Bears Begin Season With Frank Hyde
Shield

It's been one of the most anticipated starts to a season for years as the Bears camp, having been training six days a week since October 2004, begin their playing season against the Newtown Jets in the first leg of the Frank Hyde Shield.

Only recently the Bears celebrated their 97th birthday on the 4th February 2005 having formed on that date in the year 1908. A few days later Rugby League great Frank Hyde celebrated his birthday on the 7th. And now on the 12th of February North Sydney and Newtown will honour Frank by playing for the Frank Hyde Shield.

The Bears will also have something extra to play for in the memory of Norths great lock Harry Taylor who passed away on 29th November 2004. Many fans may or may not know the various stories surrounding Harry's non-appearance in the North Sydney V Newtown Grand Final of 1943.

One story tells of Harry stationed on military service near Brisbane going AWOL and heading for the stadium on Grand Final day only to be arrested by military police via a tip off from Newtown officials. In yet another story Harry routinely applied for finals leave. A Newtown official with contacts in the Military arranged for the leave to be disallowed. Soon after Harry was on route to New Guinea.

Either way Newtown must be revenged and Gary Freeman's Premier League team are the boys to do it. Be there at Henson Park 6:00pm and 4:30pm for the Bears Jersey Flegg V Newtown's Jim Beam Cup side.

Also The Bears Junior Rep teams continue their trials against Penrith - S G Ball - Penrith V Bears, 6:00pm, Harold Matthews - Penrith V Bears, 4:30pm, The Kingsway, Penrith.

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The third edition of the Bears Official Newsletter, The Grizzly is now available.

Keep up to date with the happenings of the Mighty Bears and check out The Grizzly today! Complete with giveaways, upcoming events and player profiles, The Grizzly is a must read for any League Fan.

The Grizzly can be viewed at the Bears Official website - http://www.northsydneybears.com.au