GNFL Round 3: Dale Williamson breaks GNFL goal kicking record in Brigades’ win against Towns

It all came down to the last quarter, with Brigades’ Dale Williamson needing one goal to break the GNFL’s goals record in the win against Towns on Saturday night.

He had the five needed to tie Towns’ Dale Baynes on 780 and a big Country Builders Stadium crowd was willing him on.

Baynes was watching closely from the sidelines as the opposition’s coach.

Williamson goaled twice in the first term and two minutes into the second, running down a loose ball moving across the goalface.

He somehow reeled it in and kicked backwards for a great goal.

He had no other opportunities in this quarter.

Brigades were on top but Towns, perhaps lifted by the return of Liam Carlyon, showed application.

Williamson goaled in the 12th and 15th minute of the third quarter but his teammates could not link up with him again.

One to get in the last quarter, but set shots in the third, fourth and seventh minutes went wide. Normally he’d have put away if not two of them, then certainly one.

Towns then dominated. Perhaps Brigades, focused on one task, were predictable but the Bulldogs were imposing in this period and deserved more reward.

With time running out the Hawks finally worked a pass to Williamson that he juggled twice before hanging on.

He paused, gathered his wits and put it through. The crowd roared with him.

“I had five goals one and then the pressure built up,” Williamson said.

“Dale Baynes was an amazing player and really good about me taking his record, something I never thought I’d do.

“It’s good to have the league record back with Brigades after Steve (Perham) made it ours for so many years.

“I can get to 800 goals now, that would be awesome but it’s about winning games with my mates and then see what we can do in the finals.”

In the end, Brigades were solid 54-point victors over Towns 12.16 (88) to 5.4 (34) and sit on top of the GNFL league ladder after three rounds.

Baynes congratulated Williamson.

“I shook his hand after the game and bought him a beer upstairs; records are made to be broken so good luck to him.”

Baynes was happy with how his team played.

“Very impressed with our blokes and while the scoreboard says they won by 54 points, it didn’t feel like that,” he said. “We had some targets and ticked them off, we were simply beaten by a better team.”

TOP 10 GOAL KICKERSDale Williamson 781 (Bri)

Dale Baynes 780 (Twn)

Steve Perham 620 (Bri)

Darren Ryan 618 (Mul, Rov, CV)

Rick Marianna 550 (Twn)

Bernie Knight 547 (CV)

Bob Ryan 537 (Mul, Rov, CV)

Geoff Ferguson 489 (Rov, CV)

Malcolm Gould 484 (Nor)

David Little 459 (Mul, Rov, Bri)