By Gary Stocks

When hosting a team equal on points on the premiership table a good start is imperative.

It creates doubt in the minds of the opposition, gets the home crowd up and about – there is no bigger advantage than the North Beach faithful in full voice at Charles Riley Reserve.

When it’s past players day that situation is extrapolated and added to the level of support.

With that in mind the O’Rourke Realty A-Grade outfit hit the ground running against West Coast last Saturday. The two clubs had registered three wins from the opening four rounds and the Beach made a statement with six first-quarter goals.

They were never headed from that point, winning 11.11 (77) to 8.6 (54).

While it does look like a comfortable margin, West Coast challenged the Beach and out-scored them after the first break.

Led by ruckman Kyle Cranley, the Beach was well served through the midfield where Craig Hoskins and Nick Bowe worked hard. James Garcia was also lively while young forward Shannon Lucassen was outstanding with six goals.

Cranley won the Past Players Medal for his performance while Hoskins won the highly regarded Gary Tait Medal.

The Lifenet A-Reserves were a class above the opposition and romped to a 108-point victory – 20.9 (129) to 3.3 (31).

The Beach controlled every facet of the game and were ruthless in putting the game away. Their pressure was as good as any other aspect of their performance which no doubt thrilled legendary coach Bill Duckworth who made a cameo appearance calling the shots on the bench.

Tim Edwards was exceptional on a wing, working hard both ways, and finishing off his game with four goals, while Nathan Adler capitalised on the flood of opportunities to kick eight goals.

Josh Chapman dominated in the ruck to ensure the Beach had first look at ground level, Josh Stott, Peter Hoitis and Jack McIntosh played with great energy while Jarrad Chapman was impassable down back.

The Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts won a hard slog against West Coast, 3.11 (29) to 2.8 (20).

The West Coast team put numbers around the ball and were happy to and make the game a scrap.

North Beach struggled to get any flow in the game, but still managed to pocket the four points.

James Cameron was constantly under notice on a wing, while Jared Thompson was rock-solid at half back, and Wil Hunter and Aiden Nguyen also held up their end deep in defence.

O’Rourke Realty A-Grade
North Beach      6.2         7.6         9.7         11.11    77
West Coast        2.0         4.1         5.5         8.6        54
Goals – North Beach: Lucassen 6; Saunders, Garcia, Lawler, Hoskins, Johnson.
Best – North Beach: Lucassen, Lawler, Hoskins, Bowe, Garcia, Cranley.

Lifenet A-Reserves
North Beach      5.3         13.3       16.5       20.9       129
West Coast        0.0         0.1         1.2          3.3         21
Goals – North Beach: Adler 8; Edwards 3; Webster, Stott 2; O’Connell, Wickstein, Thompson, DeCourtenay, Josh Chapman.
Best – North Beach: Edwards, Adler, Josh Chapman, Stott, McIntosh, Jarrad Chapman.

Plasterwise Phil Scott Colts
North Beach 3.11 (29) def West Coast 2.8 (20)
Goals – North Beach: –
Best – North Beach: Cameron, Thompson, Hunter, Nguyen.

Beach Rises to Nolla Challenge

Playing the senior team from some of the smaller clubs is one of the challenges regularly confronted by the North Beach lower grades teams.

Last Saturday when the Hybrid Linings C4-Grade confronted Nollamara, they were playing their top side and after an even first quarter, rose to the challenge, kicking 14 goals to one in the middle quarters, winning 20.11 (131) to 6.13 (49).

There were winners all over the ground including Austin Sheard who led a miserly defence with Jack Merson and Aran O’Connell very solid. Riley Hinkley and Oskar Tothill completely dominated the ruck and fed the midfield led by Marc Crisp and David Purser.

Dane Webster was instrumental as a hard running high half forward and although he kicked three goals, the highlight of his game was a 50m chase down tackle.

Mitchell Cameron continued his very strong start to the season with a seven-goal bag.

The Beast Carpet Cleaning C4-Reserves were even more ruthless, winning 30.11 (191) to 3.0 (18).

It was a dominant victory as the team welcomed back a number of senior players.

Small forwards Vaughn Quinlan and Mason Rollo had a day out kicking eight goals each. Conor Brown was solid in the midfield, with Reef Samuels, Isaac Seidner and Jack Stevens providing lots of outside run from the wing and half back.

For the Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts there was a hiccup at the start when coach Darcy Sparks went into isolation, but Dan Ryan quickly agreed to take on the role.

North Beach’s accuracy seemed to disappear in the first half with the Beach kicking 2.10 in the first quarter to keep Wanneroo in the game.

Consistent midfield victories and forward entries could not translate into scoreboard pressure and with Wanneroo up by two points at the main break something had to change.

The switch was flicked, kicking five straight goals in the third quarter the Beach on their way and they pulled away to win 10.14 (74) to 7.1 (43)

Hybrid Linings C4-Grade
North Beach      2.3         8.7         16.7       20.11    131
Nollamara          2.3         2.5         3.9          6.13       49
Goals – North Beach: M Cameron 7; D Webster, Tothill 3; Bennett, J Cameron 2; Hunter, Purser, Cooper.
Best – North Beach: Sheard, R Hinkley, D Webster, Tothill, Crisp, Merson.

Beast Carpet Cleaning C4-Reserves
North Beach      9.3         15.5       21.8       30.11    191
Nollamara          0.0         1.0        3.0          3.0         18
Goals – North Beach: Quinlan, M Rollo 8; Stephenson, Lloyd, Lewis 3; Seidner, Samuels, McAuliffe, Persichitti, Hingston.
Best – North Beach: Quinlan, Rollo, Brown, Seidner, Stevens.

Indian Ocean Hotel Brett Jones Colts
North Beach      1.6         2.11       7.11       10.14    74
Wanneroo         1.0         4.1         5.1           7.1       43
Goals: Jolley 3; Payne 2; Castiglioni, Donohoe, A Smith, R Smith, Bristow-Stagg.
Best: Pullinger, Payne, Everett, A Smith, P Rose, Emes.

Beyond Tools E1-Grade
Kalamunda 19.19 (133) def North Beach 4.6 (30)

GJ Osplumb E4-Grade
North Beach v SNESA – opposition forfeit due to COVID

Clean Slate Remains for Women

The North Beach women’s remain undefeated after four rounds – albeit under contrasting circumstances.

The Synkro A-Grade women scored an impressive win over West Coast, winning 5.8 (38) to 3.7 (25) on the back of a brilliant third quarter that netted three goals.

With Shannon Matthews and Eva Popovsky again dangerous up forward, kicking two goals apiece, the Beach had the scoring power to defeat a club that has a strong history in the early years of PFL women’s football.

Unfortunately for West Coast, after being hit severely by COVID, they could not find the numbers to field a team in the C4-Grade and the match was abandoned.

Synkro A-Grade Women
North Beach      1.2         4.3         5.7         5.8         38
West Coast        1.1         1.4         2.5         3.7         25
Goals – North Beach: Matthews, Popovsky 2; DelFante.

C4-Grade Women
North Beach v West Coast – opposition forfeit due to COVID

I-Grade Bow to Curtin

By Steve Cuzens

The Grange Residential I-Grade suffered a 23-point loss to Curtin Uni under lights last Saturday night.

Although the team went down there were continuing strong signs of growth as a team with a strong fight back from a significant deficit after half time.

Chris Willers had another outstanding game kicking the teams four goals off his own boot!

Other players to play well or show significant improvement were Ben Morley, Nick Hart, Jamie Harris, Warren Read, and Conor Rowan.

Bouquet – David Wright and the I Grade parents helping pack up in the dark
Brickbat – Stuart Curry for being late with the board at half time.

Grange Residential I-Grade
Wesley Curtin 6.15 (51) def North Beach 4.4 (28)
Goals – North Beach: Willers 4