BY MARK CASHMAN

Interesting to see how the Shute Shield evolves over the next couple of weeks with a lot of talent filtering back from the Super Rugby Pacific competition teams.

This time of the year is a time of great movement in the rugby player and coaching market with all the big teams in France, the UK, Japan and the USA filling their rosters for the coming season.

Lots of decisions to be made and we are yet to see what the shape of the first Wallabies squad that Joe Schmidt announce in June looks like.

I would imagine Schmidt would like to see his wider squad members playing some footy so it is safe to assume that we will have rounds of the Shute Shield and the Hospital Cup featuring some of the stars.

Eastern Suburbs look to be the big winners of this part of the year with a whole host of Waratahs like Teddy Wilson, Jack Grant, Lewis Ponini, Charlie Gamble, Jack Bowen and Miles Amatosero looking for some time in club footy.

Norths will get Hugh Sinclair and Tom Ross back to bolster their pack and Souths may even see some of Jed Holloway at Forshaw Rugby Park.

Randwick will get Triston Reilly, Ben Sugars and Dylan Pietsch – even Izaia Perese – back in their ranks while I would imagine the Manly Marlins may well see some of Langi Gleeson and Gordon should get Joey Walton and Jay Fonokalafi back.

We will have to add into this mix the leave requirements that the professionally contracted players get but I get the feeling that many of those Waratahs would just like to embrace that winning feeling again.

The of course there is the demise of the Melbourne Rebels and many may want to get some game to embroider their playing CVs.

It all adds up to this being one of the better Shute Shield competition in recent memory and just making the finals will be some sort of acheivement.

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My trusted colleague at Rugby News Jon Geddes has a good nose for a story, something you would expect after decades hanging around winner’s dressing room in search of a titillating tit bits.

Around The Traps sat with him on the edge of our benches all though the Norths v Warringah blockbuster at North Sydney Oval last weekend and when referee Matt Kellahan called full-time at 28-all we wondered out loud whether golden point extra time should be played.

Being the news hound that he is Geddes asked a number of the players whether they would be up for it and he got a resounding thumbs up.

Norths skipper Harry Burey and Rats playmaker Coby Miln both thought it was a good idea while Sydney Rugby Union board member and powerbroker Grahame O’Donnell was very forthright about the move.

I’m not so sure about the move and this was backed up by my ShuteCast podcast colleagues Anthony Bergelin and Andrew Swain who believe extra time in finals is fine but the week to week stuff is just a step too far.

Anyway it’s a great discussion point!

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Sydney Uni will be staging their popular Ladies Day function when they host Eastern Suburbs at the home of rugby this weekend.

Formalities for the “laaaaadies” kick off at 2pm and continue on the sidelines through until 5pm in what should be a cracking day.

One of the big ticket items that will be up for grabs will be a “bachelor auction” with the Von Appen brothers Max and Zac in the slot.

It’s obviously buyer beware in these sort of transactions but the Students’ socials have given some insight into the brothers.

When asked if the pair were introverts or extroverts they said: “ Introvertedly extroverted.

When asked if you could be any jungle animal and why they said: “European bisons” as they “travel in twos and are characterised by their large heavy bodies and unpredictable nature.”

Adding that they “are thirsty animals that move quickly between watering holes.”

Other important buyer information included that Paris was their favourite travel destination, their deepest fear was “copping a spray from Mum” and their perfect date was “a few cocktails at the Harbord Hilton followed by a picnic at Freshwater headland”.

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The Waratahs have just been through a real season from hell but below all that things seem to be ticking over quite nicely if the ticket sales to Colleagues annual long lunch are any indication.

Close to 500 seats have been sold for the slap up luncheon at Cockle Bay Wharf on Friday that will feature Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and maybe even an appearance from their recent recruit former NRL star Andrew Fifita.

The afternoon will be MC’d by Stan Sport’s Andrew Swain and on those numbers say to me that the game is going okay.

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Big day at Concord Oval on Saturday when the Pirates take on the Hunter Wildfires with the annual all abilities match being played before the Shute Shield fixture.

The all abilities match backs up that our game is one for all and some of the skill and flair that the participants showed last year was absolutely fantastic.

Like I saw at a number of junior rugby games last Saturday morning there will be a number of Reece Walsh – yes I know he’s a leaguie – style try scoring dives as the match unfolds.

There will also be the jersey presentation for the junior teams involved in the looming state championships.

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Eastwood stormed the fortress that the Two Blues have made at The Eric last weekend but I’m sure Warringah will be in for a tough grind when they visit on June 15.

It’s Back to Parramatta day at The Eric and a big crowd is expected with many of the old and bold on hand for a great afternoon.

I’m sure they will raise a glass to life member Frank Lawson who passed away this week at the age of 99!

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Stan Sport’s coverage of the Shute Shield continues to grow and from what Around The Traps is hearing the numbers this year are even better than last year.

Nice touch in the coverage is the post match interviews and Norths skipper Harry Burey really hit it out of the park with his line at the end of the footy analysis last weekend.

Burey gave a shout out his old man about his struggles on the golf course that morning and told him to hang in there – things will get better!

Gold. Absolute Gold!

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Chatting with a few rugby types the other day about the last time that the Manly Marlins played at Allianz Stadium and we reckon that it may well be back in 1997 – in the Shute Shield grand final against Eastwood.

The Marlins, helped by the brute force off Willie Ofahengaue, won 34-19 that day under the guidance of Tim Lane.

They’ll be back there on Friday night when they take on Norths before the Waratahs take on the Queensland Reds and obviously hoping for a similar result.