By Jon Geddes

WARATAHS backrower Charlie Gamble sent a timely message that he is ready, willing and able for a Wallaby call-up with his imposing display for Eastern Suburbs in their 36-35 win over Northern Suburbs in Saturday’s sensational Shute Shield grand final.

The No.7 was an unsung hero for the Beasties with his work in the trenches as the club ended their 55-year first grade premiership drought at Leichhardt Oval.

He may not be a rock star back, but he produced the big hits when it counted around the breakdown.

It was sensational Gamble defence in the final minute that prevented Norths’ replacement hooker James Margan from scoring what would have been the match winning try for his side.   

As a desperate Margan lunged over the Easts’ tryline with his arm, Gamble’s powerful tackle saw him lose control of the ball and knock it forward, with only a fingernail in it.             

That effort came after Gamble and his Norths opposite number Ed Timpson were two of the best on ground over the previous 79 minutes.

After being tipped as a future Wallaby, the former Crusaders’ Academy rising star fell off the radar – and his cause was not helped by the Waratahs’ dismal 2024 Super Rugby campaign.

“Obviously I’m aspiring to get as high as I can,” Gamble told Rugby News amidst the celebrations on the ground at fulltime. “If they call I’m ready, I’m always ready.

“I’ll just do one job at a time and my job today was to help win the championship. We’ve won the Shute Shield and whatever happens, happens.”

CAPTAIN’S CALL

EASTS coach Ben Batger has echoed the view that the Wallabies should be looking at his tireless loose forward.

“He deserves a crack,” he said. “I would think Charlie would be in the top three sevens in Australia based on Super Rugby and his impact in Shute Shield       

 “That’s the reason why he is a starting Waratah – he’s a pest at the breakdown, has a high workrate – and he is a quality player and an even better human.”

Batger said Gamble’s presence has an enormous impact on the other Easts players.

“His actions speak louder than words and I think when he plays we lift, because we just know what a good player he is,” the coach said.        

A RUGBY RESET 

 AFTER the game an emotional Gamble was still coming to grips with his grand final win.

“It doesn’t feel real to be honest,” Gamble said. 

He said it was something he never envisaged when he moved across from New Zealand in 2018 and played for the Petersham grand final winning sub-district team.

“I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do when I came over here,” Gamble said. “I wanted to have a new lifestyle, have a bit of a break and reset my rugby mind.

“It’s amazing, I started here in 2019 with the boys. Grassroots footy is where it all starts and I love this club.”

And that showed with the wholehearted effort he produced on the weekend. 

“You try to do the best you can with every team you play for,” Gamble said.

A FITTING FINALE

THE grand final wasn’t just a thriller that went down to the wire, it was a great advertisement for rugby.

The game demonstrated what a great spectacle the code can be when everyone takes the field with a positive mindset –  and the important role that the Shute Shield should take in the Australian rugby landscape.

Credit goes to the players, rival coaches Batger and Zak Beer, as well as referee Angus Gardner.   

“That was physical, quick and at the end of the day a final’s a final – it’s tough footy,” Gamble said.

“We defended for that last six minutes, I’m gassed.”

Batger admitted there was a feeling of relief after the game.

“For us to hold on at the end there, I’m just so proud of the boys,” he said.

“We talked all year about wanting to have some respect and toughness – and I think we showed that in the last two minutes.

“That win was about us, it was about Easts Rugby Club. We’ve been building for this for a long time.”