By Gary Stocks
The North Beach A-grade machine stepped back into top gear with an outstanding team performance against Mt Lawley in the third round of competition last weekend.
Despite a heavy injury toll, the Beach rarely missed a beat and produced an irresistible performance to beat the recently-elevated Mt Lawley combination – a club which racked up a record four consecutive flags before North Beach’s current run of six premierships in succession usurped that mark.
Led by the imposing frame of centre half-back Aaron Jarvis, the tenacious Beau Witheridge and Kyle Rieman, midfielder John Turner and defender Reece Cunningham, the Tigers boasted too much firepower for the visitors.
With gun forward Mitch Holbrook one of the injury casualties, there was an even spread of goalkickers, with Ben Wilson shining at centre half-forward and veteran Chris Perkin enjoying his return to A-grade.
A-Grade
North Beach 3.9 7.14 11.18 17.18 120
Mt Lawley 0.1 2.4 5.6 7.7 49
Goals – North Beach: Wilson, Power, Holbrook, Perkin, McGinnity 2; Bryan, Turner, Rieman, Bollen, Brennan, Paap, Jarvis.
Best – Jarvis, Witheridge, Rieman, Turner, Cunningham.
The Phil Scott colts recorded their first win of the season, staving off a determined third quarter effort from Mt Lawley, who ensured maximum pressure with remarkable goal-front accuracy.
Jake Robinson produced an eye-catching effort at centre half-forward, Aaron Brookes and Kegan Knott were lively through the midfield while Matt Irvine and Chris Humphries set the benchmark for their attack on the ball.
Phil Scott Colts
North Beach 2.4 5.7 7.9 10.12 72
Mt Lawley 1.0 2.0 8.0 9.3 57
Goals – North Beach: Knott 2; Foreman, Perry, Barber, Griffiths, Irvine, Kickett, Waldock, Robinson.
Best – Robinson, Brooks, Knott, Irvine, Humphries.
Despite the best efforts of several players, the Brett Jones colts could not follow the example of the Phil Scott team and slumped to an 80-point loss against St Norbets.
Brandon Avery, Chris Mead, Sam Johnson and Mitch Christie weighed in with solid efforts, but needed greater support from their teammates. They will be looking for that support against Melville this week.
Brett Jones Colts
St Norbets 3.5 7.8 12.11 16.12 108
North Beach 1.0 2.3 3.3 4.4 28
Goals – North Beach: Christie 2; Cooper, McMorran.
Best – Avery, Mead, Johnson, Christie.
The E-Grade team, boasting many recent colts graduates, continued on its winning way with Justin Sajich, Simon Ongley, Hayden Coutts and Jason Vry all playing key roles.
Experienced ruckman Chris Gooch, and forwards Justin Plant, Sam Keeley and Nick Morling also presented strongly, giving an enthusiastic midfield plenty of attacking options as they moved the ball into a scoring position.
E-Grade
North Beach 3.3 6.5 10.6 13.8 86
Mt Lawley 3.1 7.2 8.3 9.3 57
Goals – North Beach: Morling, Normoyle 3; Sajich, Keeley 2; Plant, Coutts, Vry.
Best – North Beach: Justin Sajich, Gooch, Ongley.
The E-Reserves paid the price for a slow start against Mt Lawley and despite fighting out the contest were defeated by 45 points.
Sam Harrison, Michael Plowman, Ryan Staniforth and Josh Stretch all played admirably, but the teams is lacking consistency in its level of performance.
E-Reserves
North Beach 5.8 (38) lost to Mt Lawley 13.5 (83)
Goals – North Beach: Chapman, Gaunt, Mirable, P Cavanagh, Brown.
Best – North Beach: Harrison, Plowman, Staniforth, Stretch, P Cavanagh.
The G-Grade scored an important 13-point win over High Wycombe on the back of a solid final quarter effort.
G-Grade
North Beach 1.4 4.8 5.11 8.14 62
High Wycombe 3.2 5.5 6.6 7.7 49
Goals – North Beach: Thoules, Natman 2; Wilson, Warren, Freidy.
Best – Rosco, Bodan, DJ.
