By Gary Stocks
Travelling to Gil Fraser Reserve to play North Fremantle comes with a couple of guarantees and at the top of the list is that each contest will be fierce and it will always be a test of character and will.
So it was on Saturday when the A-Grade teams ventured south to tackle the Magpies on their home deck.
The day started full of promise with a tight and intriguing first quarter in the Phil Scott Colts, before North Fremantle took charge and romped to a 10-goal win, improved when the A-Reserves won a tight contest and then dropped away when the A-Grade team was unable to combat a flourishing final term blitz by the Magpies.
In the A-grade match there was never more than a few points between the teams, with North Fremantle holding a five-point advantage at the last change. The Beach had early opportunities in the last stanza, but did not convert and when North Fremantle scored from deep in a pocket they managed to get on a roll and kicked away to a 25-point triumph.
Kyle Holden and Cale Potts were dangerous in the key attacking posts, while Josh Bollen, Kyle Riemann and Mitch Hann were enterprising through the middle, but there simply were not enough contributors which resulted in a disappointing loss.
Conversely, in the reserves encounter, where a similarly tight contest ensued, it was North Beach who kicked away in the final quarter to score an impressive 14-point victory.
It seemed throughout that the Beach had the answers, particularly through Tom Hazell who was most impressive through the midfield and finished off his work with two telling goals in the final quarter.
Colts graduate Ben Sweeney was also impressive, as was Cade Faithfull.
The Phil Scott Colts were level with North Fremantle at the first change, but fell away from that point forward.
Michael Hutchings, Josh Houghton-French and Shaheed Duke worked hard throughout, but too many of their teammates fell away after the first change.
The Brett Jones Colts, however, produced an outstanding first half to set up victory against Mt Lawley.
After keeping the opposition scoreless in the first half to set up the win, Mt Lawley was much improved after the break, but could not peg back the deficit as the Beach notched up an important 30-point win.
Ryan Clapham gave the midfield first use of the ball with some terrific ruckwork while Kade Golisano, Riley Carter and Paul Clarke were also outstanding.
The D1-Reserves were beaten comprehensively by Mt Lawley, despite the best efforts of Mitch Christie.

A-Grade
North Frem 4.1 7.3 9.5 14.6 (90)
North Beach 3.2 5.4 8.6 9.11 (65)
Goals – North Beach: Potts 3; Wilson, Holden 2; Witheridge, Hann 1.
Best – North Beach: Holden, Bollen, Hann, Riemann.

A-Reserves
North Beach 2.2 3.3 5.5 9.6 (60)
North Frem 2.0 3.3 5.5 7.4 (46)
Goals – North Beach: Harwood, Hazell 2; Boys, Hall, McGinnity, Taylor 1.
Best – North Beach: Hazell, Sweeney, Faithfull.
D1-Reserves
Mt Lawley 15.9 (99) def North Beach 3.7 (25)
Goals – North Beach: Christie 2; Brown 1.
Best – North Beach: Christie, Hocking, Pope.

Brett Jones Colts
North Beach 5.2 8.6 9.6 9.12 (60)
Mt Lawley 0.0 0.0 4.2 5.6 (30)
Goals – North Beach: Gomer 2; Carter, Elphick, Golisano, Bryan, Hopkins, Davis 1.
Best – North Beach: Clapham, M Clarke, Carter, P Clarke, Golisano.