0°C | Thursday November 13, 2025 
14 July 2025
North Sydney Bears
After a tough loss last game the Bears were looking to bounce back against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at North Sydney Oval. Norths didn’t just bounce back, they grabbed their biggest victory of the season.
On a perfect Sunday afternoon, Tuipulotu Katoa got scoring underway just 2 minutes into the game, crossing for a try on the left wing. Ethyn Martin would then cross for a double in the exact same spot in the 8th and 13th minute. This was just a sign of what was to come. Aitasi James capped off a dominant first half just minutes before the break, barging over to make it 20-0.
More of the same came in the second half with Kieran Hayman scoring one of the tries of the year off a chip and chase in the 59th minute. NRL player Bronson Garlick bagged a try just 4 minutes later, barging over from close range. When it rains, it pours and it was time for Coby Thomas to take centre stage just minutes after Garlick’s try. Thomas busted through the middle in the 63rd minute and broke the line again 5 minutes later running 50 metres to score another try. In the 70th minute Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown put the icing on the cake, crossing over the white line down the right wing. At the full time siren Norths had won 50-0 and sent fans home with smiles from ear to ear. What makes the win even sweeter was the fact the Bears now jump over the Bulldogs into 7th place on the NSW Cup ladder.
With only 6 rounds remaining in the season they will look to make a finals run as they head across the ditch next week to face New Zealand.
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North Shore Bombers
North Shore vs East Coast has become one of the stronger rivalries in the past few years of AFL in Sydney. With both programs boasting strong sides their clash at Bruce Purser Reserve over the weekend was highly anticipated.
The women’s match was up first with the Bombers putting on a superb defensive performance was key, restricting a talented Eagles team to just one goal across four quarters.
The Bombers established a 21-point lead by halftime and continued their strong play in the second half. Key forward Adrienne Keeffe led the scoring with 4 goals, supported by Teigan Collister who contributed two majors.
North Shore solidified their position as a top contender for the Women’s Premier Division title with a dominant 52-point win over East Coast Eagles.
Bombers best players included Lucy Yates, Heidi de Saxe, Adrienne Keeffe, Amelia Rainbow, Ariel Belger, and Teigan Collister. The final score was North Shore 9.8.62 to East Coast Eagles 1.4.10.
The boys were up next establishing an early lead, finishing the first quarter 29 points ahead and extending their dominance to a 58-point margin by halftime. Although the second half saw an even contest with both teams kicking 5 goals each, North Shore’s initial surge secured their victory.
Max Thomas was a key scorer for North Shore with 4 goals, supported by Charlie Stephens who contributed 3. North Shore decisively defeated East Coast Eagles by 55 points with a final score of 15.9.99 to 6.8.44.
Both squads still find themselves sitting 2nd on their ladders behind Manly. Next week Manly will come to Gore Hill Oval to face the Bombers in what is expected to be the round of the year!
Norths Basketball
The Central Coast Crusaders were in town to face Norths on Saturday. The Bears’ women are still in the hunt for the minor premiership, sitting in 2nd place on the NBL1 East ladder. Meanwhile the men are fighting to stay in the top 8, with zero margin for error in a highly competitive division. The Norths women’s team dominated the Crusaders with a commanding 119-35 victory. Norths established a 21-0 first-quarter run, leading 37-6. By halftime, the score was 66-13, with Norths shooting 25/41 from the floor and 10/18 from three. Despite some Crusaders’ resistance in the third, Norths secured an 84-point win. Overall, Norths shot 57% from the field and 19/36 from downtown, controlling rebounds and scoring 21 points from turnovers. All nine Bears players scored at least five points, with seven in double figures. Emma Donnelly led with 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Caitlyn Martin added 19 points and 10 assists. Carla Pitman also had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, Maddie O’Hehir had 14 points and young gun Yvette Volk 11 points.
The men’s match up a crucial regular-season match, the Norths Bears defeated the Crusaders by 30 points. Both teams entered with 9-8 records, vying for a finals spot. The Bears established an early lead 28-23, extended it to 21 points by halftime, 58-45 with a dominant second quarter, and maintained control throughout the second half, leading by as much as 30 points. Matthew Wacher led the Bears with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, supported by Austin Patterson who had 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, Ben Gill who had a career high 15 points and starring as usual was Hunter Goodrick with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Two huge wins for the Bears as they head into the final regular season round of the year, facing Sydney Comets on Friday night and Penrith on Sunday.
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Norths Rugby
As the old slogan goes, anyone but Uni! This weekend it turns out Norths were anyone. Heading into the match up Norths were keen to continue their rise up the ladder after beating West Harbour last week. It’s always a slog against Sydney Uni, but Norths were first to score a try on the hallowed uni turf, when Callum Sirker was set up by Max Burey in the 15th minute. Reece Mau’u was next to score, stripping the ball of a Uni player and running 80 metres in the 18th minute. Burey and Sirker were at it when Burey broke the line in their own half, drew a defender in and set up Sirker once again in the 24th minute. Norths were on fire, but would concede a try right on half time for a 10-21 score at the break.
Josh Barr opened the scoring for the half with a try just 4 minutes after the break, barging over from close range to extend the lead yet again. Not long after Sydney Uni began a comeback run scoring back to back tries. Max Burey grabbed a try of his own in the 54th minute, using his speed to burn the defense off a perfectly run scrum set piece. Another Uni try in the 75th minute proved to be too little too late as Norths held on for a comfortable 24-35 victory.
With the win the Shoremen solidify their spot on the table in 7th, just 5 competition points out of the top 4.
