LIFENET A-RESERVES GO BACK-TO-BACK
Beach excels in GF big moments
Usually in a tight final, there is a defining moment.
When the Lifenet A-Reserves played Trinity Aquinas in Saturday’s Grand Final it arrived on the stroke of three-quarter time.
Despite controlling play for much of the game, the Beach was under threat. The Boomers had closed to within eight points and another classic, close finale loomed.
Young forward Jordan Brooks was preparing for a set shot after the siren. About 25 metres out, not far off centre. It was a clutch moment and under normal circumstances, a simple conversion for a man of his skill.
Throw in a slice of tension, given the circumstances, and the degree of difficulty multiplied significantly. Not that there were any external signs of anxiety as Brooks stepped into his set shot routine and split the middle.
Players rushed from all parts of the ground to celebrate the goal as the Beach took a 14-point buffer into the last change.
After that emotional fillip, the Beach, playing in their third consecutive A-Reserves Grand Final, clinched back-to-back titles courtesy of a 7.7 (49) to 5.6 (36) victory.
Brooks was a key figure in the winning performance and kicked four goals, while Josh Chapman, was also threatening deep in attack – his presence causing some anxious moments for the Boomers’ defence.
The defensive of pressure of Joe Deegan was also exceptional and the TA backline was forced to work hard to clear the ball out of dangerous territory.
Through the midfield, Peter Hiotis, who won best-on-ground honours, Goddard-Nash, Adam Swain and Dan Ryan worked vigilantly and ensured plenty of supply while the defence was supreme throughout.
Liam Catalfamo, Ned Halley and Cam Hoskins repelled virtually everything the opposition threw at them in what was a sublime team performance.
The only downside was that the Beach did not get value for return. They could easily have had the game in their keeping at half-time, but did not hit the scoreboard as hard as they deserved given the amount of play in their forward half.
But when it mattered, when threatened, they recognised the cues, dug deep and responded in a classy display.
With seven members of this premiership team eligible to play colts this season, it was further testimony of the tsunami of young talent ready to explode into senior football.
Lifenet A-Reserves
Grand Final
North Beach 1.3 3.6 6.6 7.7 49
Trinity Aquinas 0.0 2.1 4.4 5.6 36
Goals – North Beach: Brooks 4; Johnson, Chapman, Deegan.
Best – North Beach: Hiotis, Brooks, Goddard-Nash, Catalfamo, Halley, Hoskins, Ryan, Swain, Deegan.
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