Charles "Chicka" Cahill
Premiership winning Newtown forward in the 1940s and actively involved with the Bluebags for the next forty years.

Match details

3.00 pm, Saturday, 14 June

Henson Park

NSW Cup ladder  [end of last round]

The North Sydney Bears showed why they are the undefeated VB NSW Cup competition leaders and the 2008 premiership favourites when they disposed of the second-placed Newtown Jets 46-12 at Henson Park on Saturday.

This season's biggest home crowd watched in dismay as the Bears ran up a 20-0 halftime lead, and then amassed 4 tries in the final ten minutes of the game as the Jets' resistance disintegrated.

The resounding victory also delivered the Frank Hyde Shield into the Bears' custody for 2008.

Bears make a strong start

Both sides had late team changes but the Bears took control right from the kick-off and led 10-0 after 15 minutes. Norths utilised their faster backrow and backline to their best advantage and always looked sharper with the ball.

The Bears effectively locked up the result with a long-distance converted try thirty seconds before halftime, and then added two more tries in the first fifteen minutes of the second half.

Second half brings Jets little joy

The Jets gained some respectability with two converted tries midway through the second half but this brief revival was quickly killed off as Norths piled on the points in the last ten minutes.

Newtown's kicking game, which had been a decisive factor in their win against Wentworthville two weeks ago, was nothing short of wretched on Saturday while match-ending injuries in the first half to centre Toshio Laiseni and prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala further hampered the Jets cause.

Coach's assessment

Newtown's coach Greg Matterson said the converted try right on halftime was a killer blow and that the Jets paid a heavy price for conceding so much possession to a big, fast side like Norths.

The Bears CEO Greg Florimo noted that, like most games in this competition, the team that has the greater number of NRL squad members available on any given day is most likely to dominate the contest.

Player performances

Newtown's best players were lock and captain Jimmy Andersen and second-rower Shaun Rudder. The Jets face another tough assignment next Friday evening (June 20th) when they meet the much-improved Western Suburbs Magpies at Campbelltown Stadium. This match kicks off at 6.00pm.

Match summary

Newtown 12
2 tries, 2 goals

North Sydney 46
10 tries, 3 goals

Referee: Gavin Badger
Touch judges: Peter Kirby, Michael Jones

Playing surface: Excellent.
Weather: Cold, overcast and windy.

NSW Cup ladder
[end of last round]

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