Northern Suburbs’ 30-16 extra-time win over Warringah has thrown the Shute Shield finals wide open after an intense opening weekend of action.
The two teams couldn’t be separated in their round eight fixture and it was a similar scene after 80 minutes on Sunday.
Tickets to the Shute Shield Grand Final are available here.
The Shoremen hit the front early in the second half thanks to Roan Frostwick’s dart from a five-metre scrum and Jude Gibbs’ boot.
However, 'Rats replacement scrumhalf Harvey Elms acrobatically dived over in the corner well after the siren to light up Pittwater Park, with Coby Miln slotting the sideline conversion to send the game into extra time.
This is where Norths’ breakout star Edward Timpson stood up. The backrower strolled through a gap in the defence to put the visitors in front to cap a strong afternoon that included 11 tackle busts for the English import.
Reece Mau’u sealed the win with five minutes to go as they return to North Sydney Oval to face Randwick in the first elimination final in a rematch of the 2023 Grand Final.
As for Randwick, they fought off Gordon 36-29 in what would end up being a knockout final at Coogee Oval.
Gordon shrugged off an early penalty try/yellow card to take a 19-12 lead into the break before the Galloping Greens rallied.
Trialling 29-15 after 55 minutes, young centre duo Matias Jensen and Jayden Blake crossed for two tries in five minutes before Blake’s dart with six minutes to go delivered their second penalty try and the win.
Warringah’s defeat sets up a top-of-the-table clash with Eastern Suburbs to decide the other Grand Finalists after a comfortable win over Manly.
Easts’ young guns flexed their muscles as former Junior Wallabies captain Teddy Wilson and Wallaby Darby Lancaster crossed in the 45-17 victory.
Manly scored the opening ten minutes of the afternoon but Easts were quick to mount a comeback as Wilson snatched an overthrown lineout and raised 70 metres for a great solo try.
Wilson’s offload in the second half set up Lancaster down the wing to sprint away as they sealed the win and a place in the elimination finals.
A red card to Waratah Lalakai Foketi in the final seconds for a lifting tackle further soured the loss, with Foketi one of the potential replacements for Hunter Paisami after he picked up a knee injury in the Wallabies loss to South Africa in Perth.
