By MARK CASHMAN

We’re into Week Two of the finals 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:

Who are the players that will slingshot their teams into the Shute Shield grand final on October 31 at Leichhardt Oval.

Rugby News reckons that each of the four clubs involved in this weekend’s grand final qualifiers have at least one player capable of some special heroics.

So for the record the big four are MAHE VAILANU from Gordon, Northern Suburbs’ ANGUS SINCLAIR, TANE EDMED from Eastwood and Eastern Suburbs’ CHARLIE GAMBLE.

We will revisit those names next weekend.

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Great read in the Sydney Morning Herald last week about the career of Randwick stalwart ADAM FREIER as he prepares to head to Los Angeles to start up a rugby team to play in the Major League Rugby competition next year.

When Rugby News spoke to Freier at Rat Park last weekend he was keen to say that he hadn’t played his last game for the Galloping Greens.

The 40-year-old Freier played his first game of senior footy in 1999 and through the wonders of Google we can report that Elton John’s Candle In The Wind was top of the pops, John Howard was Prime Minister and getting around in a Wallabies track suit and Eastwood beat Sydney Uni 34-17 to win the Shute Shield of that year.

And what has been his most cherished moment in the myrtle green?

“It will be winning the reserve grade premiership in two weeks time,” Freier said.

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The Jack Scott Cup grand final was played and won by Sydney Uni last weekend at Forshaw Rugby Park, beating a very handy Randwick side 22-17.

It is the third year in a row that the Lionesses have won the title and they have expanded their foot print on the women’s game in NSW by entering a second side this year.

The second division title went to the Hunter Wildfires who came into the competition late and made some major ground throughout the season that culminated with a 29-27 win over Campbelltown in the premiership decider.

Congratulations to all!

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Another piece of the Shute Shield coaching jigsaw fell into piece this week with the re-appointment of JOEL RIVERS to steer the Western Sydney Two Blues next season.

The Two Blues are keen to build on the foundations that have been built over the past two seasons and although there was only the single win in 2020 they have moved in the right direction and played good footy during this season.

“The club is hungry for success, and looking to provide opportunities for aspiring Rugby players to play premier rugby at Shute Shield level,” General Manager CRAIG MORGAN said. 

“A key priority for the coaching team is the retention of core members of the existing playing group along with recruitment of key people in key positions to build a highly competitive squad.”

Next season will be a huge one for the Two Blues as they ready themselves to run out for the first time on a fully rejuvenated home ground at Granville Park, Merrylands, which is currently undertaking a $12 million dollar redevelopment. 

The new facility is being touted as one of the premier rugby facilities in the state.

The Two Blues have also advertised for grade and colts coaches as they nail down the road map to 2021 and some more wins.

Clubs who have moved already to name their coaches for next year include Warringah (Mike Ruthven), Gordon (Brian Melrose) and Southern Districts (Todd Louden).

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If you are wondering why the grand final qualifier between GORDON and EASTERN SUBURBS is being played at 1.30pm on Saturday well it’s the result of a complicated formula that revolves around ground availability, cricket and the need to have reserves on hand at the ground.

All this weekend’s games are being played at either Pittwater Rugby Park or Forshaw and the need to get players from one end of Sydney to the other have forced the change of time for the Shute Shield game.

Gordon have their third and fourth grade side in the grand finals at Forshaw in the morning and a number of those players will be needed to sit on the bench for the first grade side.

There are numerous moving pieces to the puzzle away from the first grade game with Uni needing to get their reserves from the deep south to the far north.

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The editor-at-large of that edgy newsletter RATS TALES, JON GEDDES informs us that he saw a real blast from the past when he was watching the Channel 7 free to air coverage of last Sunday’s Shute Shield playoff between EASTERN SUBURBS and EASTWOOD.

Geddes was all rugged up against the weather on his family estate in Mosman when he saw former Manly Marlins and NRL Rugba League star MITCHELL COX on the tele.

Cox played a role in an advertisement for the Manly-based Four Pines brewery and wore a Marlins jumper and North Sydney Bears socks.

He played two Tests for the Wallabies on tour in the UK in 1981 and is the younger brother of Test No.9 Phillip and the son of Brian

He’s not the only rugby guy making some coin starring in adverts because if you look closely you will see former Northern Suburbs backrower PAUL ‘ROCKET’ JONES starring in a number of ads aimed at the health and seniors market.

Nice work if you can get it!

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The MANLY MARLINS are behind a big push to mark the 50th anniversary of the Northern Beaches Derby next year with a slap up lunch or formal dinner.

A lot will depend on the Covid-19 situation but a function of that sort could attract a crowd of 500-plus paying guests and any number of big name guest speakers.

The first battle of the beaches was played on April 24, 1971 and the game ended in a 21-17 win for Manly.

The Marlins won 13 of the first 14 derbies and overall have a 53-41 lead with three games drawn.

Sounds like a good night out!

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Covering the NSW GPS season for Rugby News opened my eyes to the rich vein of coaching and sports administration opportunities out there in the big schools.

I’ve heard that one school is paying their Rugby Master well into the six figures. 

IMAGE: ANDREW QUINN / GORDON RUGBY

• The Around The Traps column was first published in the Rugby News match day program on the weekend.