Reid the man for big occasion
A bugler plays the last post; service personnel stand to attention near a temporary pole where the Australian flag flaps softly in the zephyrlike breeze.
Veterans in suits, including North Beach RSL sub-branch president John Rolfe, medals adorning his chest, stands at the head of North Beach and Scarborough players before Holly Denton belts out a stirring rendition of the national anthem.
This day is always special at Charles Riley Reserve. An ANZAC Day commemorative fixture where the club reflects on those who sacrificed all to ensure that today we enjoy life’s freedoms.
When the ceremony in complete, the warm up is done and its game time, the arousal levels within the North Beach O’Rourke Realty A-Grade team is palpable. They make an electrifying start.
Clean possessions out of the middle, lively targets up forward and they dominate the first term.
They lead by 20 points at the first change. It could be more. They are playing the game on their terms. It looks like being a really good day.
But arch rivals Scarborough won’t just roll over, they never do. Scores are virtually level at three-quarter time and if anything the Sea Eagles are performing better on balance of play.
A big occasion commands a big performance, a stunning climax. And it came. From clever forward Nic Reid.
He had been dangerous throughout and had four of nine goals going into the final quarter. By game’s end he had six of 12 including a stunning dribbler from deep in the forward pocket the rugby club end.
With around a minute to play the Beach was up by 11 points and all that was left to do was watch the club wind down. Scarborough kicked one late to reduce the margin to five points – 12.5 (77) to 11.6 (72) – but that was academic.
Reid was the game breaker and was a deserved recipient of the Graham Edwards Medal as best afield, but others also rose to the occasion.
Like Mitch Mackenzie in defence and then in the ruck when required in the last quarter. The big man was colossal in the final 25 minutes; Chris Wells and Jarrod Chapman were also resolute in defence, Christian Bottechia – both back and forward – was influential while James Garcia, Hamish Coulton and Jack McIntosh all had some good moments.
Earlier the Lifenet A-Reserves opened their 2024 account with a comprehensive victory over Scarborough – 17.16 (118) to 2.5 (17).
It was the performance they were chasing in earlier rounds.
They began with authority and never relented as they controlled the tempo throughout the game.
Dylan Campbell was brilliant in the midfield and was ably assisted by Cooper Blackburn and Matt Coleman. Caolan O’Connell continued his strong start to the year kicking four goals.
Josh Chapman played his first game for the year and dominated in the ruck. Jacob Wheelahan had another solid display splitting his time between forward and the midfield, while Cody Connell was a rock down back.
The Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts played under lights after the A-Grade fixture and suffered a tight three-point loss to Scarborough.
After a bright start, they could not sustain their control, and eventually went down 6.5 (41) to 6.8 (44).
O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
North Beach 4.2 6.2 9.2 12.5 77
Scarborough 1.0 6.1 9.2 11.6 72
Goals – North Beach: Reid 6; Bottechia, Garcia 2; N Wells, Mackenzie.
Best – North Beach: Reid, Mackenzie, C Wells, Bottechia, Chapman, Coulton.
Lifenet A-Reserves
North Beach 17.16 (118) def Scarborough 2.5 (17)
Goals – North Beach: C O’Connell 4; Rocke 3; Dobson, Wheelahan 2; Beard, Bennett, Campbell, Edwards, Moreschini, Perkin.
Best – North Beach: Campbell, Chapman, O’Connell, Blackburn, Coleman, Wheelahan, Connell.
Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts
Scarborough 0.1 3.3 5.5 6.8 44
North Beach 3.2 3.2 4.5 6.5 41
Goals – North Beach: Rowell, N Emes 2; Saunders, Annert.
Best – North Beach: N/A
Reid the man for big occasion
Tight games are generally decided by the team that best handles the big moments.
On Saturday in an epic third grade battle against Cottesloe it was the Hybrid Linings C3-Grade that executed best in the closing minutes that ensured North Beach racked up an important victory.
Against an against an experienced Cottesloe side the Beach held on to claim a three-point triumph in a nailbiter – 7.4 (46) to 7.1 (43).
The Beach controlled most of the possession and field position for the first three quarters, the scoresheet reflecting that control as they held a three-goal lead at the final break.
In similar circumstances to the previous week the opposition was able to quickly cut the margin to under a goal with 10 minutes of play remaining. However, the Beach displayed true grit and determination in a hotly contested run to the wire to record an important victory.
The back six were terrific again, lead by Cam Emery who did a great job on a dangerous Cottesloe forward. Nathan Adler was prolific up forward, kicking three goals, as was Jack O’Gorman who presented all day. George Pullinger was outstanding through the midfield and proved to be the difference in the final stages, piling on multiple tackles.
The Beast Carpet Cleaning C3-Reserves were earlier far too strong for Cottesloe, rattling on 14.17 (101) to just 0.2 (2) and the GJ Osplumb E3-Reserves were even better against ECU Jets.
The Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts carved out a gritty victory over Collegians, winning 7.5 (47) to 5.9 (39).
Down by two points at the last change the Beach rallied through the agency of Lewis Meerman, Jedda Rogers, Reece Anderson and Jake Ashworth to power to the finish line. Anderson was also dangerous around goals, finishing with three majors.
Hybrid Linings C3-Grade
North Beach 3.0 5.1 7.2 7.4 46
Cottesloe 2.1 3.1 4.1 7.1 43
Goals – North Beach: Adler 3; Hall, Sawyer, Perejuan-Thornton, B Hinkley.
Best – North Beach: O’Gorman, Pullinger, Adler, Emery, Carbone.
Beast Carpet Cleaning C3-Reserves
North Beach 4.3 6.7 11.8 14.17 101
Cottesloe 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2 2
Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts
North Beach 0.1 2.3 4.6 5.7 37
Collegians 3.1 4.5 4.8 5.9 39
Goals – North Beach: Anderson 3; Bartlett, King, Muir, Graber.
Best – North Beach: Meerman, Rogers, Anderson, Ashworth.
Progressive Materials E2-Grade
Canning def North Beach on forfeit
GJ Osplumb E3-Reserves
North Beach 4.6 13.11 18.21 21.28 154
ECU Jets 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 6
A-Grade women notch big win
The Hillarys Beach Club A-Grade women consolidated their place in the top five with an important victory against Curtin University-Wesley.
The Beach now sit level on points, but a small percentage behind Wesley in fifth place, as the competitive nature of the competition takes shape.
The Beach led throughout, controlling field position and possession with both Ebony Jackson and Tazma Hutson, making the most of those opportunities by kicking two goals apiece.
In a solid team performance, like so many of the North Beach teams on the day, the A-Grade women accelerated out of the blocks, kicking 3.3 (21) in the opening term while holding their opponents scoreless.
While Wesley chipped away at the advantage they never wrested control away from their hosts.
It was a different story for the Hair Affair A-Reserves women who battled hard against Curtin, but ultimately fell shot by six points – 2.2 (14) to 3.2 (20).
The Build Now Foundation I-Grade scored an exciting win against Wembley on Saturday.
Wembley started well and got the early jump on the Beach but in the second quarter the team started to work together and really made their mark.
Julian Miller, Ben Morley and Reece McIntyre really stepped into their roles and gave some great guidance to the rest of the playing group. Jordan Hill played the game of his career and got rewarded with a goal for all his hard work.
Liam S was so mismatched with Wembley’s tallest back man but that didn’t phase him, and he certainly didn’t back down from the contest and got another goal.
Jamie Harris and Ben Pieters played their roles with great commitment. Reece was in everything and had to be taken off with five minutes to go with a suspected broken arm. He was taken away by ambulance, but only after he was able to celebrate with the team and sing the North Beach song.
The I-Grade have now headed to Melbourne on their regular sojourn where they will have a heavy schedule of both playing matches and catching some AFL action.
Hillarys Beach Club A-Grade Women
North Beach 3.3 4.3 6.5 7.6 48
Curtin Wesley 0.0 3.0 3.2 6.4 40
Goals – North Beach: Hutson, Jackson 2; Shepherd, Spurr, Matthews.
Best – North Beach: N/A
Hair Affair A-Reserves Women
Curtin Wesley 2.1 2.1 3.2 3.2 20
North Beach 0.1 1.1 1.2 2.2 14
Goals – North Beach: Jones, McDermott.
Best – North Beach:
Build Now Foundation I-Grade
North Beach defeated Wembley
