BY MARK CASHMAN

Around The Traps is hearing that the seemingly endless player points scandal that has enveloped the Shute Shield is not only causing angst at Beasties HQ at Woollahra Oval.

Some Shute Shield clubs have got their noses out of joint and chose not to make formal submissions to the independent enquiry being conducted externally of the SRU.

All submissions needed to be with SRU general manager Peter Watkins by close of business on Thursday.

These will then be provided to the Eastern Suburbs club on Friday.

The Beasties will then have the weekend to work their way through the other club’s views and make any other points.

From there all information will be provided to an independent review – run by Senior Counsel at a Sydney law firm – who will have from Tuesday to Thursday next week to decide where the whole matter is heading.

Next Friday, August 9, the independent review’s decision will then be communicated to the premiership clubs ahead of round 18.

It’s quite a process but one that had to be made for the integrity of the Shute Shield to be maintained.

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The Cale family will have their hands full over the next couple of weeks following the exploits of their talented brood in a number of times zones.

Charlie of course made his mark as Wallaby No.976 with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad through the July internationals against Wales and Georgia.

But he’s not the only Cale in the spotlight with older brother Jack in the air at the moment and on his way to South Africa to take on the world in Sevens and Tens with the Australian Deaf team.

The tournament at Sandton in Johannesburg, begins on August 3 as the Aussies face South Africa, Japan and England in the seven-a-side format, with the finals set for the following day.

They will then take on the hosts South Africa and the English in a series of Tens matches before the top two sides face off on August 8.

The Cales are Woodies through and through with the older boys Sam and Jack coming through the colts and playing lower grades at TG Millner.

Charlie was always one out of the box but I am sure that he will keep an eye on how the “big bro” is going in South Africa as Test week unfolds.

Numerous others familiar to club rugby types in Sydney and Brisbane are also in the Aussie deaf side including Tim Anstey (Newport Breakers), Apenisa Matairavula (Briars), David Page (Burraneer), Noah Thick (Hastings Valley Vikings) and Rob Dalton (Eastwood).

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Manly Marlins in form winger Fraser Toohey is gathering himself quite a following with his try celebrations in recent games.

Club mates have tagged the post try shenanigans the Fraser Toohey Ball Punch and on their social streams this week put together a quick “how to” video.

The video worked its way through foot work, ball punch angle and how not to get hit in the noggin by a stray rugby Gilbert.

The ball punch is not exclusive to the stocky winger and Shute Shield teammate Aaron Blacklock completed what looked too be a pretty handy Fraser Toohey Ball Punch after a try against Sydney Uni last weekend.

I would have given him a 9.5 if I was on the judging panel.

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We told your a number of weeks ago that the Shute Shield grand finale will be played at Leichhardt Oval on August 31 with four games to be played on the day.

The SRU confirmed this earlier in the week and it will be a real festival of grassroots footy at a venue that is club friendly and appreciated by the supporter base.

There is one catch though with a 2.45pm kick off for the Shute Shield premiership decider because of Stan Sport and Channel Nine’s coverage of the Paralympics in Paris.

That means that the fourth grade grand final will need to kick off around 9am when you factor in the need to budget for extra time and trophy presentations.

Small price to play for having all the premiership deciders all at the one venue on the one day.

In the Colin Caird Shield, the final fortnight of the regular season will prove all-important for clubs like West Harbour and Eastwood who remain in contention for playoffs.

In the Henderson Shield, Sydney University will hope for a strong concluding fortnight as they attempt to hold off Warringah for sixth.

Whilst in the Henderson Cup, Easts and Norths are favourites to secure top spots heading into the first week of finals.

The colts grand finals will be played on Sunday September 1 at a venue to be decided.

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Good work by the Beasties social media team to highlight some of the women in and around the club in the lead in to their popular ladies day at Woollahra on Saturday.

They shone the spotlight on some of their regulars with the likes of Kate Brenac, mother to Easts legend Ed and grandmother to current grade players, Will, Tim and Charlie, and women’s rugby after Karin Christie getting a mention.

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The Two Blues have made an important hire this week with the announcement that Ben Russell will be the club’s Head of Colts and Pathways for 2025 and beyond.

Russell will work with the vibrant Two Blues juniors and the senior club to create and execute a pathways program as well as working with our Director of Rugby in bringing together the Colts strategy for the next five years encompassing recruitment, retention, academy and coaching.

He has a pretty handy rugby CV having worked with Warringah Colts, Southern Districts juniors, Waverly College, Sydney Juniors Rep coaching, NSW Samoa Juniors, NSW Gen Blue and Australian Raptors Academy coach.

Ray Feagaiga has also been announced as one of the Two Blues 1st Colts coaches for 2025.

Feagaiga has extensive experience with the juniors coaching at Blacktown Scorpions u12-u17s, Liverpool Cougars u16-u18s, Norwest Bulls u18s and NSW Samoa u18s.

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Two former Rats players have become world champs in another footy code.

Former Shute Shield skipper Shane Warman was a member of the Australian over 45 team which won gold at the Touch Football World Cup.

In an interesting  twist, the former halfback also used to coach Josh Holmes and Rats’ general manager Jake Letts at rugby every Tuesday and Thursday morning  before they went to school as part of the Targeted Sports Program.

And Steve Menzies was in the victorious Australian over 50s touch side.

Menzies played one fourth grade game alongside his brother, the tough-as-teak Josh Gerrard.

Before his career with the Rats, ‘Beaver’ Menzies played a few games with the Manly Sea Eagles.