Overview with Ben Batger:

“It’s a tough year to reflect on because it was very close to being the perfect season, but at the end of the day, we missed out on the ultimate reward, which is to win the grand final,” last year’s grand final winning coach told Rugby News. 

“It was another good year, but we didn’t reach our final goal. 

“To be honest, I think we just got beaten by a better team on the day. I thought the Rats probably played their best game of the year and I thought we were slightly off. 

“We were one percent off and I thought they probably found an extra one percent and that’s all it takes when you have two very evenly matched teams. 

“I think we got beaten at the breakdown and they were probably more physical than us on the day and generally when you lose those battles, you lose the match. 

“When you’re the defending premiers, everyone’s coming at you every week, so to go 16-2 through the regular season was a massive achievement. 

“A lot of players stepped up through the year because if you compare that grand final team to the side we would have liked to have had with everyone fit and available, there were probably 13 first graders missing. 

“So to still get to the grand final, I think it’s testament to the depth the club built over a number of years at Easts.”

What needs to happen at Easts between now and round one next year? 

“The Shute Shield is a crazy competition and there is always a lot of movement each summer so the first goal is to try and retain as much of your playing squad as possible,” Batger said. 

“Harry Wilson, Henry Palmer and Darby Lancaster are all moving on to professional opportunitie and we also lost Joe Wadmen to France during the year so we’ve got a few holes to fill. 

“On the field, I think we still need to evolve. I was happy with our attack and our set piece was pretty good but I think we could probably be a bit better with our phase play and maybe a little more aggressive in defence. 

“There are little areas of our game that we can tweak, but obviously we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.”

Which of your players do you think can push on to the next level? 

“I’ve loved seeing Otto Serfontein get an opportunity with the Waratahs in the Super Rugby AU competition. 

“He’s a really good story because he didn’t come through the representative pathway at school, he just toiled away at Cranbrook and has broken his was into first grade straight out of colts. 

“At the start of the year, I also mentioned a guy named Jack Tougher-Wells and he had a fantastic year after playing third grade a year earlier. 

“Unfortunately, he got injured and missed the grand final but he’s a big, strong lock that runs a sub five minute bronco and there aren’t many players like that floating around. 

“I also think Reon Lowery developed into one of the best tighthead props in the competition this year and is probably unlucky not to be playing with the Waratahs at the moment.”

What can we expect in 2026? 

“There’s a lot of coach movement this year, so that typically means a lot of players move around as well but I’m not sure if the new player cap system will allow for that as much as it has in the past,” the Shute Shield veteran said. 

“It’s hard to know how that will play out to be honest. 

“It’ll be another good competition where every team is a chance.

“Both Easts and Warringah were at the bottom of the ladder a few years ago and have now won the last two premierships, so things can change quickly at Shute Shield level and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more teams push up the ladder fairly quickly as well.”