AJ Burns was still getting his name read out by the ground announcer when he scored first points in under 30 seconds of the reserve grade final.
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The Bears fullback burnt through the line just off the ruck to go 50m untouched and set up a 48-16 win over Quirindi.
The former second grade side was minor premier but was outclassed by the Bears with captain Ben Browning pulling the strings.
The skipper’s halves partner Stephen Graham was having a perfect day off the boot, nailing eight from eight including a couple on the sideline.
Nick O’Leary soon made it 12-nil, although the Hoppers finally got going and put one on of their own.
Andrew Smith found centre Mick Wright with a great offload in contact on the line.
Captain and Quirindi’s best Josh Crittenden then regathered his own grubber to get within two points of the Bears at 12-10.
A Matt Walsh try was instantly negated by the Hoppers’ Brad Flanders in the corner.
A perfect Crittenden conversion from the sideline would be the last points scored by the minor premier as the Bear pack started rolling over the top of them.
Lock Luke Byrnes had a field day on the right edge and put flyer Jordon Brown in some space just before the break.
The winger beat three as he scored a 50 metre try for North to go into the sheds up 24-16.
North dominated both territory and possession in the second half as it kept a clean sheet.
The visitors found themselves a man down when Centre Lyall Houghton was rewarded for doing plenty of work with a try 10 minutes in shortly before Burns screamed in on a loose ball to score his second.
Simple football and set completion had the Bears making easy metres as well as scoring a few long-range tries.
“We don’t normally get too many of those the way we play,” Browning said.
“Our forwards have been our strength all season.
“We weren’t as good as we should have been but we got the job done.”
Burns took Man of the Final for his two-try effort and showered praise on his team- mates.
“I have been here five years and this is the best fun I have had yet,” Burns said.
“We just got better as the season went.”
Crittenden was far and away Quirindi’s best, his try a miracle grab high in the tryline from his own kick, and he almost did it again three minutes later.
Luke Austin said the Grasshoppers saved their worst until last.
“Take nothing away from the Bears,” Austin said.
“No one put their hand up for us today.
“Our defence just wasn’t there – they scored off the first scrum.”
The win set the scene for first grade to turn it on and finish their season unbeaten.
