Eastern Suburbs coach Ben Batger believes his team faces an even tougher challenge in 2025 than they did last season, when the newly recruited coach took the Beasties from 10th to premiers. 

The Beasties dominated the Shute Shield competition across both the grade and colts competitions last season and head into the 2025 season with a target on their backs.

“We did a five week block before Christmas which was a little bit shorter than last year,” the coach told Rugby News. 

“After the grand finals, I thought it was important to give them a bit of extra rest. 

“To be honest, I think I’ve got a bigger challenge this year than I did last year. 

“Heading into 2024, the club was coming off a disappointing season in first grade and with a new coach, everyone was really keen to prove a point. 

“This year, it’s a bit different because we start the year as premiers. I think complacency is probably going to be one of our biggest challenges.”

Batger won three Shute Shield titles as a player at Eastwood, including back-to-back premierships in 2014 and 2015 but admitted he wasn’t exactly sure how he’ll look to replicate that as a coach. 

“People talk about a grand final hangover, and a lot of teams suffer it, so I definitely want to avoid that, but how we actually do it, well to be honest, I’m honestly not sure. 

“Obviously, I’ve got to find a way to motivate the troops and their was chat between the boys about that a week after the grand final. 

“They’ve spoken a lot about working just as hard this year but the proof will be in the pudding and I can’t put in the work for them.”

Fortunately for both Batger and Beasties fans, the club has developed significant depth in recent years and have a number of players pushing into grade from last year’s premiership winning first colts’ side, including competition standout Sid Harvey. 

“Unfortunately I don’t think we’re going to see too much of Sid. He’s an exceptional player and he flew under the radar a little until last year,’ Batger admitted. 

“He’s a very well-rounded footballer. He’s got speed, he defends well and he can read the game. 

“As an underage age player at colts level last year, he was the full package, so it’ll be interesting to watch him this year with the Aussies Sevens, hopefully at the U20s World Cup and maybe even for the Waratahs at some point.”

Despite that, the coach said there was still plenty of other young talent pushing through at Woollahra. 

“We’ve got two good young centres in Leo Bassingthwaighte and Otto Serfontein. 

“They are both capable of pushing the players ahead of them a bit and both have similar stories to Sid in a way, being underrated through school before finding their feet in colts. 

“Ollie Nicolle is a young No.7 who is a bit of a kamikaze and could be a really good player. 

“We’ve also got two young props who are colts eligible again in Edwin Langi and Nathaniel Tiitii who are also very good players.”

While Batger said his main focus is on motivating his players, he also expects challenges to come from right across the competition when the season kicks off in early April. 

“It sounds like there has been plenty of recruitment over summer so I think some teams might jump up the ladder and mix things up a bit.

“I can’t see Sydney Uni missing the finals three years in a row and I think Manly will improve with a new coaching staff. 

“It’s going to be tight again and we’ll need to work really hard all year if we want to go back to back.”