By PETER ROWE
The North Beach Sea Eagles claimed consecutive NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play premierships at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday evening with a solid but hard-fought 22-14 win over the Fremantle Roosters.
In a rematch of last year’s grand final the Sea Eagles withstood a late push from the Roosters to take out the title with a superb defensive effort led by man of the match, forward Tom Fry.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
The prop was a tackling machine late on as Fremantle knocked and knocked and knocked again but couldn’t find the whitewash.
But it was the speed of this reshaped North Beach side that shook the Roosters early as winger Jesse Rafferty was on the end of a move started when fullback Korey Craig made a big break after just five minutes.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
Fremantle’s defence compressed offering space for Beach to exploit, with another try minutes later on the back of a great break from back rower Tyler Moeau that eventually saw halfback Ted Shand cross.
“Yeah, the way they started shocked us,” a disappointed Fremantle captain Duane Butler said after the game.
“I don’t think we were ready for that – they used their pace then silly penalties and handling errors cost us as well.
“Three moments in that first half where we could have got on top, but they had their moments and they capitalised on them.”
The pace of the game was clearly benefiting North Beach, but it was Fremantle who scored next, with Sonny Kerr taking a short ball from player-coach Delane Edwards exploiting a gap in the defensive line on last tackle to spin and dive across.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
Fullback Paora Kemp’s conversion pulled the margin back to two points and when the Roosters were awarded a penalty six minutes later in front of the posts, Kemp levelled the scores.
Fremantle were back in the game and starting to control the ruck but it was North Beach who took the advantage just before the halftime siren as Moeau took a short ball to blow through a huge hole to score.
The momentum that score gave should have served the Sea Eagles well but it was Fremantle first to score in the second period, a minute into the half and a long pass out to the right flank saw Tea-Toa Parkinson with an open run to the line.
Kemp’s kick was good and the game was level again.
“We thought we could get a roll on then” Butler said. “But it comes down to moments again. A second tackle knock on and we lose the ball.”
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
At that stage anybody’s game with both teams looking for a killer blow that would give them an advantage.
The deadlock was broken five minutes later when winger Rafferty took a pass five metres from the halfway line to race down the left edge to score.
Craig kicked the conversion as the Sea Eagles wrestled back control of the game with a six-point margin to work with.
The game then became an expected grind before a controversial penalty gave North Beach the opportunity to increase their lead – Craig slotting the points – as Fremantle then went in search of a try to get themselves back into the contest.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
But there were to be no more for the rest of the game, although it wasn’t without effort as Beach dug in to deny their opponents further opportunities to find the whitewash.
“We had our moments,” a distraught Butler said. “Lots of moments, but unfortunately not the right ones.
“We made too many errors and it cost us.”
The grind continued as the changes came from both sides, with Edwards popping up in a number of positions, urging his side to find a way.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
Workhorse Fry stopped a score when Edwards found Eli Beattie three metres out with a tackle to force an error and an injury to Kemp on his own try line slowed their momentum as the Sea Eagles regrouped to stop another effort as winger Kaelin Heremaia-Phillips dropped the ball a metre short out wide.
With time running out and with Edwards switching to fullback, the Roosters went hunting for a score to create a grandstand finish, but North Beach held firm with a scrambling defence to keep their opponents from scoring.
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography
After the siren lock Bowman Stein called it as it was. “A massive grind.”
“We had to get stuck in, in the trenches, big defence got us home,” he said.
Young halfback Darius Rogers, still only 17, wanted to get off the field and call his older brother Josh at the Brisbane Broncos, his short career at North Beach coming to an end. He is off to the Burleigh Bears in Queensland next year.
“An amazing day, Never played like that before, very physical and very fast,” he said, while holding the premiership trophy.
And the last word goes to North Beach coach Phil Douche.
“Great to achieve this, but it was tough out there. We were struggling to slow them down at times.
“It was a very fast game and they compressed well, so we knew we were in a battle.
“But a great scrambling defence to stop them late in the game – especially against their left edge which was always dangerous.”
Photo – Tom Campbell/Total Sports Photography