Round 8 Match Report
Williamstown Seagulls vs Frankston Dolphins, Williamstown Oval
By Trent Kniese
For the Dolphins, Round 8 saw Frankston go to a ground haunted by a long history of losses for the club.
Frankston had not won at Williamstown Oval since 1999 prior to this match. That all changed on Saturday night when the Dolphins went on a tear.
Frankston brought in Tom Murphy, Bailey Lambert, Pierce Roseby, Angus Grant, and Brodie McLaughlin for Round 8.
Within the first two minutes, Sam Fletcher scored the game’s first goal. Soon later, Murphy joined the party and scored a goal from about 45 metres out. Will Fordham finished the first quarter with his first of four goals. Fordham put on the afterburners to escape from his man and take a big mark. He then went back to kick a goal from about 40 metres out. At the first break, Williamstown lost to Frankston 0.3.3 to 3.4.22.
The Seagulls continued their struggle, kicking six behinds in the second quarter as a damp Williamstown Oval hampered both teams. In a dreary second quarter, Frankston kicked three of their own behinds. Grant had one of the highlights of the second quarter taking a huge pack mark. At the main break, Williamstown was 0.9.9 to Frankston 3.7.25.
Coming out of the locker room, Frankston ignited and sparked the breakaway they so desperately needed. Fordham cancelled out an early Williamstown goal, the umpire not moving for a beautiful set shot. Josh Begley got on the board in spectacular fashion, kicking from 65 meters before bouncing in over Jeremy Burton and his defender. Halfway through the third, Josh Newman scored with a snap around the corner after some brilliant contest work from the Dolphins, and Will ‘The Main Attraction’ Fordham added his third strolling into an open goal. At three-quarter time, Williamstown trailed Frankston 1.11.17 to 7.12.54.
McLaughlin missed early in the fourth quarter but made amends a minute later, kicking his first of the season on a tight angle for a right-footer. Fordham’s fourth came from a beautiful set shot. Burton kicked the sealer for the Dolphins, bursting through the pack to ensure it was Frankston who sang the song at Williamstown Oval for the first time in 21 years.
Final Score:
Williamstown 3.16.34
Frankston 10.15.75
Frankston is currently ranked 9th out of 21 teams in the VFL after seven rounds. The best eight teams at the end of the season will compete in the finals.
KEY STATISTICS:
- Josh Newman had 33 disposals, four marks and four tackles.
- Connor Riley had 29 disposals, four tackles and four clearances
- James Rendell had 25 hit outs, 13 disposals, and five tackles.
- Trent Mynott had 21 disposals, nine tackles and four clearances.
- Bill Mackay had 16 disposals, four tackles and seven clearances.
GOALS:
- Will Fordham– 4
- Josh Begley– 1
- Jeremy Burton– 1
- Sam Fletcher– 1
- Brodie McLaughlin – 1
- Tom Murphy– 1
- Josh Newman 1
If you could not get to the game on Saturday night, a mini-match can be found here.
The Dolphins have a week off before hosting the top of the table Casey Demons at SkyBus Stadium on Sunday the 29th of May at 2.05pm.
