BY MARK CASHMAN

We’re into Round Four of the Shute Shield and as always the phone has been ringing hot with all the news and views from the greatest club competition in Australia. Here’s what we are hearing:Lots of banter and spirited debate about the emotion that derbies bring to the Shute Shield on the Shute Cast podcast this week.

The old classic - Northern Suburbs v Gordon - made a pretty good case about that one being the pre-eminent derby on the weekend after a cracking game at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.

Then there was the cracker of a game at Coogee Oval that saw Eastern Suburbs score a try after the bell to seal a famous victory over Randwick.

This column reckons that the Battle of the North has got its nose in front at this stage but former Manly president Anthony Bergelin maintains the line that the Battle of the Beaches between Manly and Warringah is still the standard bearer.