We’re into Round Nine 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:

Words: MARK CASHMAN

There’s always lots of emotion on derby day when Manly take on Warringah but none more so when it’s Lachie Ward Memorial Day.

It’s been four years since Lachie passed away after playing a lower grade game for the Rats against Gordon and he is in everyone’s heart at Rat Park.

Lachie’s brother Sam will be playing for the Rats in the lower grades on Saturday after he came out of retirement with a warm-up game last weekend against Gordon.

That game featured a try by ‘Slamming Sam’ down the left edge at Chatswood Oval that was well worth a look.

Sam told good mate and rugby scribe JON GEDDES that it was always his plan to have a trot around on this day.

“I hadn’t told too many people but I was always secretly going to play this game,” Sam said in an exclusive piece for Rugby News.

“There may have been a bit of planning behind it from my perspective. My wife Ellen said I wasn’t able to play unless I had done some training.

“I am excited – whilst I am still physically able to do it I want to honour my brother’s memory and it will feel more special for me being able to play.”

Sam has a thriving physio business on the northern beaches and provides services for the Rats.

He’s at most training sessions so it’s not surprising that he couldn’t help himself.

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Lots of stuff out there on the Battle of the Beaches but one podcast worth a listen to is the derby special compiled by ANTHONY BERGELIN for SHUTE CAST.

Bergelin speaks to a number of people central to the big showdown over the years and dissects the history of one of the most famous rivalries in club rugby.

It looks back at the defection, the premiership runs and the disappointments with contributions from Bob ‘Moose’ Lane, Greg Marr, John Hearn, Sean Maloney, Cam Treloar and Hamish Angus.

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The public airing of the Participation Agreement for entry into next year’s Shute Shield was always going to cause a stir out there with the clubs from western Sydney at this stage not able to meet many of the requirements.

Four senior grades and three colts teams are at the nub of the requirements and some of the debate has been far too emotional with numerous club reps copping abuse.

But at the end of the day we need to have this debate – it’s part of the journey to the best way for the Shute Shield to grow and prosper.

What’s that saying about not being part of the problem but at the centre of the solution?

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We ran a story on the Rugby News website earlier this week about who was the fastest man in the Shute Shield.

Each of the clubs nominated their men with the “jet shoes” and there were certainly some interesting names.

But the call to have a winner takes all sprint to settle the matter on grand final day seems to be taking on a life of its own.

What a great addition to one of our competition’s big days and if we could get a sponsor to stump up prize money surely we could work it into the run sheet.

While we are talking about the gas men, Eastwood coach Ben Batger told us about a young prop at the club, Adrian Brown who does the 40m in 4.97sec right up there with the best at TG Millner.

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One of the planks of the Hunter Wildfires entry into the Shute Shield is to provide a pathway for players in the region to higher honours.

So it’s great to see that Henry Stowers has been selected in the Manu Samoa squad for the July Tests against the Maori All Blacks and Tonga.

Stowers linked with Newcastle to get a crack at a higher level and from what I am hearing he impressed with his physicality when he linked with the Brumbies earlier this season.

Joe Tamani is another who has made the most of the opportunity in the Hunter after coming up from Melbourne and has been training with the Waratahs in recent weeks.

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WARRINGAH AND SYDNEY Rugby Union president PHIL PARSONS celebrated a significant birthday in the heart of enemy territory last weekend.

Parsons had a knees up for his 60th birthday – and yes I hear you he doesn’t look a day over 58 – at The Ivanhoe Hotel in the heart of The Corso.

My sources who were at the party report that one of the highlights of the evening was a very robust Marilyn Monroe, resplendent in a revealing white dress, singing ‘Happy Birthday Mr President’.

It was quite a night!

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RUGBY NEWS IS hearing that Leichhardt Oval is firming as the likely venue for the Shute Shield grand final in early September.

There had been speculation that a return to North Sydney Oval was on the cards but the financial deal at Leichhardt is a hell of a lot better and as we all know money talks.

Sydney Rugby Union officials were happy with the way that the premiership decider played out there last year and there is a feeling that it will be even better this time around.

The venue needs to tick a number of boxes and the boutique nature of the home of the Wests Tigers certainly does that.

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RANDWICK RUN A PRETTY handy junior academy that is already pushing talent through into their colts and grade ranks and they are dipping their toe into the school holiday camp scene.

The Wicks are hosting a youth training camp on July 6 and July 8 at Latham Park and it looks like the perfect opportunity to burn off some extra energy while the “parental” get stuff done.

The camp will be run by top coaching staff within both the Randwick Junior Academy and Senior programs and will run from 9am until noon on the two days.

It will encourage and develop all skill levels in the core elements of the game through fun drills, tasks and games.

Extras I am told include a training shirt and hat upon arrival on Day One and there will be a Q&A session with current Randwick first grade and Waratahs players.

The camp is for boys and girls from eight years and up and costs $100 for Wicks juniors and $120 for non registered players.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON