Round Fourteen
North Beach Sea Eagles 6 – Fremantle Roosters 34
By PETER ROWE
They may have had a poor start to the season, but with two games to go before the finals, you cannot rule out the Fremantle Roosters after they clinically dismantled the North Beach Sea Eagles 34-6 in round 14 of the NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play Premiership.
The reigning premiers were looking to bounce back after their loss at Rockingham last weekend but this matchup proved to be much the same for coach Phil Douché’s team.
“Disappointing,” Douché said. “Especially the scoreline.
“We will look at the fundamentals and correct a few things. It’s not panic, but it’s a lull in our performance levels we need to address.”
Photo – Total Sports Photography
For Fremantle player-coach Duane Butler the mood post-game was naturally the opposite.
“Our forwards were awesome,” he said. “They laid the platform for our outside backs and I thought our second half was very good.
“We stuck to the right edge and found success and outmatched them.”
Fullback Tuakana Rangihaeata opened the scoring on 17 minutes, falling on a loose ball behind the posts before forward Tom Fry levelled 10 minutes later.
But that was the only time the home side saw the whitewash as the visitors wrestled control in a ten-minute period before halftime, as powerful forward Ezra Taomia crashed over to give Roosters a six-point lead at the break.
And Fremantle came out of the sheds fired up for second half, scoring three minutes after the kick-off through the impressive Eli Beattie.
Poor defence from North Beach saw backrower Brandon White cross and then convert his own try and when debut halfback Lewis Goodsell’s high kick was plucked from the air by former Sea Eagle Ryan Woolley, the game was won.
A big run, one of many, from Beattie set up the Roosters again as poor discipline from the home side gave White the chance to kick two more points.
Goodsell capped off a fine debut display nine minutes from time when Rangihaeata broke up the middle through a tired Beach defence to pass to Butler.
A basketball-style pass right saw the young halfback in the clear to cross.
“I saw their winger coming in on me and I knew we had players wide, so the pass, a bit unorthodox, was intended and young Lewis (Goodsell) grabbed it,” Butler added.
Butler said while he was taking it one game at a time, the mood after the game was positive and “level-headed.”
“We’re not getting carried away, there’s a lot of work still to be done, but everyone is on the same page and that’s good as we head towards the finals.
