Bear Cubs Show Up Their Elders
By DAVID ROWLANDS
NORTH SHORE TIMES - 11/6/2004

The contrast between North Sydney’s two teams has never been so stark as last Friday night at North Sydney Oval.

The Bears’ Jersey Flegg Cup (under 20s) team regained its berth in the top eight with an impressive 36-14 disposal of Newcastle, however the Prem ier League outfit remained rooted to last place, yielding 34-12.

Both North Sydney teams entered their games in the position immediately below the Novacastrians but that is where the similarities ended.

The senior team relin quished the opportunity to swap places with the Knights at the bottom of the table through a disastrous 20-minute ph leading up to halftime that generated 16 points and a halftime advan tage of 22-4.

When Norths winger Clint Courtney snared a spectacu lar try from an up-and-under three minutes in the second term, the margin was reduced to 14, but the revival was short-lived, as the visitors re sponded with the next two converted tries.

“Newcastle was just more enthusiastic in every area of the field,” said coach Gary Larson, who was bitterly dis appointed with the team’s ap plication, especially in the kicking department, where many of the options left not only him, but the crowd, scratching their heads.

While the Premier League’s first half was forgettable, the Jersey Flegg produced an ex traordinary reply to last week’s 38-point pasting at the hands of Illawarra.

Embarrassed by their effort in Wollongong, the Bear cubs unleashed a devastating 30-0 blitz that coach Josh White described as “the best half of footy in the two years I’ve been here”.

“It was a good turnaround from last week,” he said.

“We all had a good chat after the Illawarra game and I was quite harsh on them, but they responded well.

“The intensity was great from the word go tonight.”

White’s delight was tempered by the foot being taken off the accelerator in the second half.
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