BEARS SECURE HOME SEMI

4th September 2009 | Rugby League News | Back to Full List of Articles

The Bears have set up a clash with the Cronulla Sharks in week one of the finals by comfortably defeating the Wolves 44-24 at North Sydney Oval last Friday night.

Led by five-star performances from improving five-eighth Justin Hunt and experienced NRL campaigners Garrett Crossman and David Kidwell, the Bears started slowly before consigning the weary Wolves to their sixth loss in seven games.

Hunt scored two tries and kicked six goals for a personal tally of 20 points, continuing his excellent form over the last few weeks.

“Justin’s been great,” Bears coach Wayne Lambkin said after the game.

“He’s improved out of sight over the full season. And [halfback] Jarryd Hogan’s been the same. It’s been a steady, steady development with both of them.

“Coming out of Under 20s clubs last year I expected them to be able to handle things a bit better but I’ve learnt that their still young kids and playing against men is a lot different.

“Justin’s always shown the ability, and now he’s just starting to mature.”

Currently on a four game losing streak and with little to play for this year, the Wolves wouldn’t have been blamed for thinking ahead to their spring break, but it was the away side who started brightly. Tigers-bound centre Geoff Daniela’s swift in-and-away move gave winger Daniel King an easy passage to the line and an early 4-0 lead.

Monster second-rower Junior Moors then increased the lead to 10-0 in the 8th minute when he brushed aside at least five players as he crashed his way right under the posts.

But the hosts soon replied through Crossman when the enforcer steamed onto a well-timed Beau Falloon pass near the line. Hunt’s conversion reduced the score to 10-6.

The Wolves hit back five minutes later when winger Danny Chiha’s lovely half-volley pick up near the sideline gave the visitors a 14-6 lead.

The Bears, however, soon began to work their way into the contest and when a Falloon break forced Windsor’s Dan Randall into a try-saving tackle and a subsequent professional foul and sin bin, momentum was well and truly with the home side.
And North Sydney took full advantage of the extra man, with both Hunt and Falloon crossing in the space of two minutes to head into the break with an unlikely 16-14 lead.

The Bears threatened to blow the game apart when winger Reece Robinson recovered from an ordinary first half to stroll through some soft defence from dummy half in the 44th minute.

Hogan then produced a big right foot step to extend the hosts’ lead to 26-14.

But the Wolves remained in the game when lock Adam Schubert charged onto a well-executed short ball from five-eighth Masada Iosefa. Trindall’s conversion reduced the deficit to just six points.

But from there it was all red and black, with Windsor’s abysmal defence – particularly from scrums – gifting the home side with another three easy tries.

Both Hunt and Samu Wara slipped through some ordinary defence on the first tackle from consecutive scrums to score identical tries before a 90m break by Robinson in the 76th minute sealed the match.

NORTH SYDNEY 44 (Garret Crossman, Justin Hunt 2, Beau Falloon, Reece Robinson 2, Jarryd Hogan, Samu Wara tries, Justin Hunt 6 goals) defeated WINDSOR 24 (5 tries, 2 goals). Halftime North Sydney 16-14.