The making of a dynasty
North Beach’s Bill Duckworth speaks to Chris Egan
It is one of the great premiership runs in Perth Football League history and indeed one of the greatest modern eras of success for any football club across Australia, the seven straight ‘A Grade’ premierships won by the North Beach Football Club from 2004 until 2010.
Factoring in that the club also won ‘A Grade’ premierships in 1999, 2001 and 2002; the club totalled a remarkable 10 premierships in a 12 season window. All 10 premierships were achieved under the watchful eye of AFL and North Beach great Bill Duckworth.
The feats of Duckworth and his team are even more remarkable if you consider the circumstances he faced when he took over as coach in 1996.
Having carved out a successful career in Victoria, having been part of team and individual success in the AFL with Essendon, Duckworth on his return to Perth in the 1990’s joined North Beach because it was close to home and on the condition, he wouldn’t train on a Tuesday. Success came immediately again for Duckworth playing a key role as the club won the 1993 ‘A Grade’ premiership.
Yet over the next two years, North Beach would slump to finish eighth in 1995, only just avoiding relegation. It was time for a change in charge, and Duckworth was appointed as coach, taking over a near relegation outfit.
It was steady progression for North Beach under Duckworth in his early seasons, finishing fifth, third and second across the first three seasons in charge. The steady progress continued as North Beach would win the 1999 ‘A Grade’ premiership, in Duckworth’s fourth season as senior coach.
It was that first premiership that Duckworth still looks back most fondly on.
“Coming from relegation and rebuilding the side in four years was special,” Duckworth said.
While that rebound over four years was impressive, it cannot compare to the feats that were to come by North Beach under Duckworth as they continued to win premierships and set a new benchmark for high standards in the Perth Football League.
Though a lot of the North Beach success is credited to Duckworth, he is quick to point out it was the players that were most important in the initial success followed by the longevity of success.
Highlighting this fact, of having a number of quality young and experienced players, North Beach were never led by one dominant player during their premiership years. Across their 10 premiership winning seasons, they had nine different club best and fairest winners and nine different players win the Giles medal for best on ground in the Grand Final.
“Full credit goes to the players,” Duckworth said.
“We had a good bunch of kids at the start, added some experience players and were able to keep them for the majority of our years together.”
It will likely remain the last of its kind, a team winning so consistently at the ‘A Grade’ level and while the focus will rightfully be on the seven straight, it is always worth remembering where North Beach did have to come from under Duckworth to achieve what they did as a club.
