It’s grand final week of the Shute Shield competition and 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: 

THE REACTION that Around The Traps got when news finally filtered out that Ben Batger was linking with Eastern Suburbs as head coach for the next two seasons was pretty understandable.

Many felt that the Beasties would be a contender at the sharp end of the Shute Shield competition with the guidance and cajoling of the passionate former Eastwood boss almost straight away.

He’ll certainly shake the place up with his style of coaching and hopefully give them an edge that has been missing over the past couple of seasons.

Batger will start his new role on October 5 after a short break and the farewells that needed to be done after a lifetime at TG Millner.

He’s been brought in to run the shop at Woolahara with a hard edge and you get the feeling that transformation is going to come pretty quickly.

The talent and the structures have always been there but perhaps the laser focus needed for Shute Shield success has not.

“I actually said at the start of the year that I thought Easts were the sleeping giant of the Shute Shield so I am now delighted to get a chance to awaken the beast (pun intended) and help the entire club achieve success,” Batger said.

“I am super excited about joining one of the most historically significant clubs in Australian Rugby.  

“There are a lot of good structures in place and lots of talented players so I’m excited where the club can go over the next two years.”

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A GREAT FRIEND of this column and Northern Suburbs president Grahame O’Donnell is standing down after 18 exemplary years of service in a variety of roles at the club.

‘Hound’ was a closet “rugba league” guy playing for the North Sydney Bears at one stage before seeing the light and launching into six years of coaching at Norths steering the Shute Shield side at one stage.

After that he moved on to the board where he did a pretty damn good job as Director of Rugby and then the last six as Norths’ head honcho.

Around The Traps hasn’t heard who will be filling his shoes at the top of the tree but we can pass on that a prominent former Wallaby is in the works to take over as Director of Rugby.

The last time Norths met Randwick in a Shute Shield grand final was in 1965 – the year that the ‘Hound’ was born!

The Wicks won that one 26-5 at the old Sydney Sports Ground.

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THERE ARE OMENS aplenty in grand final week, I for one have been wearing red and black underpants all week and it must be said that they are not averse to one at Coogee Oval as the Galloping Greens prepare to take on Northern Suburbs in the Shute Shield big dance.

The last time that Randwick won the grand final was in 2004 (they beat Eastwood that day 35-22) and Matt Raines the club’s strength and conditioning coach was a ball boy for that side.

The links go back even further with current day head coach Stephen Hoiles and club coach Morgan Turinui playing that day with Michael Cheika calling the shots as head coach along with David Knox.

The club doctor and club physio at Leichhardt Oval today were also on deck that day at the old Sydney Football Stadium.

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THE BLADES BROTHERS, Andrew and Cam, were there early at North Sydney Oval last weekend to see the Jack Scott Cup grand final between Sydney Uni and Eastern Suburbs.

Their daughters Amy and Darcy played roles in the Beasties’ upset win over the Students who featured a number of Wallaroos including Bridie O’Gorman, Brianna Hoy, Iliseva Batibasaga and Emily Chancellor.

Amy is the Beasties starting hooker while Darcy was listed to come off the bench in the No.17 jersey and cover both sides of the scrum.

Andrew told Around The Traps some time ago about how his girl discovered the game that her father was pretty handy at and queried: “Why didn’t you tell me it was this good!”

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THE 2O-year reunion for the Wallabies from 2003 Rugby World Cup was held last weekend at The Palace Hotel at Mortlake and I’m hearing that it was a cracker of an afternoon that went well into the night.

There were video messages from Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and 2003 skipper George Gregan, who were both in France, and plenty of good food and wine from the boss at The Palace, Bill Young a great Woodies man.

‘Youngy’ is something of a pub baron in Sydney town with, at last count, six hospitality venues under his Young Hotels banner you might see on the sleeve of the Brumbies during the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Many eyes were on the Shute Shield double header throughout the afternoon but the highlight was the good old fashioned court session run by Justin Harrison.

No-one was immune to his sharp eye with current Rugby Australia president Joe Roff copping heaps for a number of indiscretion including a major dress infraction!

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MY PODCASTING mate on The ShuteCast Andrew Swain had the two skippers on his Clubland show this week and had to at one stage call for the duo to loosen up.

Northern Suburbs skipper Harry Burey and his Randwick counterpart weren’t giving too much away when they chatted to Tim Horan and ‘Swainey’.

But it must be said they did come to the party as they warmed their way into the media opportunity on Stan Sport.