SEAGULLS NEWS
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5
IN THIS NEWSLETTER...
PAGE 1: CEO UPDATE
PAGE 2: 2025 PRESENTATION NIGHT
PAGE 3: VFL & VFLW NEWS
PAGE 4: DOWNIE CALLS TIME
+ CEO PAUL NORTHEY JOINS VFL REWIND
PAGE 5: CONGRATULATIONS, JUSTIN BEACH
+ PLAPP REFLECTS ON SEASON’S END
PAGE 6: THANK YOU, VFL SUPPORTERS + VFL & VFLW AWARDS NIGHT
PAGE 7: O’DWYER RE-SIGNS FOR 2026 + FAREWELL SPECCIE
PAGE 8: MEMBERSHIP UPDATE + PARTNER NEWS
PAGE 9: SEAGULLS ANNUAL GOLF DAY
CEO UPDATE
Dear Members,
As the final siren has sounded on the 2025 season, it's a time for reflection - but equally, it's the beginning of our preparation for what lies ahead in 2026. While results on the field are only one part of the story, this season has once again demonstrated the resilience, passion and strength of our great club
Recently, the club celebrated Presentation Night, where we recognised the outstanding contributions of players, volunteers and staff A huge congratulations goes to Emily Eaves and Luke Parks, who were deservedly awarded our Best and Fairest honours Their consistent performance, leadership and drive set the standard for excellence in our club, and we’re incredibly proud of their achievements.
We also extend a special congratulations to Emily Eaves and Jemima Wrigley, who were named in the VFLW Team of the Year, and to Luke and Brodie McLaughlin, who were selected in the VFL Team of the Year These individual accolades not only reflect their outstanding seasons, but also highlight the strong standing Williamstown continues to hold in the competition
Off the field, we took the time to acknowledge those who make so much of what we do possible. Craig Chatterton was presented with the President’s Award for his tireless and loyal service, while Patrick Lee was honoured with the Janet Dooley Award for Best Club Person, recognising his unwavering support to the heartbeat of our club Congratulations to you both – your efforts don’t go unnoticed
While the 2025 season has drawn to a close, the work has not. Our coaching group and management team have already turned their attention to 2026. Exit interviews with players have been completed, recruitment activity is well underway, and new signings and announcements are being made Preseason planning is locked in, and there’s a real energy and focus building towards what we’re determined will be a successful and exciting year ahead
For our players and coaches retiring or not returning, we say thank you for the immense contributions to the club.
As I continue to spend more time within the club - engaging with members, supporters, sponsors, volunteers and key stakeholders - what continues to strike me is the depth of passion, the strength of our history, and the high regard in which Williamstown Football Club is held It’s a legacy we are proud to protect, and one we are fiercely committed to building upon
So, while the players enjoy a well-earned break, and we all look forward to some summer sun, daylight savings, and a chance to rest and recharge, please know that your club is already hard at work The Board, management, coaches and playing group are energised, aligned, and committed to making 2026 a season we can all be proud of
Thank you again for your continued support Enjoy the off-season, and we look forward to seeing you back, refreshed and ready to go in 2026.
Go the mighty Seagulls!
Paul Northey Chief Executive Officer Williamstown Football Club
2025 PRESENTATION NIGHT
Williamstown’s VFL and VFLW Presentation Night was held on Thursday 25th September at the Yarraville Event Hub to celebrate the most important contributors from the season that was
The night was an opportunity to recognise the hard work of our players, staff, volunteers, and supporters who shaped another memorable year for the Williamstown Football Club.
Guests were the first to discover who claimed our top honours for 2025, while also hearing directly from Club President Merryl Dooley, along with our 2025 captains and coaches.
Across the evening, 20 Club awards were presented, highlighted by the prestigious VFL and VFLW Best and Fairests.
We were fortunate to have respected commentator and host Nigel Carmody as our MC. His experience and passion for sport helped shine a spotlight on our award winners and milestones
A big thank you goes to our Event Sponsor, Kraken Black Spiced Rum, and to the Yarraville Event Hub for accommodating us.
A full list of our 2025 award winners can be found here
Plus, read about Luke Parks and Emily Eaves claiming back-to-back Best and Fairest honours here.
Look through the photo gallery from the evening here.
VFL & VFLW NEWS
After falling short to North Melbourne-Werribee in a Semi Final, our VFLW Seagulls remain in search of their first back-to-back finals victories at VFLW level.
Exit interviews soon followed, with discussions around the structure of next year’s program now underway.
With Senior Coach Liam Cavanagh’s contract not renewed for 2026, the playing group awaits the appointment of a new coach before officially recommitting. While it’s promising that many players have verbally agreed to stay on, the confirmation of a new leader will help solidify the squad in the coming weeks.
September began on a sombre note for our VFL side, following a tough loss to Casey in the second week of finals on August 30. Blustery conditions greeted both sides at Casey Fields, but that didn’t stop a strong crowd of Seagulls supporters from making the trip to cheer the boys on.
Casey entered fresh off a bye, while Williamstown had already done the hard yards the week prior, grinding out a wildcard win. The Demons proved too strong, winning all four quarters to bring the Seagulls’ season to a close. While the result wasn’t the fairytale finish we’d hoped for, reaching the second week of finals was a mighty effort - particularly after sitting outside the top 10 heading into the final round of the home-and-away season.
Jake Greiser (26 disposals) and Joel Fitzgerald (23) were the key ball-winners of the Elimination Final, while Brodie McLaughlin closed out his remarkable season with three goals to bring his tally to 71, securing the title of the league’s leading goalkicker
With Senior Coach Justin Plapp re-signed for another season, off-field focus has shifted to player movement and retention. So far, Finn O'Dwyer, Hugo Hall-Kahan, Damon Hollow, Jack Toner, Ben Kennedy, Ned Pendergast, and Cameron Polson have all recommitted for 2026.
The Club has also bid farewell to Hamish Murphy, Hamish Morrison, Oscar Sasalu, Nathan Jensen, Tom Downie, Brodie McLaughlin, Riley CollierDawkins, and Jack Noonan, who depart with our thanks and best wishes for the next chapters of their football journeys
DOWNIE CALLS TIME
At Williamstown’s 2025 Presentation Night, 32-yearold ruckman Tom Downie announced that he will not be playing VFL football next season.
One of the Club’s longest-serving players of the past decade, Downie has decided to hang up the boots after 80 games across five seasons in blue and gold
Joining the Seagulls ahead of the 2021 season after nine AFL games with GWS, Downie quickly established himself as a caring and respected leader
But his football journey was far from straightforward Read all about it here.
The Williamstown Football Club thanks Tom Downie for his outstanding contribution to the Club and congratulates him on a fantastic VFL career
CEO PAUL NORTHEY JOINS VFL REWIND
After a month in the role, CEO Paul Northey made his first appearance on VFL Rewind Radio Program on Monday 1st September to discuss his sporting and business background, first impressions of the Club, its community connection, and Justin Plapp’s re-signing
Find to the full episode here: VFL Rewind Podcast
We owe a big thank you to VFL Rewind for continuing their proud support of standalone clubs in season 2025! Throughout the year, the show has featured a number of Williamstown players, staff, and supporters - giving our Club another valuable platform to be showcased.
Hosts Brad and Lauschie have gone above and beyond, sponsoring two of our players, attending our player sponsor nights, and joining us for our Premiership Reunion President’s Luncheon. It’s people like them who help create the welcoming, community-focused atmosphere that makes football at this level so special
Without a podcast of our own, having Williamstown guests regularly appear on their show gives our supporters another way to stay connected If you missed an episode or want to catch up on some key Williamstown segments from this year, you can tune in here.
CONGRATULATIONS, JUSTIN BEACH
VFLW Head of Development and Forward Coach Justin Beach has accepted a position with the Peel Thunder Football Club in the WAFLW.
Beach will relocate to Western Australia after three years at Williamstown, where he made a significant impact across multiple areas of the VFLW program He joined the Seagulls from Coburg FC alongside Senior Coach Liam Cavanagh, beginning as a development coach at the end of 2022. In 2024, Beach was appointed Forward Line Coach, playing a key role in guiding the Club to its maiden VFLW minor premiership. Ahead of the 2025 season, he stepped into the Senior Assistant role while continuing to lead the forwards and oversee the development squad
Williamstown GM of Football Operations, Ash Collins, praised Beach’s contribution to the program saying “Justin has worked across several roles at Williamstown and played a really important part in driving high standards and building a strong culture. While we will miss having him in the blue and gold, we understand the significance of this next step in his career and fully support his decision to move across the country for it ”
The Club sincerely thanks Justin for his dedication across his time at Williamstown and wishes him and his partner, Danielle, every success in their future in Western Australia.
PLAPP REFLECTS ON SEASON’S END
In the moments after last Williamstown’s VFL Elimination Final loss to the Casey Demons, Senior Coach Justin Plapp candidly addressed his playing group. While there have been positive aspects in Plapp’s 2025 side, he has acknowledged that the areas needing greater consistency are clear.
“It’s a hard period because we want to keep going, I want to keep going, but the reality is we didn’t take wins when we needed to throughout the year. There was a fair bit of what happened earlier in the season – in losses like to Essendon and GWS – that came out today,” Plapp said.
While the defeat ended the Seagulls’ 2025 campaign, Plapp urged his group to see the bigger picture, pointing to the strides made from last season and the opportunity to continue growing.
“You’ve all grown from last year, but how do you grow again? It’s finding opportunities when we’re not together to work on your body and your game If you’re going to keep committing to VFL footy you need to think about how you can get better through investing more time outside of the Club,” he said.
The coach continued to remind his players that the competition demands more than the minimum, encouraging them to embrace the challenge of ongoing development
“If you want something bad enough and if you want to achieve something bad enough you’ve got to work at it and you’ve got to put the time and effort in. Just doing the bare minimum doesn’t get you there.”
Read more of Plapp’s Elimination Final post-match address here
THANK YOU, VFL SUPPORTERS
Unfortunately, an Elimination Final loss saw the Casey Demons take Williamstown’s place in the Semi Finals, bringing the Seagulls’ 2025 season to a close.
From the players, coaches and staff to our blue and gold family - thank you for the support and passion you’ve shown once again in season 2025 Our goal is always to go all the way for you, and we’ll be putting in the work to push further next year
Please keep an eye on our website and social changes as we begin to announce VFL list changes ahead of the 2026 season.
VFL & VFLW AWARDS NIGHT
Williamstown had two representatives from each program named in the 2025 Teams of the Year, announced at the VFL and VFLW Awards held at Marvel Stadium on Monday 15th September
Vice-Captain Emily Eaves was selected on the bench of the 2025 rebel VFLW Team of the Year, while defender Jemima Wrigley earned a starting position as a half-back. On the men’s side, VFL Leading Goalkicker Brodie McLaughlin was named in the forward line of the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year, with Luke Parks receiving back-to-back honours in the backline.
Earlier in the night, McLaughlin collected his second Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal after finishing the home-andaway season with 67 goals. He also placed joint tenth in the Smithy’s VFL Coaches MVP (56 votes) and sixth in the J J Liston Trophy count with 17 votes
In the VFLW, Eaves capped off a stellar season by sharing the rebel VFLW Coaches MVP with Lambert-Pearce Medalist Ange Gogos (Darebin), the first tie in the award’s history, with both polling 77 votes. Eaves also polled strongly in the Lambert-Pearce Medal count, finishing fourth with 17 votes after being in contention throughout the evening.
O’DWYER RE-SIGNS FOR 2026
Williamstown co-captain Finn O'Dwyer will enter a fifth season at the Club, having put pen to paper on a fresh contract for 2026.
The 25-year-old VFL defender played a key role in Williamstown’s backline this season, regularly matching up on dangerous opposition forwards Across his 14 games, O’Dwyer averaged 18 disposals, 14 kicks and eight marks, ranking fifth at the Club for marks.
One of his standout performances came in Round 19 against Collingwood, where he amassed 31 disposals, 27 kicks and 10 marks in Williamstown’s first of two wins over the Magpies for the year.
O’Dwyer was appointed co-captain alongside Cameron Polson in March, building on his leadership development after serving as deputy vice-captain in 2024. Read on further here
FAREWELL SPECCIE
You might know him as Speccie - the giant Seagull that brings much joy to our home games - but behind the beak is one of Williamstown’s most dedicated volunteers, Patrick Lee
Since 2021, Patrick has suited up to bring the Speccie spirit to life, often twice on doubleheader days - kicking the footy, posing for photos, and putting smiles on faces across DSV Stadium. It’s hot, stuffy, and hard to see in there, but Patrick has always made it look effortless.
A loyal member since 2016, Patrick rarely misses a game - home or away - whether he’s on Speccie duty or cheering from the stands His passion for the blue and gold is as big as the suit itself.
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN STEPPING INTO SPECCIE’S BIG YELLOW SHOES NEXT SEASON, WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
TO GET INVOLVED!
As Patrick prepares to move to Germany at the end of this year, we bid farewell to not only our beloved mascot but also a true club person. On Presentation Night, Patrick was deservedly recognised with the Janet Dooley Trophy for Best Club Person, honouring his energy, commitment, and heart.
The legend behind so many game day memories - thank you, Patrick, and all the very best as you take flight on your next adventure.
2025 MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
A huge thank you to all of our 1084 loyal members for signing on and standing by the Seagulls in 2025. Your support means everything to the club. Together, we’ve built something special and next year is shaping up to be even bigger!
Join the Blue and Gold journey in 2026! Memberships will be on sale from November 1 Visit https://williamstownfc com au/membership to renew
Sign up before Dec 31 2025 to receive your free member merchandise item. st
For all of our members on the auto renew payment option, your membership will be rolled over during the first week of November Please reach out to Lee at lherrick@williamstownfc.com.au if you would like to amend your membership from 2025, update your card details or have any questions. Not an auto renew member? Please email Lee before October 27th to express your interest and we'll do all the work for you
Get your friends and family on board - sign them up and share the blue and gold pride! Everyone is welcome!
MERCHANDISE
It's coming! Williamstown’s biggest sale of the year! Stay tuned for exclusive deals for our loyal supporters.
PARTNER NEWS
We’re excited to announce that Breheny Brothers is now the official beer partner of the Williamstown Football Club for 2026.
This partnership is one of history coming full circle Both the Seagulls and the Breheny Brothers story began in 1864, right here in Williamstown.
While the club was taking to the field, the Breheny Brothers family was firing up the brewhouse, laying the foundations for two legacies that have stood the test of time.
More than 160 years on, Breheny Brothers beers are still brewed from the same family recipe books, proudly Australian owned, and now being served at the home of Williamstown Football Club.
Supporters can enjoy their range of easydrinking beers while cheering on the Seagulls next season.
Here’s to heritage, community, and local footy. Cheers to the Seagulls! Cheers with the pioneers!
