With two full days of rugby league, craft beer and festival atmosphere, North Sydney Oval was buzzing throughout the Beer, Footy and Food Festival weekend. A fantastic crowd packed the hill across the weekend as fans enjoyed six matches of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup action. The Bears took centre stage on Saturday at 4pm and delivered a strong all-round performance, defeating the Roosters 36-24 in Round 11 with an impressive six-try display at home.

The home side wasted little time opening the scoring, with Ammaron Gudgeon crossing in just the second minute. The play began with quick hands from Jake Toby to Gudgeon, who initially looked to shift the ball wide before using his strength to power through the defensive line and score on the right edge in front of a cheering crowd.

The Bears extended their advantage shortly after through Thomas Steadman following an impressive attacking movement. Quick footwork from Tui Katoa allowed him to offload while being tackled, finding Toby, who linked with Kieran Hayman. Hayman showcased his speed and composure with a dummy pass before bursting through the line and finding Steadman in support to finish the play. Hayman converted both opportunities as the Bears established early momentum.

The Roosters responded with two tries of their own, but the Bears answered through Matt French in a crucial moment before half-time. Coby Thomas produced a strong tackle near halfway before offloading to Joshua Cook, who sliced through the defence with a clever dummy and acceleration through the middle. With defenders closing in near the line, Cook delivered a late pass to French, who crossed in front of the Bob Stand. The try ensured the Bears took an 18-12 lead into the break.

Abiarthur Tuileapa crossed in the 65th minute after a quick play-the-ball from Jayden Yates and a sharp pass from Matt Stimson sent the winger over in the right-hand corner. With the scores locked after this try, the Bears produced one of the defining moments of the afternoon. Quick passing spread the ball wide before Hayman recovered a loose ball to keep the attack alive. Toby then showcased determination and speed, breaking through defenders before delivering an offload while being tackled to find French in support. French shifted the ball on to Hayman, who sprinted down the sideline in front of the packed hill crowd to score a magnificent try and regain the lead for the Bears. The crowd rose to its feet as North Sydney Oval erupted in applause following the remarkable display of skill and determination.

Jayden Yates sealed the result late, stepping through the defence after shaping to pass before backing himself to take the ball over and cap off a composed and confident performance from the home side. As the full-time siren sounded, the Bears were met with loud cheers from the home crowd following an impressive victory.

The Bears’ individual performances were equally impressive across the key statistical categories. Coby Thomas led the defensive effort with a game-high 43 tackles, showcasing his work rate and consistency throughout the contest. Jake Toby was outstanding with ball in hand, finishing with a team-high 179 running metres to continually generate momentum through the middle of the field. Ammaron Gudgeon posed a constant attacking threat and recorded the most line breaks for the side, while Matthew French capped off a strong all-round display by leading the team with 63 fantasy points. The contributions across both attack and defence highlighted the depth and balance in the Bears’ performance against the Roosters. Hayman was also flawless with the boot, converting all six tries in a perfect goal-kicking display.

After securing an important win against the third-placed Roosters, the Bears now sit second on the ladder, just one competition point behind the competition leaders. This week, the team returns to North Sydney Oval for Round 12 to face the Rabbitohs at 3pm in what shapes as another huge clash. Round 12 will also mark the first match of the Mario Fenech Cup against the Rabbitohs who are currently sitting in third place. The Cup is contested across two matches, home and away, with the winner determined on aggregate points. The Bears currently hold the Mario Fenech Cup following a narrow two-point aggregate victory last season. It promises to be another fantastic afternoon of rugby league, so be sure to secure your tickets online and support the Bears.