Bears vs Tigers HPC Round 22 Pre Game Report ✍🏼 Michael Nunn

The Brisbane Tigers will be desperate to rediscover their winning form when they host the UAA Burleigh Bears in a crucial Hostplus Cup showdown at Totally Workwear Stadium on Saturday.

The Bears are coming off a trip to Cairns and a comprehensive win over the Pride while the Tigers had their hearts broken by the Dolphins and will need to re-group fast.

With the finals race entering its decisive stages, there is plenty at stake for both sides. The Tigers currently sit seventh, while Burleigh are fourth, with the Bears riding a strong run of form at exactly the right time of the season.

The history between these two Queensland heavyweights suggests another tight contest could be in store. Burleigh hold a narrow advantage in the all-time head-to-head record, winning 30 of the 57 meetings, with the Tigers claiming 25 and two matches ending in draws.

The Bears will take plenty of confidence from the last meeting between the clubs. In Round 18 last season, Burleigh produced a stunning 48-6 victory over the Tigers at UAA Park.

However, recent history favours Brisbane. The Tigers have won three of the last four meetings between the sides, including the last two. Their record at Totally Workwear Stadium is even stronger, with the Tigers winning the last two clashes between the clubs at the venue and three of the last four.

The Tigers’ biggest challenge will be reversing a recent slide. They have lost two of their last three matches, a run which has seen them fall from fourth to seventh on the ladder. After being firmly entrenched in the top four, Brisbane now face a fight to maintain their place in the finals picture.

Home ground advantage has not provided the expected security either, with the Tigers losing four of their last five matches at Totally Workwear Stadium.

Burleigh arrive in considerably better form. The Bears have won four of their last five matches, climbing from sixth to fourth and putting themselves in a strong position heading into the final rounds. Their away form has been particularly impressive, with Burleigh winning their last four matches away from home, excluding the Country Week fixture.

That makes Saturday’s battle particularly intriguing: the Tigers have dominated this fixture at home recently, but the Bears are one of the competition’s form teams and have developed a habit of winning on the road.

There will also be a significant individual milestone in the spotlight, with Burleigh playmaker Josh Rogers continuing to climb the Hostplus Cup’s all-time scoring charts.

Rogers has moved into sixth place on the all-time list after reaching 1,091 points with his four goals against the Pride, edging past former Bear great The Whiz Reggie Cressbrook, who finished with 1,089. It is another remarkable achievement for Rogers and adds another storyline to what shapes as an important game for the Bears.

For Brisbane, the challenge is clear: turn their impressive recent record against Burleigh into a much-needed home victory and halt their slide down the ladder.

For the Bears, victory would strengthen their grip on fourth place and provide further evidence that they are hitting their best form at precisely the right time.

With the Tigers fighting to stay in the finals eight and the Bears looking to consolidate a top four position, Saturday’s clash shapes as one of the most important games of Round 22.