BY GARY STOCKS
Seldom in any season at any level does a club roll through on the crest of a wave without a dip or a form slump of some sort.
In the last fortnight the O’Rourke Realty A-Grade team has hit a bit of a flat spot, with losses to University and Trinity Aquinas.
The latest of those defeats came against Trinity Aquinas last Saturday when the Boomers proved too slick and committed, winning 17.6 (108) to 6.15 (51).
The Beach was again down on personnel and while they won some important facets of the match, including clearances, Trinity Aquinas spent more time with the football in their forward half and their efficiency was amply demonstrated on the scoreboard.
The Beach was highly competitive early but wasted some opportunities and as soon as Trinity established their superiority it proved difficult to peg them back.
Nic Wells, Kyle Cranley and Jarrod Chapman, who was called into the team to provide key defensive cover, all served the Beach well but not enough of the senior players impacted to the levels they have set previously.
The Lifenet A-Reserves also had a tough day on the Bill Grayden Reserve saucer, suffering a disappointing 10-goal loss to the Boomers – 3.7 (24) to 13.4 (82).
The Beach competed hard in the first half but failed to hit scoreboard and despite that trailed by just three points at the main break.
Thereafter, however, it was one-way traffic when the Tigers fell away with intensity and disposal efficiency and TA took advantage of turnover opportunities.
There are many areas for improvement, but the positive was the exposure of three more young players to a higher level of football with three others elevated to the A-Grade.
The Beach still holds second position on the ladder by a narrow percentage and look forward to lifting for a top of the table clash against Scarborough this week.
Few players were at their best, but Matt Coleman was as tenacious as ever, Cory Morris was strong through middle, and Ben Tindell and Riley Hinkley did all they could to alleviate the situation.
The Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts understood their challenge against TA who have been one of the standard bearers of the competition this season and while they began what proved to be a barren day for the club, they worked hard to stay with their quality opponents.
The Beach started well had plenty of opportunity to score but fell down in the final connection up forward.
As the game wore on, TA ground the Tigers down to eventually win by 37 points, but the endeavor and commitment was unflinching. Skill errors proved costly and the Boomers capitalised on those opportunities.
While the result was not forthcoming some outstanding individual performances came from Aiden Nguyen, Ethan Drobnjak, Cody Connell, Ben Perkin and James Cameron.
O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
Trinity Aquinas 5.0 9.2 11.5 17.6 108
North Beach 3.4 3.8 5.11 6.15 51
Goals – North Beach: Cranley 2; Lucassen, Lawler, Canty, C Wells.
Best – North Beach: N Wells, Cranley, Chapman.
Lifenet A-Reserves
Trinity Aquinas 1.2 3.3 8.4 13.4 82
North Beach 1.2 2.6 2.7 3.7 25
Goals – North Beach: O’Connell, Stott, Adler.
Bewst – North Beach: Coleman, Morris, Tindall, Hinkley.
Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts
Trinity Aquinas 2.2 4.5 7.7 11.10 77
North Beach 0.2 1.4 2.7 5.10 40
Goals – North Beach: Connell 2; Caccamo, O’Shea.
Best – North Beach: Drobnjak, Nguyen, Connell, Perkin, Cameron.
Resilient Threes Account For CBC
Australian football is a game of attrition; one of endurance, strength and durability.
Over recent weeks the Hybrid Linings C4-Grade have been the embodiment of those traits. They have tended to be a little sluggish into stride but have built into games and managed to win through to achieve the desired result.
Victory against Fremantle CBC on Saturday was achieved on that model when, after scores were level at quarter-time, the Beach powered away, kicking 12 goals to three thereafter, winning 14.15 (99) to 5.7 (37).
A spicy contest at times, North Beach remained disciplined and focused and continued to make the ball the priority.
Most impressive aspect of the 62-point victory was that it came despite the absence of six major players. The younger group stood up and enhanced their credentials at the level. Connor Hingston epitomised that mindset doubling up after playing fours to cover a late withdrawal.
Zane Persichitti played his best game in the thirds, with his skill and class on a wing proving a headache for the opposition. Alex Coleman and George McColgan shared the ruck duties, and both played their best games of the season, constantly providing first use to their midfield led by Pete Hiotis and Connor Pollard.
Matt Seaton continued his fantastic season as he and Shane Duckworth led the backline and Ryan Ekert (four goals), Jordan Brooks (three) and Mason Rollo (two) were always dangerous in the forward 50.
The Beast Carpet Cleaning C4-Reserves had a rare off day and were never really in the contest against CBC.
Other than a handful of strong individual performances it was a game where cohesion was low, they struggled in and around the contests and CBC carved out an impressive 31-point victory.
That said, Bailey Stevens was terrific on a wing, Dan Ryan mopped up across half-back all day while Christian Sisarich and Vaughn Quinlan were strong through the middle. Fletcher Llanwarne also played with great energy and run but too many accomplished players were down on their usual output.
The Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts, in similar vein to the fourth grade outfit, were stuck in the starting gates but after quarter time put on a sizzling display to win by 89 points – 16.10 (106) to 1.11 (17).
Built around a stoic, miserly defence the Beach consistently intercepted CBC’s forward thrusts and generally won the ball in around the contests.
Skipper Tom Emes and Seb Smith established the standards for the backs and set the tone for the day as they had one of their most dominant performances as a unit all year. Up forward four goals apiece from Max Payne and Peter Jolley kept the scoreboard ticking over and drove North Beach to another dominant statement win.
The Beyond Tools E1-Grade cracked their first win for the season in what was a great testament to their resilience and perseverance, winning 6.15 (51) to 4.6 (30) against Swan Athletic.
The GJ Osplumb E4-Grade played an epic against Kwinana before going down by five points 12.14 (86) to 14.7 (91).
Hybrid Linings C4-Grade
North Beach 2.2 7.7 11.11 14.15 99
Frem CBC 2.2 2.3 4.5 5.7 37
Goals – North Beach: Ekert 4; Brooks 3; Rollo, Alex Coleman 2; McColgan, M Hunt, Crisp.
Best – North Beach: Persichitti, McColgan, Seaton, Coleman, S Duckworth, Pollard.
Beast Carpet Cleaning C4-Reserves
Frem CBC 3.2 6.2 8.5 10.7 67
North Beach 0.2 2.2 4.2 5.6 36
Goals – North Beach: Steffensen, Vozzo, Cuzens, Bramley, Llanwarne.
Best – North Beach: Stevens, Ryan, Sisarich, Llanwarne, Quinlan.
Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts
North Beach 0.2 5.7 9.9 16.10 106
Frem CBC 0.6 1.8 1.11 1.11 17
Goals – North Beach: Payne, Jolley 4; Farrell, J Smith 2; Donohoe, Castiglioni, Dobson, Corderoy.
Best – North Beach: Payne, Dobson, Bristow-Stagg, Donohoe, Corderoy, J Smith.
Beyond Tools E1-Grade
North Beach 1.5 2.7 3.11 6.15 51
Swan Athletic 1.0 4.1 4.3 4.6 30
GJ Osplumb E4-Grade
Kwinana 14.7 (91) def North Beach 12.14 (86)
Women Find A Way
Tenacity can sometimes win over system and structure and the Synkro North Beach A-Grade Women found a way to win against Kingsley last Saturday when playing to their game style proved difficult.
Kingsley went into the match with a strong intent and it was an arm wrestle throughout before the Beach endured with a gritty final passage of play to win 5.8 (38) to 5.7 (37).
Scores were locked with a minute to play and a stoppage in the opposition’s goal square. Not only did the Beach magnificently defend that situation but they transitioned the ball to the other end of the ground to manufacture a match-winning behind.
Again, Abby Maynard was ubiquitous on a wing while State representatives Eva Popovksy and Ash Pianto were exceptional through the midfield, Karry Plummer ensured those players had ample opportunity in the ruck, and the defensive structure was led supremely by Lara Turner and Alice Di Vicenzo.
Chole Alaga again was dangerous up forward kicking three telling goals.
The C4-Grade Women confronted a Kingsley team with plenty of extra motivation as they fight a place in the bottom part of the top five.
They played with the intent and purpose more accustomed to teams higher up the ladder and ensured North Beach earned everything they gleaned.
Despite a one-goal opening term, the Tigers had played well. A focus for the game was the team’s marking and it was not reflected early in the contest when there were many opportunities to open a break on Kingsley.
In the second quarter the Beach started to get their spread and work rate together, mitigating the rolling maul Kingsley was keen to implement.
After a little rev up after a disappointing third term, the Beach found a way to keep the ball inside 50 for most of the term kicking a couple more goals to ice a comfortable win.
Cara Catterall was again outstanding in conjunction with Rebecca Mirchef, Chelsea Cowling, Darian Astone, Abby Critchell and Megan Clayton.
Synkro A-Grade Women
North Beach 1.0 3.4 4.4 5.8 38
Kingsley 3.2 3.2 5.5 5.7 37
Goals – North Beach: Alaga 3; T Jones, Peacock.
Best – North Beach: Maynard, Popovsky, Pianto, Plummer, Turner, Di Vincenzo.
C4-Grade Women
North Beach 5.14 (44) def Kingsley 1.5 (11)
Goals – North Beach: Catterall 2; Camer-Pesci, Plant, M Jones.
Best – North Beach: Catterall, Mirchef, Cowling, Astone, Critchell, Clayton.
I-Grade Denied By The Clock
BY STEVE CUZENS
The Grange Residential I-Grade warmed up for Melbourne sojourn last week with a powerful display against one of the long-established and powerful teams in the competition.
To lose by just two points – 6.6 (42) to 6.4 (40) – is indicative of how far this team has come.
With just a week before the team heads east to play the I Grade team from Williamstown the coaching staff were keen for a strong showing.
Fremantle CBC have become one of our fiercest rivals. That rivalry extends from their propensity to ring the siren before the time clock allows.
It happened 12 months ago and occurred again on Saturday when they decided to call time with several minutes left to play and with North Beach. With just a game and a half separating the teams on the ladder this was always going to be a grudge match.
North Beach first quarter lapses need to be addressed by Coach Pana. For the second time in two weeks the opposition got out to a four-goal lead. The backline was again under immense pressure but if it wasn’t for the endeavours of Kieran Murphy, Sean Cutrona and Reuban Bezuidenhout the score-line would have been a lot worse.
After a positive spray from Coach Pana and some wise counsel from Ben D`Agostino North Beach rallied with four second quarter goals and finished the quarter just 2 points down. The highlight of this quarter was Connor Rowan’s effort in the forward line and the tireless ruck work of Dylan Pottinger.
Both sides fought manfully in the second half with neither side getting the ascendancy. Julian Miller was stationed in the forward line this week and both him and Mailey Kelly were having trouble finding the goals.
Despite the two-point loss the coaches agreed that this was our best team effort for the year. There were great passages of play with players passing the ball direct to a teammate in better position none better than McIntyre’s handball to Pieters who turned and kicked in one movement to Jeremy Huggins.
Bouquet – Claire Pieters for organising our Melbourne trip and importantly a game against Williamstown – how she does it we will never know!
Brickbat – Stuart Curry late with the board at quarter time.
Grange Residential I-Grade
Fremantle CBC 6.6 (42) def North Beach 6.4 (40)
Goals – North Beach: Rowan 2; Goedsir, McIntyre, Rowan, Armstrong, Wright.
Best – North Beach: Rowan, Murphy, Cutrona, Bezuidenhout, Pottinger, McIntyre.
