Four teams are left in the hunt to win this year’s Shute Shield title after a brilliant start to the 2024 finals series.
Easts and Randwick were too good for Manly and Gordon respectively on Saturday, before Norths struck in extra time to beat Warringah in a Sunday afternoon thriller at Rat Park.
Those results set up a Shute Shield double header at Norths Sydney Oval this Saturday with Randwick and Norths meeting in a rematch of last year’s decider followed by Easts and Warringah in a clash of the two form teams of the regular season.
The first weekend of finals footy certainly didn’t disappoint. Easts fans looked on nervously as their side conceded two early tries against Manly before displaying their dominance in the second half.
Randwick were pushed all the way by Gordon and got home on the back of two - somewhat questionable - penalty tries.
Norths looked gone at half time at Rat Park. But Warringah were unable to put the Shoremen away with the wind behind them in the second half. The Rats scored a converted try on full time to push the match to extra minutes but couldn’t stop the visitors after that.
Less than 24 hours after failing just short against Randwick at Coogee Oval, most of the Gordon first grade side watched the Warringah v Norths semi from the Rat Park stands.
Needing a Warringah win to keep their season alive, the Gordon players went wild when Coby Miln slotted a sideline conversion on full time to take the match to extra time.
But the Stags' joy was short lived and they were forced to watch on as their closest rival scored two extra time tries to end their season.
364 days after the two sides met in last year’s grand final, Randwick and Norths will meet on Saturday with a chance to return to the big dance for the second straight season.
Both sides bring form into the preliminary final. Randwick have won 12 of their last 13 matches while Norths have won eight of their last 10.
Norths won 20-19 when the two sides met back in round five and you’d expect Saturday’s prelim to be as tight as that match and last year’s grand final.
Max Burey is one player that didn’t play in either of those last two fixtures. The Norths’ fullback is expected to play on Saturday, unless the Western Force call Burey back to join a training camp ahead of an overseas tour in October.
Easts and Warringah were the two form teams of the regular season and finished first and second.
But after the Rats’ extra time loss last weekend, the two sides will meet a week earlier than some would have predicted.
Experience could be a big factor in Saturday’s must win match and neither side has a lot of it at this time of the year.
Ben Marr, Tyson Davies and Wes Thomas all played in Warringah’s 2019 grand final side, as did coach Josh Holmes.
While at Easts, Fabian Goodall and Chris Bell played finals footy with Eastwood.
Aside from those five, there will be lots of players experiencing the pressure of a Shute Shield preliminary final for the very first time.
Click here to purchase your tickets to this weekend’s Shute Shield doubleheader at North Sydney Oval!
