A spirited North Sydney Bears side got the better of the high-flying Warriors, recording a 30-12 triumph in a top-of-the-table NSW Cup clash at North Sydney Oval.
The Ipswich Jets couldn’t find such a victory in the Queensland Cup, scoring five tries but falling to the Papua New Guinea Hunters 40-28 at PNG Football Stadium.
North Sydney Bears
The Bears put in a stellar performance in NSW Cup’s very own Magic Round at North Sydney Oval on Saturday afternoon, claiming a convincing 30-12 win over the New Zealand Warriors.
The triumph sees the Club rocket into top spot on the competition ladder after 10 regular season rounds.
North Sydney sent Junior Pauga over the stripe in the fourth minute to establish an early lead, with William Fakatoumafi and Toa Mata'afa crossing shortly after before the 27-year-old centre completed the first half with a double.
Fletcher Baker and Mata'afa both claimed four-pointers in the second stanza to seal the 18-point win.
Ipswich Jets
Travelling to Port Moresby, the Ipswich Jets were defeated by the Papua New Guinea Hunters in a high-scoring affair at Santos National Football Stadium.
The Hunters accumulated a number of unanswered points in the opening half before the Jets responded with four second half tries including a double to Dray Ngatuere-Wroe to bring the game into the balance.
Despite the loss, Ipswich impressed across the park. Rhys Jacks was strong in defence, notching up a match-high 42 tackles while also assisting with one try. Fullback Jayden Corrigan tracked 196 metres in 20 runs, making tough carries out of the defensive end breaking nine tackles.
