0°C | Tuesday October 21, 2025 
11 August 2025
Norths Rugby
In the final round of the Shute Shield regular season, the Shoremen were looking to improve their finals standings as they faced Warringah Rats at North Sydney Oval. Damp conditions bogged the game down until the first try from the Rats in the 20th minute, and again in the 25th minute. It would take until the 29th minute for Norths to cross the white line, coming off a signature rolling maul that set up James Margan for his first of the afternoon. Warringah responded just minutes later with another try, only to cross again in the 33rd minute. On the cusp of the halftime siren, Norths again went to their maul and again put James Margan over for a 17-26 score at the break.
Norths would be the first to score a try in the 2nd half when Josh Barr scored off a scrum in the 52nd minute. Closing in on the Rats’ lead, it would take until the 74th minute to take the lead. A kick downfield led to a yellow card penalty from Warringah, setting up Seamus Smith to dive over two phases after the scrum. Warringah would bite back just minutes later, grappling the lead back. Down 29-33 with 3 minutes left on the clock, Norths had a line out just metres away from the try line. Again, Norths went to their strong maul with Sam Kitchen nursing the ball at the back while the forwards drove closer and closer to the line. Warringah eventually caved as Norths snatched a dramatic 36-33 victory.
With the win, Norths secured the 3rd spot on the ladder, meaning they host Eastwood next week in the semi-finals.
North Shore Bombers
With the women’s team on a bye week, the Bombers’ premier men’s division showcased their talent at Picton Oval against the Inner West Magpies. The ladder leaders, riding a 13-game winning streak, established a 21-point lead by the first break. While Inner West rallied in the second quarter, matching the Bombers with 3.2.20 each, the reigning premiers dominated the second half, kicking 10 goals to 3.
The final score was 17.15.117 to 7.4.46, giving the Bombers a crucial percentage boost ahead of their significant clash with UNSW-ES at BISP 1 on Saturday. Key goal scorers for the Bombers included Max Thomas and Max Yeoland, and half-forward Matt Buskariol, all contributing 3 goals each.
North Shore’s standout players were Ned Campbell, Cooper Donald, Matthew Wilson, Jarvis Hemmings, Harry Walker, and Felix Rogers.
North Sydney Bears
It’s been an up and down season for the Bears, struggling to string wins together. With only four rounds remaining in the season, Norths needed a win as they travelled to Kellyville to face the Parramatta Eels. Things got off to a bad start for the Bears, conceding two tries in the first 15 minutes. Coby Thomas opened scoring for Norths in the 20th minute, followed by an Aitasi James try just 4 minutes later in a similar fashion, barging over from close range. The momentum had swung behind the away side, and it was déjà vu in the 30th minute with Coby Thomas again barging over for a try. Up 12-18, Norths then conceded 10 minutes later to make the scores 16-18.
The sun had come out for the second half, with the Eels being the first to score after a full-field try off a kick. Norths would respond in the 62nd minute, ironically off a kick, when Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown flew through the sky to grab the ball and score a try. Parramatta booted a penalty goal in the 67th minute to tie scores up. But the Bears crossed again thanks to Phillip Makatoa in the 72nd minute. Parramatta responded yet again with a converted try in the 77th. With scores tied up yet again, the Eels were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the game, setting them up for a goal kick to win the game. They nailed it and may just have put a nail in the coffin of the Bears’ 2025 finals hopes. The final score 32-30, sending Norths down to 10th place.
Next up for the Bears are the 6th-placed Sydney Roosters at North Sydney Oval.
Norths Basketball
The stage was set for a home preliminary final at the Bear Cave, with Norths hosting the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for a chance to advance to the NBL1 East Grand Final. Norths were confident they could take care of business, having previously bested CoE in their only matchup this year. However, the first quarter was a real grind for the home side, only managing 13 points. The Bears did find their groove in the 2nd quarter, thanks mainly to veteran Maddie O’Hehir, who would end the game with 23 points. The first half was characterised by intense defense, resulting in a relatively low-scoring 36-37 halftime score with CoE just in the lead.
In the 3rd quarter, CoE began to hit their three-pointers while Norths struggled from the free-throw line and three-point line. Despite this, the margin was still only one point at the end of the period. In the final quarter, Norths’ Issy Morgan was a bright spot, ending the game with 16 points. However, the rest of the team looked shell-shocked, allowing CoE to gain a 10-point lead in the quarter to ultimately win 63-74. It was an uncharacteristic performance for the Norths women, who are one of the top-scoring sides in the league. But CoE put on a strong defensive and shooting performance to end the Bears’ season and advance through to the Grand Final.
