BY MARK CASHMAN

EASTERN SUBURBS V RANDWICK at Woollahra Oval

If the Beasties had their way we’d be playing the Shute Shield grand final at Woollahra Oval and the bookies would have them at unbreakable odds.

There’s a bit of water to go under the bridge before we get to that stage but after Saturday’s 47-7 win over Randwick in the battle of the east, the smart money certainly has them involved.

As we wrap up Round 11 of this intriguing competition it should be noted that the Beasties have not been beaten at Woollahra since June of 2014 and in that time have string together 20 straight wins.

They feel at home on the artificial surface and have adapted their game to make the most of the quick ball that it allows.

Easts simply blew Randwick out of the water on Saturday hitting 40 points before the visitors even troubled the scoreboard attendant.

There wasn’t just one way they went about things, all those points were delivered from a combination of rolling mauls, sharp midfield work and insightful sniping from scrum half Teddy Wilson.

All in all it was pretty complete performance, that fact underlined by the celebrations at fulltime by the players and the edge that the likes of Jack Bowen had throughout.

Many sides talk of the desire to be relentless and this was on show for just about every minute of this contest.

Will Harris kicked off the try scoring and prop Robert Cobb and Jamie Adamson soon joined the party before handing over to the speed men down the edges in Ollie Dawkins and Henry Palmer.

On a Randwick front I suppose the best thing we could say about the game was that it was a learning experience.

Something to remember to drive that desire to the relentless.

The booking is pretty much confirmed for the “eighth wonder of the world” but if anything goes astray on that front Woollahra’s ready and willing.

NORTHERN SUBURBS V SYDNEY UNI at North Sydney Oval

You’d take a win over Sydney Uni no matter the circumstances, but Norths victory on Saturday underlined that they are warming to task at hand to make the Shute Shield playoffs.

Norths are treading a fine line to make the finals but they demonstrated what they are capable of in the 41-30 victory against a side that had talent to burn.

Wins and wins with bonus points are essential to stay on that narrow path so in many ways it ticked a number of the boxes for coach Zak Beer and his playing group.

Games against Uni have always had a special edge for Norths and the fact that the win was executed in front of the 2016 premiership side’s 10-year reunion made it even more special.

That side had gathered on the top level of the Mollie Dive Stand to see all the action and then joyously joined the players in the rooms to sing the club victory song post game.

It was a great game to take in for such an occasion and as Beer mentioned to me after the game it was a great to watch but stressful to coach.

The ball moved around a lot during the game with the level of skill showed next level.

Both sides were locked together at 17-all at the break and it wasn’t until the final moments when Shane Wilcox scored did the stress level leave that coaching box.

Leading the way for Norths was Blair Tagi-Fuimaono who played a key role in the first try while Max Burey at flyhalf was masterful.

For Uni Boston Fakafanua was great down the right edge linking well with the Poolman brothers Eddie and George.

Uni did get the edge at scrum time in the second half when Declan Moore replaced Folua Fainga’a but it must be said Norths were better at icing their chances.

Tries aside defence was the key to the Norths victory and they really put their shoulder to the wheel on a day when the penalty count went against them 15-4.

In the end the 2016 premiership side would have been pretty chuffed that the values and habits that they brought to the club all those years ago are alive and well.

On to the next as they say.

WEST HARBOUR V MANLY at Concord Oval

The value of Wallabies filtering back at this time of the season was never better illustrated than in the game between West Harbour and Manly on Saturday.

The Marlins would win 35-31 in the end in what was a throbbing encounter in the inner west with the contribution of Caydern Neville standing out.

He wasn’t the only Wallaby there at Concord on Saturday strapping on the boots, Pete Samu played a key role in the continued surge of the home team

Neville scored a try midway through the second half that put some wind into the visitors’ sails and then with the game on the line his line out nous settled the result well into over time.

Up until then the lead had bounced around like a pinball and when Hunter Hannaford kicked a penalty goal from 40-plus metres it looked very much like the Pirates would be dancing at the post match.

But the Marlins managed to regroup and with Neville, big body and all in and around the action, reserve hooker Lulu Paea got the ball down from in close.

Lots of heroes on both sides of the ball with Billy Dickens again prominent for the Marlins along with Simon Kennewell in the centres.

Samu of course gave this West Harbour side great confidence and the work of Bert Alcock on the open side was great while Matt Whelan and Tauki Kolomatangi worked away all game.

It was a highly entertaining game and when you consider it was between the 10th and 12th placed teams it really says something about the quality of the Shute Shield.

GORDON V WS TWO BLUES at Chatswood Oval

Dave Telfer’s philosophy on how his teams play the game has been there for all to see right through the 2026 Shute Shield.

Move the ball to the edges, score points, do the basics well and have a bit of fun along the way.

There will be days when things don’t work out but if we were to judge the Highlanders after Round 11 and their 40-29 win over the Two Blues on Saturday then the reviews would be overwhelmingly positive.

Eight wins from 11 games, a neat 400 points for, 321 points against and nine bonus points points to the way that this side attacks the game.

They are very much in the hunt for the title inn my humble opinion but for much of the first 40 minutes against the Two Blues there would have been a number of the old and bold wondering about this brave new world.

The Highlanders had conceded 19 points before they managed to get on the board but from there held their nerve and worked their way back into the game.

That was done thanks to some yard yakka from the likes of Liam Usher, Tom Horan and Harry Holland but get back into the fight they did.

Then it was handed over to the likes of Harry Snook, centre Jack Hardy and that man Oli Arcus to weave their magic.

And weave it they did as the home managed to get some separation from the Two Blues on the scoreboard at least.

Arcus’ work on the right edge was first class and he crossed for two tries and played a major hand in another.

The Two Blues it must be said showed that they are a side with oodles of up side and that early lead was far from a fluke.

Making the playoffs will be a tough ask from here but going on a tear will turn the competition table on its head.

I liked the contributions up front from Liam Lord and Meli Sifa while in the back division Fabian Goodall and Manasa Mataele were first rate.

WARRINGAH V HUNTER WILDFIRES at Pittwater Rugby Park

If you walked into Rat Park on Saturday as the players trudged off the field and one of your mates said, Benny had a blinder, most would assume Ben Marr had just had an “on day”.

But there’s been two Bens at the Rats for some seasons and it was the turn of Ben Woollett to step up and show his class.

Woollett was at the base of most of the good stuff that the Rats put together in the 33-28 victory against the Hunter Wildfires in the Lachie Ward Memorial Round.

He had a direct hand in two of the tries that the home side scored and kicked four conversions.

There were some flaws off the tee with the lanky winger missing a real “gimme” just before halftime but when a bit of momentum was needed he was there.

Things started well for the Rats with centre Le Bron Paramore-Naea scoring within two minutes down the right edge but from there it was a genuine contest.

At the 60 minute mark the visitors got out to a 28-19 lead thanks to the bullocking work of No.8 Phil Talaileva but Rats would not be denied.

Up stepped Woollett and he made a nice break though the middle field for Charlie McKill to crash over all with a man in the sin bin.

There were still a couple down and some good work at the breakdown and good field position eventually saw replacement winger Luke Tucker seal it.

With Glen Vaihu, Clayton Frans and Jackson Ropata all departing for professional opportunities it’s a time of change at the Rats.

But they continue to get the job done, and that’s all you can ask.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS V EASTWOOD at Forshaw Rugby Park

Eastwood scrum half Matt Gonzalez has been “around the block” a few times in his long career but I’m sure he will remember his muddy afternoon in the shire on Saturday.

The 32-year-old spearheaded the Woodies to a significant 38-28 win over Southern Districts finishing the day with a hat-trick of tries and a bonus point victory.

You’ve got to love it when players have played at the highest level and then return and contribute to the place where it all began.

It’s been a classic Woodies pathway for Gonzalez, born in Baulkham Hills, Eastwood juniors, Colts and then on to grade and the 2015 premiership side.

The sevens thing didn’t come until late in life with Gonzalez called into the national squad at the ripe old age of 27.

Gonzalez could have called it quits after the Paris Olympics but the rugby bug obviously needed scratching and he is now all in and riding the momentum that the Woods have created this season.

I would imagine that he would be a very handy rugby sounding board for coach Anthony Griffin as he wrestles with the continuity that our game brings to the table.

On Saturday the visitors got out of the blocks early and were 28-0 up by three quarters of the way through the first half.

That threatened to put a dark cloud over Ladies Day but the home side did manage to put some sort of life into the contest for the final 50 or so minutes.

Kyl Willoughby, Blaise Barnes and Jonty Ravenhill were major contributors to that but as has been the case all season it was all a little bit too late.

In the end Gonzalez crossed for the first, third and fourth tries so by the time Tom Goddard got on it was more about the details.

Those details see the Woods in a solid position in fourth spot eight points away from the fifth placed side.

Playoffs are a certainty and the job now is to remain healthy and work away at getting ready for finals.