A real focus of the off season has been to maintain our key players with a view of building on what we achieved in 2010. The drafting of Peter Faulks to Fremantle was a great result and we firmly believe he is capable of stepping up and playing consistent AFL footy from the start of the 2011 season.
Key senior players Brett Johnson, Ben Jolley, Cameron Lockwood, Matthew Little, David Stretton, Ben Davies, Matthew Grossman, Dane Rampe and Matthew Cravino have committed to play for the Seagulls again in 2011. In 2010 Williamstown recruited a very talented bunch of young players out of the TAC Cup including Ed Carr, Michael Fogarty, Josh Griffiths, Dion Lawson, Stephen McCallum, Kwame McHarg, Jack Purton-Smith and Nick Sing plus the promising key position defender Jake Wilson who was recruited from Portland and all of these players have resigned for the 2011 season. Richard Knight who overcame a knee reconstruction last season, Sam Mason and Nick DiMartino (who has lost 10kgs) have re-signed and we expect to keep running defender Phil Smith. Johnno Hevern and Lee Spiteri who were both on the 2010 list are training with an aim of being re-contracted for next season.
Player departures include Luke Cartelli and Mick Tanner who are transferring to Coburg FC in search of greater senior opportunities after playing with Williamstown for the last 3 and 4 years respectively. Other players who could not obtain regular Reserve games have departed which include - Dylan Ayton (Spotswood), Jake De Sousa (Taylors Lakes), Jordan Florance (Aberfeldie), Jacob Graham (Oak Park), Trent Lee (Lara), Harley Lewis (Barwon Heads), Adam Marangon (Old Melbournians), Jye Sandiford (South Bendigo), Nathan Uren (Doutta Stars) and Josh Young (Keilor). Other players to depart include the very popular Dean ’the Moose’ Muir who has returned to Inverleigh due to family reasons, Jeremy Mugavin has decided to return and play at Uni Blues and Brian Fenton has moved to Adelaide and will play with North Adelaide Football Club. The other player who is contemplating his future is Tom German and we await for his decision on his playing future.
Williamstown have contracted 7 young players out of the TAC Cup - Dylan Conway, Taylor Jones, Jack Gray, Justin Morris and Nathan Giles from the Western Jets, Calder Cannons Premiership player Alistair Kefford and Sam Caruso (Wangaratta / Murray Bushrangers).
Williamstown has also signed Brydon Coles who won the Sydney Football League U/18 Best and Fairest in 2008 and then the Senior Competition Best and Fairest in 2009 before moving to Geelong and playing for Geelong West / St Peters in 2010. Corey Lawson has also joined his brother Dion at Williamstown after playing at Werribee in 2009 - 2010. Corey played with Altona Juniors and the Western Jets and is recovering from a knee reconstruction.
The Club has also welcomed back the popular Adam Cook who has played the last 2 seasons at Wodonga Raiders and represented the strong Ovens and Murray FL in rep games. A large number of players from metro and country TAC Cup Clubs are training with Williamstown and many are awaiting University offers before committing to our Club.
The Club aims to have the bulk of its list signed up before the Christmas break on Monday 20th December and training will resume on Friday 7th January.