After a close loss to the Sea Eagles at home in round 14, we had a point to prove at Sunday’s game against our old foes. Although the Sea Eagles got an early jump with the first two tries of the game due to poor Bears defence, the first half was a slow burn event. It wasn’t until six minutes before half time that Bears finally got points on the board with a sweeping play to the wing that saw Alfred Smalley push his way down the side line to ground the ball in the corner. Kieran Hayman converted from the edge, a tough kick in windy conditions, and the boys went to the sheds down 10 – 6.

The second half saw the Bears rise to what we know they can achieve. Both sides played a war of attrition for the first fifteen minutes before Bears broke the silence with a quick and low pass from Hayman to Smalley who added the four points with his second try of the game and Hayman converted for Bears to take the lead. Near on ten minutes later and Bears were on the attack again, this time Ben Stevanovic shows it, steps and backs himself to find the white line. Again, Hayman converts and Bears are up 18 – 10. Only minutes later, big Regan Hughes makes a break down the field flinging players side to side, Josh Bergamin is in support to help the big fella to take it further down the field, neatly passes it to a waiting Stevanovic who grounds the ball under the posts giving Hayman an easy conversion.

Keeping the Bears on their toes, the Sea Eagles fight back and take their only try of the second half, finding their way through the Bears defence on the try line. Not done yet, and only a minute left on the clock, a swift pass from Stevanovic sees Toa Mata’Afa jog it in against a tired opposition. Hayman kicks 5 from 5 conversions over the white posts and the Bears secure a mighty win 30 – 16 over the Sea Eagles and push us up the ladder into second place. Kieran Hayman is awarded the CIP Projects Player of the Match for an enormous effort on field in defence, game play and conversions. This win felt mighty good!