By MARK CASHMAN

We’re not far from the start of the 2021 Shute Shield season 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:

Once the disappointment of the overtime loss in the Australian Club Championship match had passed last weekend I am sure Gordon boss BRIAN MELROSE would have been happy with where the defending Shute Shield premiers are at.

The Highlanders lost 14-13 to Brisbane’s Easts in the fifth minute of extra time but there was enough shown by the Sydney side to say that they will be there or there about come Shute Shield finals time.

Melrose’s new halves pairing of Jacob Abel and Reece MacDonald were quite handy at times throughout the day and as the game wore on the Gordon scrum gained strength against a side that had the reputation of having the best club set piece in the country.

MacDonald brings as completely new dynamic to the way the Highlanders play and out wider winger Alesana Pohla is sure to do some damage.

Tom Silk was great in the back row while hooker Jordan Ieremia did the basics of the No.2 jersey very well before handing over to Will Bremner.

The Highlanders of 2021 will be a new beast, may be a bit less pragmatic than 2020 under Darren Coleman but effective all the same.

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Northern Suburbs new head coach ZAC BEER knows that experience is a vital commodity for Shute Shield success and that’s why he has thrown the captain’s arm band to centre HARRY BUREY.

Burey was officially announced as the Shoremen’s skipper for the 2021 season at the club’s official season launch at the Long Reef Golf Club on Friday and he will do a super job.

Norths felt the need for a bit of “been there, done that” in the role on top of the fact that he is one of the team’s midfield playmakers and has a good relationship with the whistleblowers.

Burey played in the 2016 premiership side and has worked under recent skippers WILL MILLER and HUGH SINCLAIR, who is getting an increasing amount of time at Super Rugby level for the Waratahs.

Big news for the club though is the fact that centre NATHAN RUSSELL will be on board for the entire season after an opportunity in Japan was canned because of the pandemic.

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It’s been a pretty handy first week for the Sydney Rugby Union’s new general manager PETER WATKINS.

Barely three days into his new tenure as the boss of the Shute Shield he’s been able to announce a new naming rights sponsor, Charter Hall, for the best club rugby competition in Australia.

Admittedly it’s a score that he gladly inherited from the commercial team at NSW Rugby but will be important for the vibrancy of what is already a vibrant competition.

There’s a number of projects that need attention at the moment within the SRU family of clubs with the ongoing viability of Penrith near the front of the queue.

Charter Hall is one of Australia’s leading property investment management companies and the decision to take on a major role with club footy extends their support of the game in NSW.

Charter Hall CEO and Group Managing Director, DAVID HARRISON, said the partnership affirms his company’s commitment to supporting the next generation of young players.

“We understand the importance of grassroots rugby in fostering talent, and strengthening communities through bringing people together,” Harrison said.

“The competition has experienced a tremendous resurgence since we first partnered with NSW Rugby Union three years ago. We are excited to be a part of this momentum of success.”

SRU President PHILLIP PARSONS welcomed Charter Hall as naming rights sponsor in a time when club rugby has never been more visible in this country.

“The Shute Shield is one of the most iconic club rugby competitions in the world and is more open and exciting than ever, with five different champions in the past six seasons,” he said.

“For the first time, every match will be available to watch live on Stan Sport, giving fans the opportunity to watch the entire season from the comfort of their homes.  There has never been a better time to be involved in club rugby.”

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The Mid-North Coast has been well and truly whacked during the rain and floods of the past couple of weeks.

Communities have been cut off by the rising waters all over there region and it’s yet to be determined what effect this will have on the start of the club competitions up there in the middle of April.

No matter what, they will find a way – that’s the way it’s done out in the bush.

One of the big supporters of the game up that way has been ALISTAIR FLOWER who owns a couple of pubs in the region and hosts the union’s annual fund raising luncheon at The Settlers Inn at Port Macquarie.

Flower’s a great rugby man and his video on social media of the waters lapping at his back door while they looked at a Poll Hereford steer in the next door neighbour’s back yard was a beauty.

He had to shut up shop for a number of days as he dealt with the flooding in Port Macquarie but he’s back up and trading and has decided to donate the monies that he gets from the State Government Dine and Discovery program to the flood victims.

Good people like that deserve support.

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Two Blues recruit TAVITE GADEISUVA’s season has come to a shuddering halt after he badly broke his leg in a trial a couple of weeks back.

Gadeisuva moved to the Two Blues from West Harbour at the start of the year and was in promising form for the club’s sevens program and was expected to play a key role for the Shute Shield side before the injury.

He’s got a tough couple of months ahead as he comes to term with getting back on his feet in a family, financial and footy sense.

So a GoFund Me page has been set up to help lessen that load and pull together $25,000 needed for surgery, rehab and living costs.

There’s a bit over $7000 there now so dig deep for a good fellow!

IMAGE: ANDREW QUINN / GORDON RUGBY