by Paul Cook –

A thrilling year of Intrust Super Shute Shield rugby built towards an intriguing climax with the final round of the regular season at the weekend. Seven teams were still in contention for the all important top six finals spots before a ball was kicked, four were a chance of the Minor Premiership, three were fighting not to miss out completely, and, as befitting a competition that has delivered week after week in 2016, there was a late, late twist in the tail before it all played out.

Sydney University were in pole position, just needing a win at home to Parramatta to cement their first Minor Premiership since 2009 in order to close the door on Southern Districts, Northern Suburbs and Randwick respectively. And despite encountering a dogged Two Blues outfit, bolstered by the appearance of Tatafu Polota-Nau off the bench, the Students duly got the job done 35-12.

Given their title-winning record of the previous decade, it’s perhaps surprising to think that this is the first time Uni have finished on top of the pile in seven years. The significance of the achievement is not lost on skipper Tom Carter, but he is also acutely aware of its lack of relevance in the grand scheme of things.

“The Minor Premiership is a reflection of all the hard work and sacrifices of all within the football program, from the senior management team, athletic performance, coaches and volunteers that make up our club,” he told Rugby News. “We haven’t fielded the same team all year so it is a testament to the coaching group of Tim Davidson, Garrick Cowley, Ben Roberts and Rob Taylor. ‘Davo’ has just been exceptional, calm and clear when we have been under pressure but very firm around behaviours and standards within the group.

“At the start of the year I was very open that we stood for nothing as a team and that we needed to genuinely challenge the playing group around what we stood for as a club and a group, and I think all the players that have played 1st Grade this year have added an enormous amount of colour to our identity and the history of the SUFC program. The playing group has been extraordinary and their characters have shone through, so it’s a nice reward to reflect the courage and hard work of so many. But come Monday this week it means very little in the context of the main prize.”

Sydney Uni claimed their first Minor Premiership since 2009 – Photo: AJF Photography

That left everyone else chasing the remaining two home qualifying finals places as a best-case scenario, and the boon of playing the first week of knockout footy in front of their own supporters. Souths and Norths went into their games on the same number of points. But both faced a sizeable challenge as the Rebels headed to the Jim Barry Vineyard to take on an Eastern Suburbs side keen to end their much-improved season on a high, while the Shoremen hosted a Manly outfit who knew that defeat would almost certainly end their year.

With the score 10-all at the break at Woollahra, Souths’ finals’ position was up in the air, and when the Beasties took the lead in the second half, a precious home final was looking unlikely. But they rallied when they needed to, running out 36-34 winners with the four-try bonus point sealing second spot on the ladder. For co-captain Marcus Carbone, it was a case of the result outweighing the performance.

“Although it wasn’t the polished performance we were looking for leading into the finals, it was great to get the win over a much improved Easts side who have been in finals contention for the most part of the year,” he said. “When they took the lead midway through the second half, we showed great composure to regroup as a team and comeback with some smart, structured rugby.

“We’re extremely stoked with having a home final for the second year in a row. I think it says a lot about just how far this club has come in recent years and it is a true testament to not only the players and coaches, but to the people behind the scenes who really make our club special. Knowing the potential that our team has when we put our minds to it, gives me great confidence leading into our game next weekend.”

But the real drama of the day took place at North Sydney Oval. Leading 14-0 early on, the odds were on Norths confirming their first finals appearance since 2012, and a first home final since 2007. But a Manly side boosted by the inclusion of Waratahs halfback Matt Lucas – who, like Tatafu Polota-Nau, had only returned in the early hours of the morning following state duties in Auckland the previous night – pegged the Shoremen back by the break before a quickfire double put them out to a 23-17 lead.

As things stood Manly, the 2015 Minor Premiers, were in and reigning two-time Premiers Eastwood, were out. And when the siren sounded at the famous old oval, the status quo remained. But the home side still had possession, and after what felt like an eternity of phases in the face of a stout Manly rearguard, Norths’ flyhalf Angus Sinclair finally carved an opening to stretch for the line. When he dusted himself off to slot the match-winning conversion, Manly’s season was over and the Woodies were back in the hunt.

The agony and the ecstasy: Norths celebrate while Manly think of what might have been – Photo: Clay Cross

“Funnily enough, even though my heart was probably in my mouth, I was relatively comfortable in that last five minutes that we could score, and the players said the same thing when they came off,” revealed head coach Simon Cron. “We practice that scenario at training most weeks. We have a game called ‘Patience’, which is 40 phases of not always making the gain-line, getting back in our shape and just keeping going until that one player doesn’t cover the inside channel or he rushes up – and boom, we’re in.

“We actually ended up winning the most games in the comp and with the best defensive record but we didn’t come first. I’d have preferred to have had the bonus point this week and picked up a couple more in other games to have taken that, but yeah, it’s obviously good. Success breeds success and getting that done today in that manner will be a big injection for this group in terms of confidence.”

After the highs of last season’s Minor Premiership and run to their first Grand Final in almost 20 years, the premature end to the Marlins’ 2016 campaign came as something of a shock. But as head coach Damien Cummins told Rugby News afterwards, the disappointment they now feel is already being channelled into plans to put things right in 2017.

“It’s not a happy dressing room at all,” he confirmed. “It’s been a real rocky year for us, a huge amount of injuries – no different to any other club but they do affect you – and we finally get what is probably our best team out on the field, and we go down after the bell. Sometimes, the hard times are where you learn the most and I’ve learned plenty this year for what we need to do next season, and I’ll make sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed and make sure the club is in a better spot next year than we were in February this year.”

To make matters worse for Manly fans, while the Marlins’ world was crashing around them, their arch-rivals further up the peninsular, Warringah, had just completed a seismic victory at Coogee Oval to upset Randwick and claim fourth spot, and a third tilt at the finals in a row. Trailing 13-10 at half-time, the Rats constructed a three-try second half to blow away the Wicks 34-20, but it was their doggedness under the pump that most pleased skipper Hamish Angus.

“We knew that Randwick would be a tough proposition particularly at Coogee,” he told us. “We were really pleased with our ability to absorb pressure at particular points in the game, and most pleasing would have been our defensive effort in the last 15 minutes when Randwick were throwing a lot at us. To hold our line under that pressure was very pleasing.”

Warringah captain Hamish Angus returned to lead the side to finals footy for the third year in a row – Photo: Karen Watson

Three weeks ago, Randwick were sitting in the box seat for the Minor Premiership after completing their fifth win in a row, an impressive defeat of Souths at Forshaw Park. But losses to Eastwood and Warringah in the final two rounds meant they dropped to 5th in the final standings, only their number of wins across the season seeing them relegate Eastwood into sixth, despite an inferior points differential.

Understandably frustrated with the way things panned out, head coach Shannon Fraser didn’t want to take anything away from Warringah’s performance on the day.

“We lost concentration at crucial points in the game and failed to regain control. Missing out on points just before the break after working to get three A-zone set-piece possessions really affected our mindset and momentum going into the second half. They are opportunities you can’t miss at this time of year.

“Warringah are such a good attacking team that once you miss one tackle and they get in behind your D-line its hard to recover. They deserved the win and are firming as a genuine Premiership threat.”

All of which just leaves the Woodies, a team we have become used to seeing lead the way in recent years but who – thanks to Angus Sinclair’s efforts – can breathe a huge sigh of relief as they prepare for yet another finals series. While you can ask questions about what went wrong throughout the season to leave them in such a perilous position, you can’t deny that they got the job done when it mattered.

“We are really happy with how we held ourselves in the last three weeks coming off a tough time for the club,” explains barraging loose forward Jared Barry. “We set our sights on winning all three with a bonus point and giving ourselves every chance at making the finals.

“Coming off the field on Saturday after doing all we could, we heard over the loud speaker that Manly were up against Norths, and Warringah had put away Randwick. We were all extremely gutted – actually, we didn’t know how to feel. But as we now know, Norths gave us the opportunity to have a real crack at the finals.”

It’s one apiece between Uni and Eastwood in 2016. Who will claim the big one? – Photo: Serge Gonzalez

Where they will face Sydney University. The two Premiership heavyweights of recent seasons – they have lifted the last 11 titles between them – now unexpectedly face off in week one of the finals at Uni Oval No.2. Apart from their 2013 Grand Final defeat at the hands of the Students, Eastwood have held sway in this fixture in recent times, the win for Uni in round one of this year’s competition their first regular season win in seven years over the men from TG Millner. It’s officially 1 v 6, but neither side is seeing it that way.

“Uni at Uni is probably as daunting as it sounds but you have to beat everyone if we want to make it to the grand final,” says Barry. “We are really confident with how the team is looking at the moment, and also how well we finished the season. We know we can beat anyone on our day and we also know that teams don’t want to play us. We have shown in the last two or three years that we step up for the big games and this Saturday is as big as any for Eastwood.”

“This week is an enormous challenge,” confirms Tom Carter. “They are rightfully Premiership favourites and will be extremely tough to beat. They have brought back some very talented players in Cam Mitchell, Hugh Roach, Jared Barry and Damien Fitzpatrick, they have a great culture, a tremendous leader in Jai Ayoub, and the best centres in the competition. Whoever can beat them over the next three weeks will be very deserving Premiers – or at least alive within the competition.

“We will prepare like we have all year, work really hard and play for each other, and if we are good enough then that’s great but if we are not then that’s okay too, as long as we play for the past, present and future SUFC players. It will be a cracking fixture and one that should promote club rugby and the game itself, which is important.”

Souths and Randwick have fought out two tight contests, and two away wins in 2016. Will that be the case this Saturday? Photo: Malcolm Chuck

The second finals clash to take place this Saturday will see Southern Districts host Randwick at Forshaw Park, in a repeat of that round 16 fixture that looked set to push the Galloping Greens on to bigger and better things. But while they lick their wounds and prepare to go again, the Rebels go in to this one with the momentum of successive wins and the boost of a fervent support base behind them.

“We know coming up against the Wicks won’t be an easy challenge, especially given the close encounter we shared with them only a few weeks ago,” says Marcus Carbone. “They play a very expansive running game and will look to throw the ball around, and we are also wary of the impact that the return of their Waratahs players will have. However, we remain focused on our own performance and on controlling what we can, leading into the game. Finals rugby is a completely different ball game. I am confident in our personnel and can’t wait to take the field in front of a roaring home crowd.”

“It was a tough finish for us, outright 1st to 5th in two weeks,” admits Shannon Fraser. “But while we’re disappointed with the last two weeks, we have turned our attention to this weeks game against Southern Districts. They have finished the season strongly and will be tough at Forshaw, but we are not here to make up the numbers. We are good enough to go all the way and that’s the challenge.”

Norths have claimed the spoils twice over Warringah in 2016. Will it be third time lucky for the Rats on Sunday? – Photo: Karen Watson

Last but by no means least, an intriguing clash also awaits on Sunday, when a fast-maturing Northern Suburbs host a Warringah team buoyant from their own recent exploits. The Shoremen edged both contests during the year, 20-16 at Rat Park and 34-28 at North Sydney Oval, the venue for this clash. It has also been named as the venue for this year’s Grand Final instead of Concord Oval, a decision that dangles a major carrot in front of the noses of those in red and black, but creates a potential millstone around their necks at the same time.

Again, this one is simply too close to call.

“The good thing about these guys is they know they’ve done nothing yet, otherwise, we would have lost to Manly because they were thinking ‘We’re in the finals’,” says Simon Cron of his impressive young side. “As you saw in the fight they showed in the last 10 minutes, these guys know that anything bar winning the whole thing is irrelevant – that’s what they’re out to do. However, you can’t think past the game in front of you. They focused on Manly, got it done, and now we’ll focus on next Sunday. We compete to win, we don’t compete to come second, and you can see that in their eyes now.”

“Given the nature of the comp this year, we have been playing semi-final football against the top teams for the last six weeks, and have built good momentum leading into the finals,” says Hamish Angus. “We aren’t getting carried away. Norths are the form team in the comp winning 10 straight, and have threats across the park. It will be a tough ask at North Sydney Oval.”

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Eighteen weeks of delicious entrees have been served, now it’s time for the main course. I can honestly say I’ve never covered a more exciting, unpredictable and closely contested season of Intrust Super Shute Shield footy. We are left with six very evenly-matched sides, all of whom shape as a genuine contender.

Can you pick a winner?