Sunday the 9th of August saw the Bears return to home soil for the final instalment of the Jason Taylor Cup, with the side looking to reclaim the trophy in front of their home crowd. Despite the drizzly conditions, Bears supporters braved the weather and came through the gates to get behind the team as they faced a strong Magpies side, bolstered by their first-grade side having a bye. The Bears rose to the occasion, running in eight tries to secure a commanding 48–16 win. With the Jason Taylor Cup back in Bears hands, the boys celebrated in the sheds, singing the team song after a hard-fought and well-deserved victory.

This week, Ammaron Gudgeon returned to the side, opening the scoring after just four minutes. The try was the product of excellent teamwork, with Matt Stimson producing a clever offload to put the ball in Jake Toby’s hands. With quick acceleration, Toby burst forward before finding Gudgeon in support, who finished the movement on the right-hand wing. Ethyn Martin added another in the 20th minute after the Magpies had crossed for their first try. Back on the wing, Martin finished off the attacking movement to extend the Bears’ lead to 12–6. The Magpies hit back with two tries before half-time, sending the Bears into the sheds trailing 16–12. After the break, the Bears took complete control, shutting the Magpies out of the second half. With constant attacking pressure, the Bears piled on six unanswered tries to turn the contest into a dominant display.

Abiarthur Toi Tuilaepa, who was awarded Players’ Player for the match, crossed in the 50th and 70th minute. On both occasions, the winger showcased his speed, skill and ability to read the game, finding opportunities to finish off the Bears’ attacking sets. Matt Stimson continued his outstanding afternoon with another great performance, scoring a skilled try in the 61st minute. Jake Toby crossed in the 66th minute, Jayden Yates added another in the 76th, before Sione Tupouniua put the finishing touch on the result in the 79th minute before the final siren. Kieran Hayman was flawless with the boot, converting all eight attempts to steer the Bears to a commanding 32-point win.

The statistics from the game painted an equally convincing picture, with the Bears controlling 56% possession and spending more than 25 minutes with the ball in hand. They completed at 74% and powered through for 1,370 run metres, while their attacking edge was highlighted by a commanding nine line breaks and 38 tackle breaks. The Bears also dominated defensively making 237 tackles and being awarded with a complete second half shut out. It was an incredible match to witness and a near perfect performance from the side heading into finals.

Liam Knight also made his debut for the side, showcasing his skill and making an immediate impact for the Bears. With three regular-season matches remaining, the boys will be looking to build on this momentum and finish the season strongly, starting with another home game at Bear Park this week against the Eels, who currently sit in 11th place. The Bears will then travel to Henson Park to face the Jets in Round 25 before returning to Bear Park for their final regular-season match on August 29th, We hope to see you back at North Sydney Oval this week for our Junior League Appreciation Round as the Bears look to make it 6 wins in a row. Go you Bears!

Check out the Bears named to pull on a red & black jersey this weekend >>