North Beach powered into another West Australian Amateur Football League grand final with an emphatic 54-point victory over Whitford at Charles Riley Reserve on Saturday.
The Beach will now be looking to convert the opportunity of claiming a six successive premiership on Saturday week at Medibank Stadium. Whitford will meet North Fremantle for the right of challenging in the grand final.
On Saturday, the Tigers were dynamic and the result was never really in doubt after an impressive start against the breeze. Whitford simply could not get enough of the ball through the midfield and when they did the stingy Beach defence went to work.
While there was only seven points in it at the first change, North Beach were in control and with a 29-point half-time advantage the game was close to a shut-out. Had it not been for some goal-front inaccuracy, caused to a degree by the flukey breeze, the margin would have been greater.
With Shane Paap excelling through the midfield and up forward, Chris Pearce showing dash through the middle, Simon Pearce working hard in the ruck, the class of Luke Smith across half-back and colt Josh Bollen running hard, the Beach was in control.
Ben Heap was outstanding off half-back while Mitch Holbrook was always threatening deep in attack as well and deserved better than a three-goal haul.
While Whitford produced a stronger third quarter with three goals, the Beach still out-scored them and then hammered home the advantage with a decisive last term.
Details – A-grade
North Beach 1.3 4.8 8.10 13.13 (91)
Whitford 0.2 0.3 3.5 5.7 (37)
GOALS – North Beach: Paap 5; M Holbrook 3; Jamie Sajich, Wilson, Bollen, C Pearce, Turner 1.
BEST – North Beach: Paap, Heap, C Pearce, Bollen, S Pearce, Smith, M Holbrook.
After a strong start to the A-Reserves second semi-final, North Beach paid the price for a 10 minute lapse, Trinity-Aquinas pounced and that was the story of the game.
The Beach began brilliantly, capitalised on the advantage of kicking with the breeze in the opening term, and took a 20-point lead into the first break.
They then held Trinity Aquinas for the best part of the second quarter, before TAs produced a brilliant burst of five goals in about eight minutes to kick off the shackles.
During the early period of domination, Joe Boys kicked the first three goals of the game to give the Beach a target in attack, Andrew Langsford was dominant on a wing, Scott Holbrook was controlling the game defensively and Gordon Leggat was also supreme.
With scores level at the last change Trinity Aquinas were in the drivers’ seat and went on to win by two goals in an entertaining contest.
Details – A-Reserves
Trinity Aquinas 0.1 5.3 5.4 8.5 (53)
North Beach 3.3 3.3 5.4 6.5 (41)
GOALS – North Beach: Boys 3; Fishlock, Bird, O’Donnell 1.
BEST – North Beach: Langsford, S Holbrook, Leggat, Bird.
The campaign of the E-Grade came to a halt at the hands of Wesley-Curtin at Forster Park.
After a competitive first half, Wesley-Curtin took control to win by 52 points.
Coach Steve Morrissey was proud of his team’s efforts throughout the season before being out-pointed by Wesley.
Dylan McEvoy, captain Brett Rice and defender Ben Foley were good performers for the Beach.
Details – E-Grade
Wesley Curtin 2.1 5.4 8.5 11.5 (71)
North Beach 0.2 2.3 2.3 2.7 (19)
GOALS – North Beach: Chapman, Bebich 1.
BEST – North Beach: McEvoy, Rice, Foley.