to be insurmountable for the Bulldogs, who never came within three goals of Williamstown after the home team’s opening-quarter blitz.
The match opened in deadlock with heavily congested contests and little free space. The game’s first 10 minutes yielded just one goal – to Williamstown’s Leigh Masters.
Marcus Bontempelli roved a spillage 20 meters out from goal and craftily handpassed to Redpath loose in the goal square, who opened the Bulldogs’ account midway through the first term.
Footscray continued to battle hard, but ineffective kicking for goal stifled their attack and it was the home side who made the most of their opportunities, kicking three goals from turnovers alone.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs looked to slow Williamstown’s advance while pulling back the deficit, but the Seagulls came up the answers whenever challenged.
The Bulldogs finished the term with 1.2 to Williamstown’s 2.2 and entered half-time 26 points down.
A lively third quarter proved to be the most exciting stanza of the match. The Bulldogs again looked to have lifted, but couldn’t narrow the four goal margin — for the most part, the two sides went goal-for-goal.
After four majors apiece in the quarter, the Bulldogs trailed Williamstown by 25 points at the final change as a vocal contingent of Footscray supporters urged their players towards an unlikely comeback.
The Bulldogs started strongly but could manage only three behinds before Anastasio goaled at the other end, arresting the visitors’ momentum.
While the energetic Honeychurch managed a clever snap goal, Williamstown ran away in the final quarter with four goals to one.
Speaking after the match, Footscray’s Brent Prismall reflected on the outcome with disappointment.
“They probably beat us in a few of the areas that we focus on and pride ourselves on”, he said.
As for Footscray’s focus at training, Prismall was clear.
“Being more ruthless around the ball, going back to hunting teams rather than being the hunted”, he said.
“We’ve got another chance next week to back up against the Northern Blues and go again.”
Prismall applauded the efforts of Honeychurch, who was among the best for the Bulldogs along with Footscray debutant Bontempelli and defender Fletcher Roberts, who fought hard all day.
The Bulldogs return to the Whitten Oval next Sunday to face the Northern Blues.
Scores Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Williamstown 5.0 7.2 11.5 15.8 98
Footscray 1.4 2.6 6.10 7.15 57
Goals
Williamstown: Anastasio 4, Clouston 3, Gibbons 3, Charleston, Johnstone, Kulikowski, Masters, Wheeler
Footscray: Dickson 2, Fort, Honeychurch, Jamieson, Redpath, Smith
Best
Williamstown: Jolley, Marcon, Anastasio, Clouston, Gibbons, Faulks
Footscray: Bontempelli, Roberts, Honeychurch, Goodes, Jamieson
