The Shute Shield finals have arrived, and six teams have a chance to win the 2011 Shute Shield Premiership. In order of ladder finish they are Eastwood, Sydney University, Manly, Eastern Suburbs, Randwick and Northern Suburbs.
The first week of the finals feature:
Semi Final A – Manly (3rd) vs Northern Suburbs (6th) – Coogee Oval at 3pm, Saturday, LIVE on ABC
This match should be closely contested. The two previous encounters have Manly with two tight victories of 23-18 and 34-29.
Northern Suburbs are coming of a hammering of 52-10 from minor premiers Eastwood and Manly coming off a strong win over Randwick 39-33.
Manly have lost strong players such as JP Plessis who got a full time contract in South Africa and Lui Siale who has achieved one in France.
However, they have acquired a Super Rugby halfback in Willie Ripia who should be a huge help to the Marlins cause.
Northern Suburbs will rely on solid players like Cam Crawford, Zach Holmes and of course their super rugby experienced Al Baxter and Ben Whittaker.
Semi Final B – Eastern Suburbs (4th) vs Randwick (5th) – Coogee Oval at 3pm, Sunday, LIVE on ABC.
This is a huge home derby between two great sides, however a lot of the attention has turned onto the location of the match.
The games this week are supposed to be played on neuteral grounds as is the case of the Manly v Norths match.
Many fans though are unsatisfied with this match being played at Coogee Oval, the home of the lesser ranked side, Randwick.
Location aside, this match should be another tight one with the last two encounters against each other being very close with victories going to Eastern Suburbs 27-23 and 20-16.
They should remind themselves of this to help their confidence that might be a bit shaky coming off a one-point loss to wooden spooners Penrith Emus in the last round.
Randwick are also coming of a loss with a more respectable 39-33 loss to Manly.
Eastern Suburbs will call for big games from their super rugby experienced players like Matt Hodgson, Andrew Shaw and Brendon McKibbin and the talented former NRL player Eddie Paea.
Randwick will be ready with their notable players like Sean Foley and super rugby capped players like Ben Mowen, Cruze Ah-Nau and possibly Atieli Pakalani.
Giteau has not been announced and will not have the benefit of having Kurtley Beale as they did last year.
The winners of these matches better hope they get through the 1st week of the final unscathed, because next week they will have some heavy duty work against Eastwood or Sydney University to qualify for a spot in the Grand Final at Concord Oval.
Jimbo
Guest
Go Drummoyne! A club with such rich history, player ranks & facilities ought to be in the Premier Rugby comp (at no other club's expense). It's a travesty that this famous club is in subbies
Johnno
Guest
Would love to see the shut shield go even more semi pro, great comp. i also prefer NSWRL and QRL comps. Everyoen likes local derbies better than national comps they sell better. I have watched more Shute shield than NRL this year by a long way.
jeznez
Guest
I feel for Easts. The Sydney Rugby Union's scheduling of finals seems to throw something like this up every year. Southern Districts had a tough enough ask facing Sydney Uni in the finals last year - doing it at Uni just made a hard job even harder.
jeznez
Guest
C'mon the Blue Giants - Club Champions and in the Grand Final in all grades. Go well Colleagues!
Uncle Argyle
Guest
Go The Dirty Reds!
RickG
Guest
I doubt it mid, not in downtown Eastwood anyway. It's a very different place than it would have been in the 80s.
Midfielder
Guest
Will be interesting to see the towns reaction in Eastwood... The Woodies are my team and I live a stones throw to TGM and watch a couple of games a year... I can recall in the 80's when Eastwood were going well, some shops would have the blue and white streamers on display... it was common to see the Eastwood shirt being worn around town... This is our first good season in a fair while.... It will be interesting to see if the team enjoys the same support or put another way if the club has been able to connect with the changing population demographics of the area...
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Thanks for this, Carl. We'll all be a bit distracted by the RWC, but I'll still make time for the Shute Shield. Uncle Argyle, Drummoyne finished the 2011 Kentwell Cup season as minor premiers. They line up in the Kentwell Cup Grand Final tomorrow at 3pm against Colleagues at TG Millner. Drummoyne's Burke Cup team also finished minor premiers and they play Colleagues in the Burke Cup GF at Millner (1.30pm).
Uncle Argyle
Guest
Can anyone tell me How Drummoyne went this year in the Kentwell Cup?
RickG
Guest
Thanks for the update. Understandably SS will get even mre marginalised with the WC but there wil lbe some good footy. Let's hope it's not the same old result again.