THE THIRD PLACED BRAIDWOOD SERVICEMEN`S CLUB BEARS GAVE THE FOURTH PLACED WEST-BELCONNEN WARRIORS A RUGBY LEAGUE LESSON WHEN THEY BEAT THEM 34 -10 AT KIPPAX ON SATUR DAY. IN WEEATHER MORE SUITED FOR DUCKS THE BEARS RAN IN 6 TRIES TO THE WESTIES 2. THE BEARS WENT INTO THE MATCH WITHOUT HARDWORKING 2nd Rower TOMMY WATSON AND MARTY -the excitement machine -EDWARDS BUT WERE BUOYED BY THE RETURN OF CAPTAIN STEVE NEWSOME AND UTILITY PLAYER BILLY HALLIGAN.
BRAIDWOOD GOT OFF TO A BAD START WHEN THEY TURNED THE BALL OVER AFTER WESTIES FIRST CLEARING KICK. WESTIES SENT THE BALL WIDE AND NIKO 'MAL MENINGA' UIESSE CRASHED OVER TO SCORE . BUT TO THE BEARS CREDIT THEY HIT STRAIGHT BACK WITH TWO CNVERTED TRIES TO ADAM DIXON IN THE SPACE OF THREE MINUTES . DICKO WAS UNLUCKY TO GRAB A THIRD 15 MINUTES INTO THE GAME WHEN HE COULDN`T QUITE CONTROL A JIMMY EVAN`S BOMB OVER THE WARRIOR S LINE. 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE BREAKsecond rower SUNNY BILL RAYNOLDS BURST THROUGH THE WARRIORS DEFENSIVE LINE ON HALF WAY AND OUTSPED THE COVER DEFENCE TO SCORE UNDER THE POSTS. MATT McCARTHY CONVERTED AND KICKED A PENALTY JUST BEFORE HALFTIME TO GIVE THE BEARS A HANDY 20-6 LEAD . WITH THE RAIN GETTING HEAVIER , THE SECOND HALF MIRROREDTHE FIRST WITH THE BEARS SPOILING DEFENSE CAUSING THE WARRIORS TO CONTINUALLY COUGH THE BALL UP. BRAIDWOOD MADE THE MOST OF THEIR OPPORTUNITIESWITH MARK PIPER AND ROCKY DEMETRIOU CROSSING FOR FOUR POINTERS AFTER THE BEARS HAD GOTTEN DEEP INTO WESTIES TERRITORY. WESTIES GRABBED A CONSOLATION TRY TOWARDS THE END OF THE MATCH BUT THEN SHAWN HEYCOX PUT THE ICING ON THE BEARS VICTORY WHEN HE WON THE RACE TO A PERFECTLY WEIGHTED JIMMY EVANS KICK WHICH PULLED UP IN THE IN-GOALAND SHAWN DIVED ON IT TO SCORE.
THE BENDIGO BANK`S BEST & FAIREST 3 POINTS WENT MATT McCARTHY FOR- ONCE AGAIN- AN OUTSTANDING GAME AT LOCK IN BOTH ATTACK AND DEFENSE. MATT`S ABILITY TO EVADE THE DEFENSE CLOSE TO THE RUCK IS PHENOMINAL . BILL RAYNOLDS STRAIGHT BALL RUNNING HAD THE WARRIORS DEFENSE ON THE BACK FOOT EVERY TIME HE TOUCHED THE BALL AND HE HAD HIS BEST DEFENSIVE GAME FOR THE BEARS TO DATE .AND EARNED 2 POINTS PLUS THE PLAYERS PLAYER AWARD . JIMMY EVANS ACCURATE KICKING GAME , EXCELENT SERVICE TO HIS OUTSIDE BACKS WITH THE BALL AND THE GROUND HE MADE WHEN HE TOOK THE DEFENCE ON HIMSELF ALONG WITH HIS FAIR SHARE OF DEFENSIVE WORK GAINED HIM A POINT . THUMPER GORMAN COMBINED WELL WITH EVANS AT HALF-BACK AND TACKLED LIKE A BACKROWER WHICH EARNED HIM TH E COACHES AWARD.
STEVE NEWSOME SAID AFTER THE MATCH IT WAS THE BEST TEAM EFFORT HE HAD SEEN FROM THE BEARS IN HIS TWO SEASONS WITH THE BEARS AND IS REALLY LOOKING FOR WARD TO NEXT SATURDAYS MATCH WITH COMPETITION LEADERS BUNGENDORE AT THE REC
THE BRUCE STUART BUILDING SCOREBOARD BEARS 34 [ DIXON 2 TRIES, RAYNOLDS 1, PIPER 1, DEMETRIOU 1, HEYCOX 1, McCARTHY 4 GOALS] WARRIORS 10 [ NIKO 2 TRIES , BROWN 1 GOAL]
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