By Gary Stocks
Squandered opportunities proved costly when the O’Rourke Realty A-Grade team combatted last season’s grand finalist, Trinity-Aquinas, in the opening round of the WA Amateur Football League season at Charles Riley Reserve on Saturday.
Dominating play in the first three quarters, supported by a massive advantage in inside 50 entries, was not translated on the scoreboard and the Beach paid a heavy price.
Leading by nine points at the last change, the Beach faded to defeat 10.12 (72) to 14.3 (87).
And while the contest provided new senior coach David Hynes with many positives, he was ultimately disappointed with the team’s inability to hit the scoreboard.
The relative number of scoring shots was reflective of the fact that long periods of the game were played in the North Beach attacking half, but the Tigers failed to maximise opportunities spraying chances wide of the target.
After failing to maximise the return on control in general play, the Beach was over-run as Trinity-Aquinas powered home, their triumph coming on the back of a six goals to two final quarter.
The Beach had earlier enjoyed midfield dominance created by Kyle Riemann, Tim Nelli and Mitch Dwyer, while Josh Stott and Josh McGinnity were lively up forward and Kyle Holden was effective as a key forward swinging into the ruck.
Down back Matt Irvine, Adrian Clarke and Aaron Jarvis were solid, but Trinity-Aquinas were deadly accurate and deserved their victory.
The A-Reserves began the season with a convincing win against last year’s premiers, producing a sublime performance in winning 15.5 (95) to 7.4 (46).
An eight goal first quarter set the tone for an impressive first half and a confidence-boosting victory. Led in the midfield by Michael Italiano and Kade Golisano, the Beach displayed a level of intensity that could not be matched by the opposition.
Up forward Cale Potts and Christian Bottecchia capitalised on the hard work down to kick nine goals between them.
A lapse in the third quarter allowed TAs to get some unanswered goals and respectability on the scoreboard but with Ben Sweeney lifting the defence around him, the Tigers fought on to record a solid first up win.
The thirds, playing in the D1 division, recorded a solid 45-point win over Scarborough while the D1-Reserves were too strong for Scarborough, winning by 90 points.
Michael Bramley led the charge with eight goals, while coach Jay Carroll also chimed in with four goals.
Bramley, Ronald O’Neill, Dean Wilson and Tony Mirabile were outstanding along with Jake Carter and Mark Gangemi.
The fifths, playing at the unusual time of 5pm, also made a great start to the season by dispensing with Wesley-Curtin, charging to a 33-point victory.
The two colts team met the competition benchmark of recent years, in Trinity-Aquinas, and were extremely competitive despite coming up short.
The Phil Scott Colts lost by 20 points while the Brett Jones Colts lost by 43 points.
Details
A-Grade
Trinity-Aquinas 1.0 5.1 8.1 14.3 87
North Beach 2.6 5.9 8.10 10.12 72
Goals – North Beach: Stott 3; McGinnity, Holden 2; Harwood, Riemann, Witheridge 1.
Best – North Beach: McGinnity, Stott, Riemann, Nelli, Holden, Dwyer, Melvin.
A-Reserves
North Beach 8.2 12.3 14.4 15.5 95
Trinity-Aquinas 0.0 1.1 5.4 7.4 49
Goals – North Beach: Potts 6; Bottecchia 3; Cownie, Griffiths 2; A Langsford, Bowdell 1.
Best – North Beach: Italiano, Potts, Golisano.
D1-Grade
North Beach 17.7 (109) def Scarborough 9.10 (64)
D1-Reserves
North Beach 17.13 (115) def Scarborough 3.7 (25)
Goals – North Beach: Bramley 8; Carroll 4; McEvoy, Cavanagh, McDonald, Collins, Mahoney.
Best – North Beach: Bramley, O’Neill, D Wilson, Mirabile, Gangemi, J Carter.
E2-Grade
North Beach 9.6 (60) def Wesley-Curtin 4.3 (27)
Goals – North Beach: Curtis 2; Dan, Terry, Phi, Guido, Nick, Jesus 1
Best – North Beach: Kelly, Reynolds, Luke.
Phil Scott Colts
Trinity Aquinas 6.11 (47) def North Beach 4.3 (27)
Brett Jones Colts
Trinity-Aquinas 10.14 (74) def North Beach 4.7 (31)