Former Essendon and Bendigo Bombers player Ben Jolley has joined Williamstown for season 2008. Jolley joins Cloke and Galea as big signings the Seagulls have made over the off season so far.
The highly respected and regarded Ben Jolley has signed a one year contract with Williamstown for 2008. Ben was Captain of the Calder Cannons Premiership side in 2004 and also Captained the Victorian Metropolitan U/18 side that season. In 2005 Ben was on the Essendon Rookie List and played 4 AFL games. In 2006 and 2007 Ben played with the Bendigo Bombers and won their Best & Fairest in 2006 and finished fifth in 2007. The talented 21 year old midfielder has played 52 senior VFL games.
Jolley will add lots of hardness and experience to the Seagulls midfield rotation of Johnson, Greene, Rose, Picken, Beaumont and Proctor as Williamstown strives to go two steps further than the previous two years when Williamstown finished their season in the Preliminary Final.
Jason played for Bendigo Bombers in 2007 and was runner up in their Best & Fairest and represented the VFL in their crushing victory over Western Australia.
Jason resides in Yarraville and was happy to commit to Williamstown for a two year period and is keen to be a driving force in our club's push for success in 2008. Jason will wear his favourite No.34 for Williamstown.
Galea (22 years old) played for Williamstown in 2005 and 2006 and has played 20 senior games and kicked 31 goals. Galea kicked 6 goals in Williamstown's 2005 Reserves premiership win and in 18 reserves games kicked 47 goals.
Matthew Little was drafted to Hawthorn in the 2004 National Draft at pick 26 after
showing much promise as a Full Forward for the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. He was a dominant goalkicker at TAC Cup level in 2004 and followed this form to VFL level last year where he was leading goal kicker for the Box Hill, kicking 35 goals in 17 games.
Matthew played 1 game of AFL in his time at Hawthorn, playing in Round 16 2007 vs St Kilda, he had 6 disposals for the match.
Matthew is James Hirds cousin so there is some good blood running through his veins. We are delighted to have him at Williamstown for 2008 and add him to our off-season recruits of Jason Cloke, Ben Jolley, Dean Galea and our existing player group.
23 year old Callum Urch has signed with the seagulls. Callum is a local western suburbs player who graduated through Spotswood Football Club to the Western Jets where he was selected at pick 25 in the 2002 National Draft. In his five seasons with the Kangaroos, Callum played 8 AFL games after battling a series of hamstring injuries. Confident that he has finally got his body right and understands how to maintain his body, Callum is hoping to relaunch his football career at Williamstown.
Through the Kangaroos alignment with both Port Melbourne and North Ballarat, Callum has played 64 senior VFL games and kicked 51 goals. Callum is a versatile player who can play up forward or down back, on a wing or can play through the midfield. Callum will wear the number 8 jumper for Williamstown.
Jackson Barling re-signed with Williamstown last friday after playing the 2007 season with SANFL club West Adelaide. The 21 year old Barling finished third in West Adelaide's Best and Fairest after a consistent season at Full Back and Centre Half Back.
Barling is a product of the Williamstown Juniors Football Club and graduated to the Calder Cannons where he was a member of the Cannons 2003 and 2004 premierships. Calder premiership team mates Ben Jolley and Matthew Little have also joined Williamstown for the 2008 season.
Barling played with Williamstown in 2005 and 2006, and won the prestigious Fothergill/Round medal in 2005 for the most promising player in the VFL competition. Unfortunately a hip injury curtailed his 2006 season before joining West Adelaide for the 2007 season. Barling will wear guernsey No 2 during the 2008 season