Kwinana Titans 12 – North Beach Sea Eagles 48
By PETER ROWE
North Beach kept their finals hopes alive with a solid win over bottom club Kwinana Titans at Thomas Oval on Saturday afternoon as the race for the fourth spot on the Fuel to Go & and Play Premiership tightened again.
The Sea Eagles have to win again next weekend against Kalamunda if they are to progress in what is their 75th anniversary year.
But this game belonged to a name familiar with the North Beach club – Rogers.
The latest in the conveyor belt from this rugby league family, 17-year-old Wyatt, scored his first senior hat-trick in the nine tries to three victory.
“He’s a super talented kid,” coach Marty Collis said.
“He can play on the wing and has potential at fullback. One of a number of great kids that are coming through at the club.
“Riley Bradley is just 19 and we have a handful of 20-year-olds as well.”
Bradley was first to cross after four minutes before skipper Bow Stein added a second. George Hough, Jay Roa and Rogers completed the first half scorers with prop Ben Russell Kwinana’s lone try scorer.
The Titans, with eight Val Murphy players backing up, were first across the whitewash after the break through Khemp Taala before Rogers grabbed his second of the afternoon on 46 minutes and fullback Te Ra Ahuri increased the lead. Kwinana pulled another four-pointer back when winger Kane McMenamin crossed.
But their joy was short-lived as Rogers completed his treble and Ahuri his double to seal the points.
Half Nick Prance kicked six from nine in a second-half showing that Collis said saw them stick to their processes.
We played well in patches, but gave away some silly penalties in the first half to reset at the break and it came good,” he said.
“It was a positive day and something we will take forward to next weekend when it’s our 75th birthday celebrations.
“It’s another must-win game for us, a massive challenge.”
Titans coach Lewis Samuels praised his players who stepped up and played two games (Val Murphy and first grade) and complimented North Beach for their “class on the edges”.
“They were better than us out wide although I think we matched them in the middles,” Samuels said.
“And then there was the ad-lib footy from Bow Stein that killed us.”
Taala was their best on field, just ahead of lock Murray Kopa who broke a dime in his hand that will see him out for the remainder of the season, with Russell earning the one point for his damaging runs around the edge.