Weekend Sport Wrap – Week 5

7 April 2025

By James Mullan

The rivalry between the North Shore and Manly-Warringah is fierce, and this weekend, the three North Shore clubs ventured to the “dark side” of the Spit Bridge to face their Northern Beaches neighbours. Meanwhile, the North Sydney Bears headed out west to Penrith, looking for back-to-back wins.

Norths Rugby

The Shute Shield is back for season 151, as Norths look to get their 2025 season off to a good start following yet another Grand Final heartbreaker last year.

Away against Manly Marlins, the two sides were familiar with each other, having already played a pre-season warm-up match just weeks ago. Manly had the early momentum, posting two quick converted tries, with Norths responding 16 minutes into the game when Benji Hoppe crossed over on the left wing. 

The momentum was short-lived as Manly stacked on more points to lead 26-8, 25 minutes in, until Norths fullback found a gap to the try line thanks to a pinpoint pass from fly-half Matt Ryan. They weren’t done for the half, closing the gap to 26-22 after several tackle busts led to Callum Sirker crossing the line.

Seven minutes into the second half, James Margan barrelled over from short range in his 100th grade game for the club. This was quickly followed by a Harry Fry pick-and-drive try to give Norths the lead in the 53rd minute, making it 31-34. The nail in the coffin came in the 63rd minute as substitute prop George Thornton dived heroically on a grubber kick, grounding it for a five-pointer, which turned into seven with the conversion.

The Shoremen valiantly held on for a 31-34 victory.

The derby matches continue next week with Norths making the short trip up to Chatswood Oval to face arch-rivals Gordon.

North Sydney Bears

After a close win last week against St George-Illawarra, the Bears were keen to get another win, this week facing the Penrith Panthers.

Things got off to a great start with Joe Chan pouncing on a Panthers tap-back off a kick and running the length of the field for a try just seven minutes in. Not long after, fullback Abiarthur Toi Tuilaepa was over too, when a perfectly run backline play set him up for a try in the corner. 

Twenty-three minutes into the game, Jake Toby joined the scoresheet too, after a Penrith player intercepted the ball just metres out from the Bears’ try line, only to drop it back over the in-goal.

Penrith managed one converted try to make the score line 6-22 at half-time, thanks to a Sean Vaivelata try just before the break.

Trey Brown put the Bears back on the scoreboard in the 49th minute when the ball was tipped around from player to player, finally landing at Brown’s feet, who kicked it through, jumped on it and scored one of the craziest tries so far this season to make it 6-26. 

Norths wouldn’t score again in the game, and despite three converted tries from the Panthers, they managed to hold them off for a narrow 24-26 win.

The Bears are now off the bottom of the table as they set their sights on Souths next week, in their first home game of the year at Central Coast Stadium.

Norths Basketball

In a rematch of the 2023 women’s NBL1 East Grand Final, bitter rivals Norths and Manly-Warringah went head-to-head. Throughout the first three quarters, the Bears lagged behind as Manly held onto the lead. Norths woke up in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sea Eagles by 12 points. Veteran Maddie O’Hehir led the way with 21 points and 5 rebounds, yet it was the young stars who stepped up when the game was on the line.

With just six seconds on the clock, Norths were down 68-66 when 17-year-old Ruby Perkins drove to the basket, drawing a foul. Amazingly, she hit both of her free throws to tie the game up and send it into overtime. Perkins ended the game with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Youth teammate Peggy Schell made some timely buckets in the overtime period, along with clutch free throws from Carla Pitman, securing the win for the Bears, 74-77. Pitman had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists and was really the difference in the end.

Meanwhile, the men weren’t as sharp despite starting their game with a huge 25-point first quarter. They weren’t able to keep up that scoring rate for the next three quarters, struggling to find points. Hunter Goodrick led the way for the Bears again, posting 14 points and 14 rebounds. At the full-time buzzer, Manly had dominated with an 80-61 margin.

Norths will host their first home game of the season this Saturday when they host Canberra at the North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre, Crows Nest.

North Shore Bombers

Any time the Bombers face off against the Manly Warringah Wolves, there is more than competition points on the line; it’s about pride. Both clubs are considered two of the top programs in NSW, adding fuel to the derby.

Beyond the games both clubs were competing in the Inaugural Anti-Violence Shield match was held to remember all victims of domestic and gender-based violence. This initiative follows last year’s public commitment by the Wolves, North Shore Bombers’ Men’s and Women’s Premier teams to stand against violence in the community.

In the women’s match-up, North Shore dominated the first quarter, preventing Manly from scoring and establishing a 19-point lead by the first break. They extended their lead in the second quarter, entering half-time with a commanding 6-goal advantage. Despite Manly’s improved performance in the second half, North Shore secured a decisive victory in front of a sizeable crowd at Curl Curl.

Key forward Adrienne Keeffe played a pivotal role for North Shore, scoring four goals with strong support from her midfielders. Captain Tilly Eder also contributed two goals for the Bombers.

In the end, the game wasn’t particularly close as North Shore triumphed by 32 points, 11.6.72 to 6.4.40. This marked their first-ever victory against Manly at Weldon Oval.

The much-anticipated Men’s Grand Final rematch started slowly in the first quarter. Manly broke the game open in the second, kicking three goals to two to take a 16-point lead into half-time.

After the break, Manly dominated in the pivotal third quarter, holding North Shore scoreless while adding six goals of their own. Ruck Angus Loebel and half-forward Matt Buskariol kicked two goals each in a small bright patch for the Bombers.

North Shore’s best players included Ned Campbell, Ethan Grace, Mitchell Rogers, Sean Netting, Patrick Bolger, and Lachlan Howarth. After a long day at the office, Manly won 16.6.102 to North Shore 5.6.36.

Next week, both sides will return to Gore Hill Oval, with the women taking on Parramatta and the men playing South West Sydney.