Gun flyhalf Jude Gibbs and breakout backrower Ed Timpson are expected to miss the majority of Northern Suburbs’ 2025 Shute Shield campaign. 

But most fans at North Sydney Oval couldn’t be happier about it. 

After leading the Shoremen to the club’s second straight first grade grand final, Gibbs picked up his first professional contract with the Queensland Reds late last year, while Timpson was called up to play with the Bristol Bears.

“Last year didn’t end the way we wanted but we’ve been fairly consistent for a number of years now and after each season we’ve had five or six of our best players progress on to professional opportunities or retire,” returning first grade coach Zak Beer told Rugby News. 

“So far, we’ve managed each year to fill the void those players left with either young guys pushing up from our lower grades, or with older players that have seen what we’ve been doing here and asked to join us from other clubs and we’re hoping we can do the same again in 2025.”

Still only 23, Gibbs has featured across the Shute Shield since finishing school but took his game to a new level in recent years at Northern Suburbs. 

“Everyone is super excited for Jude and I think anyone that has watched him play over the last few years would be as well,” Beer explained. 

“It’s a great story for the Shute Shield. He was playing second grade at Uni a few years ago before he came back to Norths. In his first season he almost won the Catchpole Medal and finished the year as the top point scorer, then he backed that up in 2024. 

“I think if any player is going to make the most of an opportunity at the next level, it’s someone like Jude. He works extremely hard on and off the field and really deserves every chance he gets. 

Timpson was the breakout star of the 2024 Shute Shield season. 

The Northern Englishman planned to play in Perth last season and began the year trialling in Norths’ third grade side. 

He quickly worked his way through the grades though and was arguably the form No.6 of the competition last year. 

“After his form in the Shute Shield, Ed was talking to a few MLR clubs, then he got a call out blue from one of the analysts at the Bristol Bears,” Beer explained. 

“The next day, he had a FaceTime with Pat Lamb and was on a fight back to Heathrow a few days later. 

“A week later, he made his debut in a Premiership Cup match against Bath and has now landed a full-time contract in the MLR with LA. 

“He was playing second grade for us at the start of last season. It shows how the Shute Shield can springboard a player to the next level if they perform well. 

While Norths will miss both Gibbs and Timpson, young stars Henry O’Donnell and Sifa Amone have both joined the Waratahs from the Western Force and could feature in the red and black more often if they aren’t wearing sky blue. 

Norths have a tricky start to the 2025 season. After opening the season away at Manly Oval, the Shoremen face Gordon in an early-season local derby, then meet reigning premiers Easts at home in round three.