Williamstown’s 2024 season proved to be very similar to the one prior, with the Seagulls’ campaign finishing at the same stage and against the same opponent.
However, two impressive finals wins showed they are not far off the mark as they chase their first flag since 2015.
BY THE NUMBERS
Position: 6th
W-L-D (%): 13-8 (107.4%)
Players used: 36
Played every match: 2 – Will Fordham, Jake Greiser
Ex-AFL players: 11 (152 matches)
Debutants: 6 – Josh Browne, Akol Deng, Lucca Grego, Lucas Impey, Heath Ollington, Oscar Sasalu
STAR PERFORMERS
Best and Fairest: 1st: Luke Parks (83 votes), 2nd: Corey Ellison (74), 3rd: Jack Brown, Joel Fitzgerald and Brodie McLaughlin (57)
J.J. Liston Trophy: Will Fordham (14 votes), Tom Downie (11), Corey Ellison (8), Riley Collier-Dawkins (5), Aiden Bonar (4)
Coaches MVP Award: Luke Parks (53 votes), Riley Collier-Dawkins (44), Will Fordham (34), Tom Downie (30), Corey Ellison (30)
Leading Goalkickers: Brodie McLaughlin (49), Corey Ellison (38), Nick Ebinger (24), Corey Rich (14), Jack Toner (14), Jovan Petric (14)
Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year: Luke Parks (back pocket)
STAT LEADERS
(Averages – minimum 6 matches)
Disposals: Will Fordham 21.3, Joel Fitzgerald 20.7, Riley Collier-Dawkins 19.7, James Cousins 19.0, Jack Toner 18.5
Contested possessions: Riley Collier-Dawkins 11.6, Toby Triffett 10.7, Will Fordham 9.9, Tom Downie 9.3, James Cousins 7.6
Kicks: Joel Fitzgerald 14.6, Jake Greiser 13.9, Fin O’Dwyer 12.6, Jack Toner 12.4, Luke Parks 12.3
Handballs: Toby Triffett 10.8, Riley Collier-Dawkins 10.8, Will Fordham 10.0, James Cousins 7.3, Josh Browne 7.1, Joel Fitzgerald 6.1, Jack Toner 6.1
Marks: Luke Parks 7.5, Fin O’Dwyer 6.1, Joel Fitzgerald 5.7, Riley Stoddart 5.5, Aiden Bonar 5.1
Tackles: Toby Triffett 6.4, Riley Collier-Dawkins 5.0, Tom Downie 3.6, Will Fordham 3.5, Nathan Colenso 3.5, James Cousins 3.5
Hitouts: Tom Downie 36.9, Jovan Petric 3.6, Corey Ellison 0.7, Riley Collier-Dawkins 0.6
Clearances: Riley Collier-Dawkins 6.3, Toby Triffett 5.0, Tom Downie 4.5, Will Fordham 4.0, Jack Toner 3.8
Inside-50s: Jack Toner 4.6, Mitch Cox 3.5, Will Fordham 3.4, Riley Collier-Dawkins 3.2, James Cousins 2.9
Rebound-50s: Jake Greiser 6.2, Fin O’Dwyer 5.2, Luke Parks 4.5, Joel Fitzgerald 4.5, Aiden Bonar 4.2
What went right: The Seagulls produced arguably the best all-round performance of the season when they dismantled reigning Grand Finalist and eventual premier Werribee by 52 points at DSV Stadium on Anzac Day. The result avenged a 15-goal flogging from the Tigers in the same fixture a year earlier. They also thrashed the other 2024 Grand Finalist in Southport by 46 points by the bay a couple of weeks earlier as they made an early statement by racing to a 7-1 start. Having slipped a bit from there, Williamstown showed its vaunted spirit to belt Richmond in their Wildcard final before stunning Box Hill on the road in the elimination final to record another top six finish.
What went wrong: After sitting pretty at the top of the ladder, the Seagulls copped a 10-goal hammering from arch-rival Port Melbourne in their Johnson-Callahan Cup clash in Round 10. It started a slide of four losses in five weeks, including defeats in the return games against Southport and Werribee. Losing star defenders Fin O’Dwyer and Ryley Stoddart plus runners Mitch Cox and Darby Henderson for large chunks of the season also didn’t help, while a shock home loss to North Melbourne in Round 19 meant the Seagulls needed to take the long route to reach premiership glory, which proved a bridge too far to cross despite score two superb finals wins.
Summary: A very similar season to the last one which finished at the same stage, with an away semi final defeat at the hands of the Brisbane Lions. Albeit this year it ended in a high-standard shootout which Williamstown led by four goals during the third term, before running out steam. The Seagulls had a multi-pronged forward line led by Brodie McLaughlin (49 goals) and Corey Ellison (38), as well as a strong backline that was hard to penetrate despite the AFL call-ups for Marty Hore and Oscar McDonald, with Luke Parks winning the Gerry Callahan Medal. The absence of midfielders from the top five of that count (three backs, two forwards) can be taken two ways – that the bookends were extremely strong or the engine room needs a bit of work. It’s probably a little bit of both, but they are not far off the mark.
Grade: 7/10
2024 SMITHY'S VFL SEASON REVIEWS
Box Hill Hawks
Frankston
Gold Coast Suns
Richmond
Essendon
Sandringham
Sydney Swans
GWS Giants
North Melbourne
Port Melbourne
Casey Demons
Coburg
Carlton
Collingwood
Northern Bullants
