North Beach achieved a rare clean sweep in winning all seven matches across every grade on the weekend.Victories were achieved in varying degrees of difficulty, but each was as sweet as the next as the Phil Scott Colts opened their 2013 account and the A-Reserves emphatically remained unbeaten.
The A-Grade won ugly, but as Mick Malthouse, one-time mentor to senior coach David Hynes, would often say ‘A win, is a win, is a win.’
The gritty 11-point victory over Maddington last Saturday might not have contained a great many highlights, but four precious points were on the end of it and that has North Beach sitting at 3-2 in terms of wins and losses as it strives for a top five finish.
While the victory was workmanlike, rather than slick, it was important and continues the forward momentum.
And despite the margin being less than two goals, the Beach was never really threatened on the way to a 12.10 (82) to 11.5 (71) triumph. Maddington’s accuracy kept them in the match until the end.
North Beach achieved victory on the back of a solid midfield contribution from players like Kyle Riemann and Michael Italiano, whose hard bodies around the contest were important and enabled them to capitalise on the work of ruckman Joe Boys.
Defensively, Adrian Clarke and Alex Billi were efficient opposed to a couple of dangerous small forwards, while at the other end of the ground Aaron Jarvis and Jackson Harwood loomed large and kicked a couple of goals each.
It was a solid win by the Beach, without co-captain Beau Witheridge, who withdrew for family reasons on match day.
The A-Reserves, in the face of some questionable tactics, remained strong and disciplined
Coach Michael Pratt was delighted with the focus remaining on the football when there were reasons to drift away, and felt that the teamwork was outstanding as the Beach racked up a 129-point drubbing.
The club was a little short on numbers, but was able to inject legends Luke Smith, Scott Holbrook and Chris Perkin into the line-up and each of them enjoyed the opportunity to return to action, Perkin showing he had lost little of his craft in kicking five goals off no preparation.
Kyle Cranley took another step forward, providing options up forward and then dominated the ruck, while Kris Hackett’s work rate and ball use was outstanding. Essentially there were winners all over the ground, with teamwork the key to the success.
The D1-Grade scored a convincing 21-point win over Kalamunda, setting up the triumph with a seven goals to one first half.
With Wilkins, Trevor Lang, Jamie Cosgrove, Jacob Fitzroy and Dean Wilson all in god form, they carried too many guns for the opposition.
Win No.4 came in the D1-Reserves who bounced back from a disappointing loss in round, to score a comfortable 10-goal triumph over Kalamunda.
They turned it around, stuck to the game plan and returned to the form of the first three weeks.
Ruckmen Hay-Hendry and Njegich dominated to give the midfield first use all day while McEvoy, Collins and Rice clearly won the battle in the centre square with the run of McDonald and Copley allowing for continuous attack.
Traditionally this fixture is a nightmare for colts coaches with players putting a concert in Bunbury ahead of their footy, but despite large numbers being unavailable they won both grades.
In the Phil Scott division, Maddington signalled their intentions early by playing a three man forward line and putting three extra defenders behind the ball.
It made for a messy game, but smart football by North Beach saw them tack their way through the extras numbers and set the game up with a 5.1 to 0.1 opening quarter.
After losing ruckman deCourtenay to a crude tackle and sitting the rest of the game out with concussion, Ryan Eckert, promoted from the Brett Jones division, carried the load manfully.
With more injuries before half time, the Beach was left with a bare 18 players, they held their nerve as Maddington became ill disciplined and went on to win by seven goals.
The Brett Jones Colts played in the unusual Friday night time slot and began game with great intent and skill, great testament to the playing group as the conditions were heavy under foot.
Will Hooper, Riley Carter and Luke Spies provided great run and rebound from the backline while Jamie Tonus, Brennan Irvine and Mitch Arrons controlled the centre of the ground and also provided great defensive pressure.
Michael Lynch really stepped up and played the lead-up forward role beautifully and provided North Beach with an avenue to goal. With so many players out of the team players were forced to play in roles to which they are uncustomed to and one player who thrived in his new role was Leon Dott, who won a large majority of the ruck hit outs and had to ruck the entire game.
The Beach went on to win by 25 points.
Details
O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
North Beach 1.6 4.8 8.9 12.10 82
Maddington 2.0 4.0 7.5 11.5 71
Goals – North Beach: Harwood, Italiano, Riemann, Jarvis 2; Lee, Nelli, Potts, Jamie Sajich 1.
Best – North Beach: Boys, Riemann, Italiano, Jarvis, Clarke.
Credent Financial Services A-Reserves
North Beach 5.5 10.6 15.9 22.11 143
Maddington 1.0 1.1 1.2 2.2 14
Goals – North Beach: Perkin 5; Cownie 3; Bowdell, Cranley, Griffiths, Wilson 2; Burns, Carmody, Hack, Heap, Holbrook 1.
Best – North Beach: Cranley, Hackett, Cownie, Perkin, B Wilson, Burns, Brazill.
Townley Group D1-Grade
North Beach 3.2 7.5 9.8 9.9 63
Kalamunda 1.2 1.5 4.5 6.6 42
Goals – North Beach: Justin Sajich 3; Cassidy 2; Foreman, Campbell, Lang, Holdman 1.
Best – North Beach: Wilkins, Lang, Cosgrove, Fitzroy, D Wilson.
Clipstar D1-Reserves
North Beach 13.12 (90) def Kalamunda 3.2 (20)
Goals – North Beach: Bramley 4; McEvoy , McDonald , Hay-Hendry 2; J Collins, Pope , Brown 1.
Best – North Beach: McEvoy, Caneppele, McDonald, Hay-Hendry, J Collins, Brown, Njegich.
Pana’s Pool Supplies E2-Grade
North Beach 1.1 4.1 6.1 8.2 50
Willetton 2.1 4.4 6.5 7.6 48
Goals – North Beach: Smith 3; Reynolds 2 , Anthony, Williams, Bracccia, Baily 1.
Best – North Beach: Bracia, Reynolds, Keating, Morrow.
Nuchange Phil Scott Colts
North Beach 5.1 9.5 11.10 12.12 84
Maddington 0.1 2.3 2.10 5.12 42
Goals – North Beach: Cameron 4; Csar 3; Reid 2; Chapman, Turner, Webster 1.
Best – North Beach: Csar, Gray, Webster, Morgan.
Tuck Plumbing Brett Jones Colts
North Beach 8.9 (57) def Wanneroo 4.2 (26)
Best – North Beach: Dott, Hooper, Carter, Spies, Tonus, Lynch, Irvine
*Further details will be posted as they come to hand
