By Gary Stocks
North Beach coaching legend Bill Duckworth has vowed to review the composition of his senipor team after the Beach was thumped by Mt Lawley at Charles Riley Reserve on Saturday.
On a bleak day for the Beach, where the A-Reserves were the only team in seven matches, to emerge victorious the A-Grade team was outpointed by Mt Lawley in every facet of the game, particularly after quarter time.
North Beach looked vulnerable in the back half when the Hawks pushed forward and simply could not match the opposition pressure all over the ground.
Duckworth suggested that some of his players had lost their hunger, given that 16 members of the 2010 premiership represented the club. Steve Bandy was one who maintained his standards with an outstanding display on a wing, while Ben Wilson worked tirelessly up forward and veterans Shane Paap and Dean Brennan did all they could to lift their teammates.
The A-Reserves had their winning sequence threatened before staving off a brave Mt Lawley effort on the way to a 15-point win.
Josh Bollen was brilliant through the midfield and looks read for elevation, while Kent Traeger was reliable in defence, Mitch Holbrook also showed he was ready for a recall with a four-goal effort and Simon Lorimer continued his good form.
The Phil Scott colts again failed to produce four-quarters and despite coming home with a rush had given Mt Lawley too much star in falling to an eight-point loss.
Mark Foreman was again lively inside 50 to kick four goals, while Alex Barden, Nathan Caccamo, in his first game for the club, was outstanding and Kahlil Campbell was disciplined and strong in the clinches.
The Brett Jones team completed a sorry day for the colts when they were out-gunned by North Fremantle.
The D1 team suffered a rare hiding at the hands of University and had it not been for the efforts of Dan Leishman, Michael Collins, Reece Burns and Daniel Stocks, it would have been an even more devastating defeat.
The best effort of the day arguably came by the D1 Reserves in a match against top side University.
In the end University endured and won by four points, but not before a fright from the Beach boys. Hayden French and Simon Wilson each kicked three goals while Chris McComiskie consistently won the hard ball and Scott Brown was tireless.
The E2 team was out of contention at quarter-time after Rossmoyne kicked seven goals in the first term.
After the initial onslaught, North Beach fought back and were commendable with Hayden Miller, Rob Morrow and Mike Braccia among the best.
A-Grade
Mt Lawley 4.1 9.3 12.3 18.4 112
North Beach 2.3 3.5 4.5 5.8 38
Goals – North Beach: Wilson 2; Witheridge, Stott, Jarvis 1.
Best – Bandy, Wilson, Paap, Brennan.
A-Reserves
North Beach 2.3 6.4 7.9 10.12 72
Mt Lawley 3.1 4.2 6.3 9.3 57
Goals – North Beach: M Holbrook 4; S Holbrook 2; Lorimer, Scantlebury, Fishlock, Clark 1.
Best – North Beach: Bollen, Traeger, M Holbrook, Lorimer.
D1
University 7.1 11.2 16.5 23.8 146
North Beach 0.0 2.1 3.3 5.3 33
Goals – North Beach: Burns, Douglas, Hocking, Keeley, Luck.
Best – North Beach: Leishman, Collins, Burns, Stocks, Luck, Ongley.
D1 Reserves
University 4.4 5.6 6.7 8.11 59
North Beach 1.0 4.2 6.4 8.7 55
Goals – North Beach: French, S Wilson 3; Brown 2.
Best – North Beach: C McComiskie, D Wilson, S Wilson, Brown.
E2
Rossmoyne 7.2 9.3 14.8 17.9 111
North Beach 1.0 3.2 4.2 7.3 45
Goals – North Beach: Davies 3; Martinovic 2; Pratt, Nugget.
Best – North Beach: Miler, Morrow, Braccia.
Phil Scott Colts
Mt Lawley 2.4 6.5 8.10 9.10 64
North Beach 1.3 3.4 3.6 8.8 56
Goals – North Beach: Foreman 4; Miller 2; Duke, Caccamo 1.
Best – North Beach: Barden, Caccamo, Campbell, Foreman, Duke, Miller.
