By Gary Stocks
Whether it’s at the elite end of our great Australian game or somewhere in amateur ranks, there’s a couple of prerequisites to success and one of them is attitude.
To use the football vernacular, if teams do not ‘come to play’, then it is highly likely they will leave disappointed.
It could be in front of a packed house at MCG, a few thousand people at Domain Stadium or a few hundred diehards at the local suburban ground, winning does not come without preparation. It needs effort and commitment.
Last week when the O’Rourke Realty A-Grade North Beach team strode out to combat Fremantle CBC the most obvious difference between the team’s demeanour and that on offer a week earlier, when they meekly surrendered to West Coast, was their intent.
Some changes in personnel had occurred, with a couple of quality inclusions, but the mindset of the team was a star contrast to seven days prior.
Clearly the players accepted that their effort against West Coast was unacceptable, they addressed it and restored some pride in the North Beach guernsey. They followed the game plan, worked for each other, supported each other and played with a common purpose.
The result was that the Beach reversed the result of the final practice match against CBC. In that last warm-up match, the Fremantle boys carried too much fire power and waltzed away to a 10-goal victory.
At the same venue, Charles Riley Reserve, last Saturday the Beach responded and won by 53 points.
The challenge now is that a benchmark has been set and it must be the minimum expectation every time they represent the club. Tomorrow that task will come against Wesley Curtin, a club that has been one of the competition trendsetters in recent years.
While University has been the dominant team since North Beach won its last A-Grade flag in 2010, Wesley Curtin has consistently been around the mark as well. Ultra-consistent and never far away from premiership contention.
So the Beach understands that tomorrow at South Oval they confront another formidable opponent and one that will require maximum output if the desired result is forthcoming.
Other than two forced changes the team will remain as it was a week ago – the inclusions being young utility player Brennen Irvine, who will make his senior debut, and Christian Angelev who resumes after missing last week because he was interstate.
While Wesley Curtin represent a tough opponent, it is not insurmountable and David Hynes will be hoping his boys are ready to play.
At Charles Riley Reserve, the thirds, fourths and second colts (the Hybrid Linings D1-Grade, the Coast to Coast Imports D1-Reserves and the Red Hill Brett Jones Colts) will all play Fremantle CBC and will be looking to repeat last week’s misery upon a respected opponent.
The Express Bins D2-Grade and the Fusion D2-Reserves will play Scarborough at Millington Reserve.
Fixtures, Round 4
O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
Wesley Curtin v North Beach, South Oval, 2.30pm
Lifenet A-Reserves
Wesley Curtin v North Beach, South Oval, 12.35pm
Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts
Wesley Curtin v North Beach, South Oval, 10.40am
Hybrid Linings D1-Grade
North Beach v Fremantle CBC, Charles Riley Reserve, 2.30pm
Coast to Coast Imports D1-Reserves
North Beach v Fremantle CBC, Charles Riley Reserve, 12.35pm
Red Hill Brett Jones Colts
North Beach v Fremantle CBC, Charles Riley Reserve, 10.40am
Express Bins D2-Grade
Scarborough v North Beach, Millington Reserve, 2.30pm
Fusion D2-Reserves
Scarborough v North Beach, Millington Reserve, 12.35pm
