We’re into round six 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:

And you thought that the ‘Honey Badger’ was the only Rugby link in the latest incantation of ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ on Channel 10, then you would be sadly wrong.

The fit looking bloke with the chiselled jaw who travelled to South Africa with his kids to see Liz Ellis in the grand finale was in fact Matt Stocks, the former Australian Schools representative (1986) who had a handy grade career at the Manly Marlins.

They met when they were helping to run sports camps at the University of New England and after a few false starts (due mainly to sporting commitments) they got together and have now been married for 25 years.

For the past six years they have been living on a farm near Byron Bay and I am told that Stocks still checks the ups and down of the Marlins.

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A lot of Shute Shielders would remember the pretty handy No.10 Dave Harvey who had a few productive years at a number of clubs, among them Gordon, Warringah and Northern Suburbs.

Well he hasn’t eased off the accelerator on the training front and is one Australia’s leading CrossFit athletes after only two and a half years in the sport.

Harvey had a crack at qualifying for the CrossFit World Games late last month but missed out after having one almighty crack at it.

All the while running his own business (coping with a chocolate Labrador) and the usual family commitments.

The fire is still there and expect him to make his way through to the big stage at some stage in the next couple of years.

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There was plenty to celebrate for the Manly Marlins last weekend after their big win over the previously undefeated Northern Suburbs at Manly Oval.

Before the Shute Shield game there was a stirring ANZAC Day ceremony hosted by Mike Westdorp and it must have steeled the side to hang in and battle it out against the Shoremen in their special jerseys.

Tries just before and after the halftime break stopped the visitors momentum and although there were some tense moments late it must be said that the better team on the day got the W.

After all that the first grade side went over to the eastern side of the ground to belt out the club’s victory song in front of the healthy ladies day crowd.

Nice work to all concerned!

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We’ve seen them over the years in the Rugby News match programs – dodgy names in the lower grades and they have reared their head once again.

There was one Morgan Turinui named at No.8 in the Galloping Greens fourth grade side a couple of weeks back while Ewen McKenzie has also been seen in some of the sides named at Coogee Oval.

We’re pretty sure that the appetite for the game for Turinui doesn’t spill over on to the playing arena.

While we’re at Coogee Oval you’ve got to love the nickname that super quick winger Christian Yassman has been tagged with – the ‘Lebanese Lamborghini’

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You’ve got to love the cheekiness of the next generation!

Former Wallabies skipper Tony Shaw spent a number of years in Sydney and linked with the Northern Suburbs at the urging of people like Peter Carson and Reg Smith.

Son Liam did much of his schooling here at Riverview and also had a number of years in colts and grade at the Shoremen while Andrew played for a time at Eastern Suburbs. 

But home has always been Brothers and Crosby Park so in a great honour the hill there will be named after Shaw and Paul McLean, two of the greats of the Bretheren.

So how does Liam rally support for the old man?

Well you send out there a note on your socials to: “Get around the big whispy bum fluff head” – a reference to Shaw seniors hair style in the 1970s and 1980s.

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Some good things happening at Concord Oval with West Harbour sitting in fifth spot on the Shute Shield competition after five rounds.

Their win over Manly at the weekend at home had all the hallmarks of the hoodoo that is gathering momentum between the two clubs.

I don’t know why but the Pirates just seem to know how to hang in games against the Marlins and get the ‘W’.

At the weekend the winning try came from a rolling maul close to full-time that seemed to have just about everyone in the top squad bar coach Cameron Treloar lending their weight.

They’ve been helped by the play too of young No.10 Hunter Hannaford who seems to have the knack for straightening up their attack.

He seems like a cheeky bugger judging on his involvement in a handbags incident on the try line where he got his slap in and then disappeared behind one of his big front rowers.

Further up front Albert Alcock is doing some good stuff at hooker coming up from colts for the game against Manly and holding his spot for this weekend’s Round 6 game against Gordon at Concord.

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Norths had their annual Legends Day last weekend when they took on Gordon but off the field there were a number of reunions with the 1998 reserve grade side celebrating their win over Warringah.

Many had picked up a few grey hairs along the way but they attacked the day and the day with their usual vigour and first grade coach Zak Beer and many of the players noted that they could hear the encouragement that was flowing from the top floor of the Molly Dive Stand.

They then joined the Shute Shield to hear the victory song and press some flesh before disappearing into the night disgracefully.

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My Rugby News colleague loves an afternoon at Rat Park talking the talk in the swanky hospitality suites but he came away impressed with the form of Ben Marr after he engineered Warringah’s first win of the season over Eastern Suburbs.

Geddes said that Marr was the Rats very own Clint Gutherson, the Parramatta Eel renowned for his skill and enthusiasm.

Marr hasn’t had too many selection breaks in his time with the national sevens squad but he is more than capable of making it further up the tree.

Time will tell how at all pans out!