Report from last weekend
http://www.northshoretimes.com.au/article/2008/04/30/3836_sports.html
NORTH Sydney beat Balmain Ryde-Eastwood 42-16 for their seventh consecutive win of the season at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
The Bears scored nine tries to Balmain's three.
"We're playing very attractive football," coach Wayne Lambkin said. "Our wingers Nathanael Barnes and John Tamanika scored three tries each."
The unbeaten Bears lead the NSW Cup ladder by three points.
Lambkin compared the Bears' comeback from last season's grand final defeat to the Melbourne Storm's resurgence after their NRL grand final loss to the Broncos in 2006.
The Bears' impressive record this season has not only boosted confidence within the club but has spread to the fans.
"It's funny we played at Parramatta the other week and there were more Norths and Souths supporters than there were Parramatta fans," Lambkin said.
"And there were more great red and black turnouts for our games against Newtown and Balmain.
"Our fans don't come to our games wondering if we are going to win anymore.
"They come expecting us to win and that's good for us."
The Bears have a bye this weekend before facing Auckland at home in two weeks.
"The bye is definitely a good thing we played on Sunday with four players out because of injuries so it'll give everyone a chance to freshen up," Lambkin said.
"Auckland are a big side so we'll have to be on our game."
NORTH SYDNEY 42 (N Barnes 3, J Tamanika 3, J Simpson, D Widders, Y Gordon tries; C Herekotukutuku 2, G Nichols goals) d BALMAIN RYDE-EASTWOOD 16 (3 tries, 2 goals).
