By MARK CASHMAN

You could say that there has been a bit going on at Coogee Oval this week with their season kicking off against Eastwood at TG Millner and then the game against Japan Under 23s at Coogee on Tuesday.

The game against the Woodies went well into referee’s time, while the hitout against the Japanese was an exacting contest that was punctuated by great skill and great speed.

The Galloping Greens finished on the wrong side of the ledger in both games but come Wednesday morning it was all in on the big derby game against the Beasties.

As head coach Shaun Berne told Around The Traps earlier this week preparation will be more about recovery, walk throughs and those Latham Park sausage sandwiches than major sessions.

Now this is a special occasion with the game against Eastern Suburbs honouring the memory of life member Peter ‘Marzo’ Meagher who tragically lost his life in the Bondi massacre.

Meagher was a long time respected referee and and a much loved manager of the first grade side since 2018.

The Meagher family are out and out myrtle green royalty with ‘Marzo’ following in the footsteps of his grandfather Wally and father Ron, a forthright former president of the club.

Grandfather Wally was one of the engineers of the Running Game and head coach Berne said his side were determined to honour the Meagher legacy when they take on the Beasties in the big derby on Saturday.

“We’ll pay tribute that legacy on Saturday, move the ball about and do things the Randwick way,” coach Berne observed.

“It’s been a hectic start to the season but I reckon rugby players enjoy playing, not so much training and our preparations will be more about walking through what we want to do on the field and take it from there.

“The occasion will lift our intensity and games against Easts at Coogee always add another layer.”

It will be a truly special occasion on and off the field, with NSW Police also celebrating his 35 years service with the boys in blue.

The main game will kick off after a performance by the Police Band and tributes to ‘Marzo’ from 2.40pm.

I haven’t seen the run sheet but you’d suggest they might lapse into a rendition of McNamara’s Band on which the Randwick club song is based on.

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The lure of the Shute Shield is world wide and that is one of the reasons why John Porch has landed at the Hunter Wildfires.

Porch, the 2016 rugby sevens Olympian, has spent much of the past decade plying his trade in Europe so when the time came to head back home with his young family the Hunter region and a bit of top class footy fitted the bill.

Wildfires coach Scott ‘Bubba’ Coleman told this column that they are hoping to get a couple of seasons out of Porch on the field before he transitions to a coaching role.

The 32-year-old burst on to the scene with Norths and the Rays in 2015 before going full time with the Aussies sevens squad.

I was the Rays media manager then and he was just a quiet kid from Tamworth looking to make his way in professional rugby.

In 2019 he was picked up by leading Irish province Connaght where he became quite a big thing before having a year in France with Vannes in 2025.

His debut for the Wildfires against Manly at the weekend was eventful coping a knock over eye and having a stint in hospital.

He’s a good human being and will add much to the burgeoning Wildfires program.

“Bubba’ tells me the arrival of Porch won’t be the last overseas relocation with up to three Aussies who are overseas lured to the Hunter to finish off their careers.

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It’s still early days in the life of the 2026 Shute Shield but this column thought that Warringah confirmed many club’s pre-season thoughts with their effort against Sydney Uni.

The Beasties looked very solid against Norths at Woollahra but if you were plonking money on any team at this stage it would have to be the Rats.

Obviously lots to play out but the Rats have the game managers and depth to go back to back. We will revisit this question in a month’s time but I can’t see too much changing.

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I love the work that Stan Sport and the Nine network are doing in their presentation of the Shute Shield in Sydney and the Hospitals Cup in Brisbane.

In my mind those two competitions are the beating heart of the game here in Australia and after the first couple of weeks there are abundant signs of rude health.

Part of the new broadcast agreement that Rugby Australia struck with Nine and Stan last year was the presentation of a game a week on free to air television.

That has kicked in and we’ve already been able to see the Warringah v Sydney Uni game on Nine Gem last weekend and the road map has been decided on for the five weeks.

The blockbuster Randwick v Beasties game will take pride of place this weekend with the big northern beaches derby between Manly and the Rats will be in the spotlight on Anzac Day.

The Marlins have done one hell of a job in the presentation of this game in the past and from what I am hearing it will be something special.

After that it’s the Norths v Randwick game at North Sydney Oval and then in Round 5 the Eastwood v West Harbour game has been scheduled.

Around The Traps is also hearing that a midweek magazine show on Stan taking in all the ups and downs of the Shute Shield and Hospitals Cup could be in the pipeline.

On top of all that there is all the usual highlights packages and mini matches that have proved so popular.

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While we’re talking about coverage of the game it’s great to see the dulcet tones of Toby Lawson calling games this season on Stan.

He did the Uni v Rats game last weekend and is a welcome addition to the stable of well informed commentators and experts that add the meat to the bone throughout the 80 minutes.

Lawson has always done his homework and adds many a gem on a winter Saturday afternoon.