Around the Traps
We’re into the second round of the Shute Shield competition 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:
THERE’S ALWAYS plenty of spice when
Manly takes on Warringah, the great northern beaches derby, and it’s going to be no different when it rolls around this years on September 5.
The game always pulls a crowd and the feeling between the two playing group is always edgy while not being over the top.
And from what I am hearing Wallabies skipper MICHAEL HOOPER wants a slice of it.
Hooper should be free from his commitments at the Waratahs and waiting for some Wallabies action by that date and as marlins coach MATT MCGOLDRICK said this week it won’t be a game load issue as happens so often.
“He told me that he is keen and if he gets the green light we’d love to have him on board,” McGoldrick said.
The effect of having a player of his stature
cannot be underestimated – could you imagine the positive vibe that kids would get from seeing Hooper up close and personal.
Hooper has never experienced a derby week against Warringah – he done many things in his career but holding the Bayfield Cup aloft and drinking from it is not one of those.
I can always remember seeing WYCLIFF PALU turn out for Manly in one game and the ball boys dared each other to race over and slap Cliff on the back.
One plucked up enough courage and executed – that kid may even be playing colts for the Marlins as we speak!
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THERE’S LOTS of public health messages out in the midst of these crazy times but a little plea to our rugby community as we head out to watch our clubs play wherever that may be.
It’s not only the rugby that is being watched closely – the behaviour of the people at the grounds and their adherence to social distancing and the like is under intense scrutiny like at Rat Park last Saturday afternoon.
We don’t need to have this all taken away from us – too many people have worked too hard to get it to where we are now. Be sensible, social distance but if you can’t wear a mask.
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WE ALL KNOW that injuries are part and parcel of a contact sport like our game but it’s good when it happens to good guys who deserve
a bit more from their time and sacrifice to play Shute Shield.
So the injuries to Manly’s SAM LANE (dislocated shoulder most likely requiring surgery) and Southern Districts’ MARCUS CARBONE (ACL) after week one of competition were h
Lane has had his fair share ranging from knee, shoulder and multiple niggles that have held him back from challenging for selection further up the tree since he left school.
Carbone had only just finished rehabbing the same injury over the past 12 months and was a vital cog in what coach TODD LOUDEN was planning down at Forshaw.
He was at training this week wanting to
see if he can help the young group at Souths while I am sure Lane will be about at the Village Green helping his replacement BJ HARTMANN get better at running the show at the Marlins.
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I DON’T KNOW the ins and outs of the massive amount of money that is being thrown at the next big thing in rugby, JOSEPH SUUAALII, but in these times of austerity around our game the talk in the media has been bordering on obscene.
If I had just been laid off from Rugby Australia or NSW Rugby I wouldn’t be viewing this in a positive light and most importantly shouldn’t we be getting blokes on board who play tight head prop, right side locks and No.7s that can tackle being the gain line and run in traffic.
After all if you haven’t got the ball you don’t win Test or Super Rugby games. Think about it!
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WARRINGAH RATS five-eighth TOM HALSE knows just what sort of welcome he will receive when he runs back on to Coogee Oval on Saturday for the clash with Randwick.
After playing with the Rats in 2018 he spent last season with the Galloping Greens before returning to the northern beaches this season.
“I’m expecting a bit of niggle,” the experienced No.10 told JON GEDDES, the content director of Warringah’s Ratz Tales newsletter.
“To be honest I’m just going to treat it like any other game.”
They will be back!
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SINCE I’VE STARTED producing much of the Shute Shield content for RUGBY NEWS a question that comes up constantly is how can I help my club.
Well the simple and easy way to do it is to buy a club membership and even if your Saturdays are crazy and you can’t get to a grade game you can be there in spirit.
Income streams for many of the clubs have been stripped back with Covid-19 restrictions (Warringah and Manly are prime examples) so throwing a bit of cash on board to your club helps a lot.
The costs of running an average Shute Shield club with four or five grade teams and three colts grade are enormous and the player registration fees cover only so much.
Then there’s tape, lights for training, the Gatorade or whatever is the sponsors drop and laundry each week. It goes on and on.