Josh Schmiedel and Scott Blanch have nearly a combined four decades of experience playing first grade rugby league.
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Today, the veteran pair put those countless hours of training and game time to use as they fired the Bears to a 34-14 victory over the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters at Jack Woolaston Oval.
Leading in, the Bears knew that the Roosters would be a stern test. Any error would be punished and any opening exploited.
But the Norths co-captains led from the front with a pair of tries each to shut down any hope Kootingal-Moonbi had.
![Bears skipper Scott Blanch looks to get the side on the front foot. Picture by Gareth Gardner Bears skipper Scott Blanch looks to get the side on the front foot. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/aa8ac03c-0bdb-4e52-8cb4-b4b5f8b36df8.jpg/r0_0_4016_2811_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"That's what our jobs are. We're the captains, we've got to lead by example," Schmiedel said.
"If we're not doing it, the other boys aren't going to follow. So there comes periods in the games where it gets tough, and you've got to put your hand up as a captain or as a leader and push so the other boys follow with you."
The game began in back-and-forth fashion, as North Tamworth opened the scoring through Jake Vost ten minutes in, before hulking Kootingal-Moonbi captain Logan Howard levelled.
Blanch and Schmiedel's both scored in the last 15 minutes of the first half (the latter of which was the result of an impressive 50-metre run off a line break), to put the Bears up 16-6 at half time.
Despite their lead, coach Paul Boyce knew the job was only half done.
"The message at half time was to keep it simple, back our defence, get physical, and complete," Boyce said.
"And that's what we did. The start of the second half wasn't great, letting that try in [a flying effort from Ethan Parry], but we hit back after that with some pretty solid footy. I couldn't be happier."
Both Norths captains scored in the final 20 minutes of the second half. Blanch found himself buried under Kootingal-Moonbi defenders in the left corner, while Schmiedel was able to take advantage of an old play that he and his co-captain have honed over the years.
"That was a little play that me and Blanchey have done a few times," Schmiedel said.
"We called it and it opened straight up. It's good when that happens, you see it in your head and then it actually comes off." '
When the final horn rang, Roosters coach Mark Sheppard was the picture of frustration. He paid respect to the quality of the Bears' performance, but rued the errors and said "the effort wasn't there".
"I'm pretty gutted," Sheppard said.
"We came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard, and where we're sitting with regards to the competition table, that was a crucial win.
"We came out a bit flat today, didn't really compete and respect our opposition."
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