In scorching hot conditions and played under heat rules the Bears headed to Belmore to take on the Bulldogs in round 2. The home team kicked off the point scoring early with two converted tries and went on to dominate the first half. With less than fifteen minutes gone, our captain Jesse Marschke devastatingly came off with a shoulder strain and refrained from returning to play for the reminder of the game. Jayden Yates subbed in for Marschke’s position, working alongside Bronson Garlick in the #6 jersey.

Just before the game stopped for the first water break, Bears swept the ball to the sideline. Leonard Skelton managed to get a good offload away to a supporting Garlick who dummied before taking the ball to the line himself. Matt Stimson neatly converted, and the Bears trailed 12 – 6. Returning from the drinks break, the Bulldogs ran in three unanswered converted tries extending their lead to 30 – 6. With only a minute remaining in the first half, Jake Toby backed himself with a chip and chase that saw him regain procession and ground the ball behind the posts. Stimson converted and the team headed to the sheds down 30 – 12.

The second half brought new perspective for the Bears with the boys meeting the Bulldogs try for try, goal for goal. Although the Dogs took the first points with Blake Taffe finding the Bears defence lacking, Bears retaliated swiftly. While the red & black was on the charge, Jake Toby lobbed a cutout pass to new Bears debutant Abiarthur Toi Tuilaepa who found the try line and the crowd roared in support.  The sideline kick was waved away.

The Dogs continued their onslaught, running in two quick succession tries and extending their scoreline to 46 points with just under twenty minutes remaining in the half. In true Bears spirit, the boys lifted and did not drop their heads, defending strongly for the last very hot twenty minutes. With ten left on the clock, Joe Chan made a break and offloaded to a supporting Garlick who nabbed the points and Stimson converted from out in front. Only minutes later, the Bears had the ball down on the Dogs line. Nathaniel Roache saw an opportunity and charged his way over to ground under the posts. Stimson converted and closed the points to 46 – 28.

However, too much damage had been done already, and the minutes were running out, that saw the Dogs take the win convincingly. The Bears sustained a number of injuries that are currently under review and a dangerous contact suspension that will see Corey Ross sidelined for one match.

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