By Gary Stocks

The North Beach A-Grade premiership defence began in unconvincing fashion with a one-point home-ground defeat at the hands of last season’s B-Grade premiers, Collegians.

In a tight contest throughout, it was Collegians who endured, winning 9.14 (68) to 10.7 (67) on a day when the Beach struggled to slip into gear.

Coach Bill Duckworth bemoaned turnovers and a carefree pre-match attitude that carried through to the contest and with the exception of a handful of players most could be under selection scrutiny this week.

Jackson Harwood was lively up forward, while Kyle Riemann and Shane Paap maintained the form of seasons past and Luke Smith played with his usual poise off half-back. But a lack of desperation, on occasions, cost the team badly and they could look forward to a shake up ahead of the round two match against Trinity Aquinas this week.

The A-Reserves produced a silky performance to dispense Collegians and powered to a 59-point triumph on the back of some outstanding individual efforts.

Greg “Jaffa” Pires kicked superbly, despite the fluky easterly breeze that prevailed for most of the afternoon, while Jimmy Nunan and colts graduate Matt Irvine controlled the game backward of centre while Andrew Langsford, typically, attacked the ball with purpose and set the midfield trend.

Unfortunately, the Phil Scott Colts paid a heavy price for a couple of concentration lapses, with Collegians grabbing crucial goals the quarter and half-time sirens and then jumping the Beach at the start of the third term.

Had it not been for the defensive efforts of Alex Barden and Ross Holdman, the midfield contributions of Jacob Carmody, Kade Golisano and Ryan Antonelli, as well as the presence of Adam Miotti up forward the defeat would have been heavier.

The Brett Jones Colts, hit by the unavailability of a number of key players, suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Collegians, while the D1 and D Reserves each scored impressive victories to kick-start their seasons.

Unfortunately, in E2, North Beach found Forrestfield too tough to crack, although Sam Keeley bagged four goals in an impressive effort.           

Details
A-Grade
North Beach       2.3          3.4          7.5          10.7        67
Collegians            2.4          4.8          7.11        9.14       68
Goals – North Beach: Harwood 5; Riemann, Hack, Turner, Wilson, Paap.
Best – North Beach: Paap, Riemann, Harwood, SmithA-Reserves
North Beach       3.0          5.1          9.3          12.4        76
Collegians            0.1          0.3          2.4            2.5        17
Goals – North Beach: Pires 5; M Duckworth 2; Jake, Perkin, Irvine, Sitters.
Best – North Beach: Nunan, Pires, Irvine, A Langsford.

Phil Scott Colts
North Beach       2.1          3.3          4.4          5.8          38
Collegians            3.2          5.5          8.8          10.11     71
Goals – North Beach: Miotti 2; Brooks, Foreman, Grapiglia.
Best – North Beach: Miotti, Barden, Holdman, Carmody.

D1
North Beach 7.11 (53) defeated Collegians 6.6 (42)D1-Reserves
North Beach       3.2          8.6          9.12        10.16     76
Collegians            3.3          3.3          3.5            4.7        31
Goals – North Beach: French 3; Kickett 2; Brown, Perris, Hay-Hendry, Plowman, S Wilson.
Best – North Beach: Vardy, C Langsford, Mirable.

E2
North Beach       1.0          3.1          4.2          6.3          39
Forrestfield        3.2          4.2          8.4          12.9        81
Goals – North Beach: Keeley 4.
Best – North Beach: Keeley, Bartels, Farmer, Martin.