Another wet game day and mud wrestle on the field played out at Kellyville Park last Sunday as we took on the third placed Parramatta Eels. The home team got the early jump and with twenty minutes gone were up 12 – 0. The mighty red & black fought back with Coby Thomas barreling his way, pushing Eels defenders aside, to crash over the white line. Kieran Hayman converted from in front of the sticks and the Bears were on the board 12 – 6. Only minutes later, Bears are on the attack finding Aitasi James who barges his way over. Hayman converts and the score equalises at 12 a piece. Five minutes on and Thomas is looking for his second try as he shugs off the Eels, finding the gap and plants the ball over the line. Again, Hayman neatly converts and the lead swings to the Bears 12 – 18. Just shy of the half time hooter, Bears are unable to hold off a fast moving opposition attack that seems them add the four points with the conversion waved away. The lads head to the sheds up 16 – 18.

The second half started much like the first with the Eels taking advantage of a batted back ball off a Bears bomb, Volkman runs the length of the field and the lead swings back to the home team. Going point for point, momentum swings back the Bears as Jesse Marshke puts up a bomb over the in goal area, Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown leaps high in the air to take the kick and nab the points. Sharp shooter, Hayman nails the wide kick and the red & black are back in the lead 22 – 24. the next few minutes see some undisciplined play from the Bears that leads to Ofahiki Ogden being put on report and Nathaniel Roache sin binned for a possible hip-drop tackle. Eels pocket the 2-points to level the score and Bears play out the 10 minutes with one man down, again. Heading into the final ten minutes of the game Marschke gets a short swift pass to Phil Makatoa who slides across. Hayman converts and Bears are leading 24 – 30 with six minutes on the clock. In a ploy to secure the win, Hayman tries for a field goal but goes wide. The ball goes back to the opposition who make the most of it and level the score at 30-all with two minutes on the clock. Both sides want the win and are pushing hard. In the final sixty seconds a dubious call of “crowding” against Jayden Yates gives the Eels a penalty shot that devastatingly hands the home team the win.

The game played out point for point, a constant arm wrestle, with both sides notching up five tries a piece and Bears kicking 100% on target, compared to Eels at 80%. Alas, Bears walk away with a tough loss.