Game Summary
The North Sydney Bears produced a commanding performance at home, defeating the Canberra Raiders 40-24 in Round Six of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at North Sydney Oval on Sunday afternoon. The Bears, who entered the match third on the ladder with three wins, welcomed a packed crowd for their first home game of the 2026 season.
The home side burst out of the blocks with second rower Matt Stimson crossing in the third minute after a six-again count gifted the Bears repeated field position. A line-break by five-eighth Harradyn Wilson set up the chance, and Stimson needed little invitation to find the gap and touch down under the posts. Winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega then added the Bears' second try in the ninth minute, using his powerful frame to brush aside the Raiders' defensive efforts after a swift shift of play.
The Bears extended their lead to 16-0 when Stimson grabbed his double in the 14th minute, displaying the same in-and-out running line that had proved so effective moments earlier. However, the Raiders fought back with tries to prop Jake Clydsdale and centre Daine Laurie, the latter a dangerous attacking weapon who proved a constant threat throughout. By the 25th minute, the margin had been cut to 16-12 and the contest was alive.
The Bears responded with their fourth try of the half when Harradyn Wilson finished off a slick grubber-and-chase combination with halfback Thomas Steadman in the 38th minute. A penalty try to the Bears just before the interval made it 22-12 heading into the sheds.
The Bears came out with purpose in the second half, with Abiarthur Toi Tuilaepa crossing in the 45th minute before Tuipulotu Katoa added another to push the lead out to 34-12. Daine Laurie gave the Raiders some hope with his second try in the 57th minute, but the Bears were relentless, continuing to find gaps in the green machine's defensive line.
With the Raiders reduced to 12 men after Laurie was sin-binned in the 30th minute of the first half, the Bears failed to capitalise with an additional try during that period, but their dominance was never truly in doubt. Laurie was courageous in return, completing a hat trick in the final minutes to reduce the margin to 34-24, before Phillip Makatoa sealed the result in the dying seconds, as the bears carried out the 40-24 victory.
Talking Points
- Matt Stimson was outstanding in his 50th game in red and black, bagging a double in the first 17 minutes and consistently finding gaps through the middle and on the edges. His combination with halfback Thomas Steadman was one of the highlights of the match.
- Daine Laurie was a class act for the Raiders despite his side's heavy defeat. The experienced centre scored a hat-trick and was dangerous every time he had the ball, reminding everyone why Canberra value his services so highly.
- The Bears capitalised ruthlessly on a string of six-again calls early in the match. Canberra's inability to complete their early sets gifted North Sydney field position and momentum from which the Raiders never truly recovered.
- Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega, picked up from Manly, was a constant threat on the left wing. His physicality and pace proved too much for the Raiders' edge defenders on multiple occasions, and his try in the ninth minute was a statement of intent from the home side.
Key Moment
Harradyn Wilson’s grubber-and-chase combination with Thomas Steadman in the 38th minute, two minutes from half-time, was the moment that truly took the game away from the Raiders. The five-eighth plucked the ball from the air to score, extending the lead to 22-12 and deflating a Canberra side that had clawed their way back into the contest just minutes earlier. The kick-and-chase, executed to near perfection, illustrated the Bears' class and composure under pressure.
What's next?
The win lifts the North Sydney Bears to second on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder with four wins from five games, being rewarded with a bye next round. The Canberra Raiders remain winless after six rounds and will need to arrest their slide quickly as they prepare to take on competition new-comers the Melbourne Storm at Seiffert Oval on Saturday.
