By Gary Stocks
Days at the North Beach fortress are fast running out, but the memories will last forever.
And the current playing group is ensuring 2013 history will be valid, with the club racking up another clean sheet of victories on Saturday.
Only three of those wins occurred at Charles Riley Reserve and the fifth grand claimed victory when North Fremantle forfeited, but it was a clean sweep regardless.
The O’Rourke Realty A-Grade team consolidated a top three position with a convincing 88-point win over Collegians, the Credent Financial Services A-Reserves made a statement with a superb first half and the Nuchange Phil Scott Colts continue to build into the season.
In the penultimate match at the club’s Charles Riley Reserve headquarters, with a planned redevelopment to begin in just under a month, the senior team was looking to firm up a position which will ensure a double chance come finals time.
The Beach dominated in virtually every position on the ground and built on the lead at every change before winning 16.13 (109) to 2.9 (21).
Collegians had no answer to synchronised team play of North Beach, with that domination starting in the midfield where Beau Witheridge produced one of his best games of the year and in conjunction with ruckman Kyle Cranley and tireless Tim Nelli they consistently pumped the ball forward.
Jackson Harwood, the hero of a last gasp victory against Trinity Aquinas a week earlier, again feasted upon the service from that midfield corps, while Ben Wilson and Josh Bollen also looked threatening throughout.
The backline was impenetrable, with Collegians managing just two goals, while Adrian Clarke and Matt Irvine produced strong rebound in conjunction with Tim Langsford and Kyle Holden.
The A-Reserves, having lost their first game of the season a week earlier, were focused on responding and they did that with an irresistible first half on the way to a 68-point triumph.
After leading by 56 points at half-time, the boys struggled to reproduce their best in the second half, but still won 11.14 (80) to 2.0 (12).
It was a clinical performance where Collegians struggled to get their hands on the ball. Andrew Nunan and Matt Power were brilliant through the midfield, Micky Bryan was all class off half-back while Mark Foreman and Jacob Griffiths were also outstanding.
Ruckmen Alex Hack and Dave Martin gave the Beach first use of the football and the margin would have been far greater if not for an inaccurate second half that yielded 1.12 to 1.0
The Phil Scott Colts have been in brilliant touch in the last month and their transformation into a quality team has unfolded before observers eyes. Their pressure on the ball carrier and their rebound out of defence were again formidable as they despatched Collegians by 46 points.
Had it not been for goal-front inaccuracy the margin would have been greater, but it was a powerful reversal of the first round encounter and continues to fans the embers of finals hopes.
They were so committed to the contest that they worried the opposition out of the game.
It was similar story for the Tuck Plumbing Brett Jones colts who produced a sublime performance against Collegians at Dalkeith Oval, winning by 20 goals against a team that has a strong history in colts football.
It was a consummate team performance and one that keeps alive its finals hopes as well.
The Cabling Network Solutions D1-Grade and Hybrid Linings D1-Reserves were both exceptional against Bullcreek Leeming – the thirds winning by 37 points and the fourths blitzing the opposition to win by 124 points.
The thirds were in control from the outset with Michael Schofield and Jordan Kickett ominous up forward and Craig Hall, Jamie Cosgrove and Justin Sajich distributing the ball efficiently. Mitch Christie and Jacob Fitzroy also worked hard and aided in giving the Beach the winning edge.
Again Michael Bramley was outstanding for the fourths, kicking seven goals, while Tim van Der Kraats, Simon Wilson and Jake Carter were among a list of dominant North Beach players.
Results
O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
North Beach 4.4 8.8 11.12 16.13 109
Collegians 1.2 2.4 2.6 2.9 21
Goals – North Beach: Harwood 4; Italiano 3; Cranley, Taylor, Nelli, McGinnity, Witheridge, Irvine, Dwyer, Bollen, Wilson 1.
Best – North Beach: Witheridge, Clarke, Irvine, Wilson, Neill, Harwood.
Credent Financial Services A-Reserves
North Beach 5.2 10.2 10.10 11.14 80
Collegians 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 12
Goals – North Beach: Foreman 3; Potts, Griffiths 2; Hack, Tindale, Martin, Cownie 1.
Best – North Beach: Nunan, Power, Foreman, Griffiths, Bryan, Tindale.
Nuchange Phil Scott Colts
North Beach 2.5 4.11 6.12 9.15 69
Collegians 1.0 2.0 2.3 3.5 23
Goals – North Beach: Cameron 4; Csar 2; Bubnich, Lynch, Temm 1.
Best – North Beach: De Courtenay, Cameron, Morgan, Rudrum
Cabling Network Solutions D1-Grade
North Beach 4.1 7.3 9.7 13.8 (86)
B’creek Leem 1.0 3.1 4.2 6.3 (39)
Goals – North Beach: Kickett 6; Hogg, Schofield 2; Hall, Cosgrove, Hay-Hendry 1.
Best – North Beach: Hay-Hendry, Sajich, Fitzroy, Christie, Kickett, Schofield.
Hybrid Linings D1-Reserves
North Beach 5.5 10.9 15.11 22.15 147
B’Creek Leem. 0.3 0.3 3.4 3.5 23
Goals – North Beach: Bramley 7; Styles 4; van Der kraats 3; Carroll, Smith, Graham 2; Gangemi, Clarke 1.
Best – North Beach: Njegich, Styles, Mirabile, van Der kraats, Wilson, Carter.
Tuck Plumbing Brett Jones Colts
North Beach 4.3 6.11 13.14 19.19 133
Collegians 0.1 2.1 2.2 3.2 20
Goals – North Beach: Ekert, Huggins, Muiata, McGuire, Andrejaczek, 2; James, P Clarke, Collins, Mitchell, Flynn, Hooper, Promilli, Ryan, Winterton, Hanley 1.
Best – North Beach: Team Effort.
Express Bins E2-Grade North Beach def North Fremantle (forfeit).
