TEAM LIST: ROUND 15
The fog lifted to another sensational day at Bear Park last Saturday. We started the day with our local U7s completing their Tackle Ready program and getting stuck into the contact that we all love about league. Following the youngsters was a solid A-Grade local derby game when the Willoughby Roos took on the Pennant Hills Stags. The game was hard hitting with some long range tries and even a bit of a biff as emotions boiled over. Congratulations to the Willoughby Roos who took out the win on the day.
It was an early kick off for the main game due to Fox Sports timing request but alas the ground began to filled up right on kick off. It’s always an epic battle when these two old foes meet, and the game went right down to the final whistle. Sea Eagles got off to a good start and had the Bears on the run after two swift tries in the first ten minutes. Tui Katoa finally got the Bears on the board with a show of athleticism in the corner, grounding the ball and taking the score to 4 – 8 to the sea birds. Captain Zach Dockar Clay steadied the troops and the team seemed to list for the next 25 minutes including himself adding the 4 points after a nice inside ball from Ben Marschke right under the posts. Ben Stevanovic converted and the red & black took the lead. Only moments later the ball sweeps to the wing and Alfred Smalley charges over for his first of a hattrick for the game. Smalley followed it up three minutes later off a neat bomb by Stevanovic and an offload by Toa Mata’afa. Sea Eagles swiftly retaliated with a try right on half time and the teams went to the change rooms with the Bears up 20 – 14.
The second half started much like the first with too many handling errors and the Bears defense lacking. Blacktown ran in two quick tries within ten minutes of kick off and took back the lead. You could see the fight was still very much alive in the Bears and Smalley found the line for the third time off a Stevanovic chip to the corner. Unfortunately, the try went unconverted, and the score was levelled at 24 all. Sea Eagles continued to attack seeing two more converted tries go through the Bears defense and again the bad guys took the lead. Not done yet, Bears pushed on and Dockar-Clay again found himself under the posts and Stevanovic quickly converted and the score sat at 30 – 36. With minutes left on the clock, Bears desperate to find that last effort to equalise the game but unfortunately fell one converted try short this time. An intense game for sure, not the strongest performance by the Bears this season undoubtedly, something the team can learn, adjust and grow from absolutely. Bears slip to second on the ladder and that fire in the belly to get back up on top is lit again. We know this team has the depth and the grit to get the job done, and boys, we are all very much behind you. Carn you Bears!
Click below to watch the game highlights >>
ROUND 15: BEARS V JETS
Where better to spend the Kings Long Weekend than at Bear Park! We are back at our home ground this Sunday for the final of the Frank Hyde Shield against the Newtown Jets. In a nail-biter of a game at Henson Park, Bears took out game one of the Shield with a field goal in the last minutes and this game is set to be nothing less than an epic clash again.
Miller St Gates will open nice and early at 11am ahead of our first Bears Legends League Tag Gala kicking off at 11.30am. Free entry to the ground until 1pm, the BBQ will be sizzling and the drinks flowing, so why not make a day of it and come cheer on our Over 30’s league tag teams. Who will be crowned the Legends of Bear Park?
The main game kicks off at 3pm when the Bears take on the Bluebags. Jets are sitting just one step down the ladder than the Bears in third place and both teams are busting for the win. Bears are coming off the back of two losses in a row and know that this game really counts in showing what the red & black are made of. The boys need your support, they need to feel the crowd is behind them, so get on down to North Sydney Oval, pick up a complimentary flag from the merch tent and cheer on your Bears!
Can’t make it to Bear Park? Then watch the game on the NSWRL Facebook pages Live Stream!
