by Paul Cook –

The devil is in the detail as they say, and while rugby is the ultimate team sport, it’s good to shine the spotlight on some of the individual achievements that form a part of every team’s success along the way. Hence, the return of ‘Hot Shots & Pie Baggers’, your weekly guide to the leading try-scorers and points-scorers in the Intrust Super Shute Shield.

Which kicker’s radars are permanently on song and which players are sniffing out meat pies like they’re going out of fashion? Well, after five rounds of the 2016 competition there are already some hungry young try machines setting the pace, and sharing top spot with six apiece are Uni’s Jake Gordon and the Manly duo of Richard Hooper and Josh Turner.

Photos: AJF Photography & Adam MacDonald

After missing out in round one, Gordon has found the chalk in each of the last four matches, including doubles against both Manly and West Harbour. Not bad for a halfback. Turner too has been Mr Consistent, the young Kiwi flyer crossing in three of the Marlins’ five games, including a hat-trick at Chatswood Oval in round three. However, he couldn’t find the line in last week’s 79-5 demolition of Penrith, a game that saw both Hooper and Peter Gilmore bag a four-try haul, lifting Hooper into our top three.

Breathing down their necks are Eastwood’s Cohen Masson and Parramatta’s Tyrone Viiga with five meat pies and then a host of players on four – Gilmore and fellow Marlins Tim Donlan and  Dennis Pili-Gaitau; Randwick’s Ned Hanigan; Easts’ Jack Maddocks; Eastwood’s Michael McDougall and finally, Uni pair Matt Narracott and Angus Roberts. Which leads us to overall points.

Photos: AJF Photography / Karen Watson / J.B Photography

Because off the back of his try-scoring feats, it is fullback Roberts who has a clear lead in the race for the Roscoe Fay Trophy. The former Melbourne Rebel has been in sublime form early doors for the Students with his kicking boots firmly in order as he racked up an impressive 21 conversions, 10 penalties and 92 points. His absence will be keenly felt from the Uni line-up this weekend.

Behind him, there is a chasing pack led by Southern Districts’ impressive wing and ball-striker, Matt Teki (62pts) and another talented Kiwi in West Harbour pivot Tayler Adams (61pts). Both can also include try-scoring capability in their résumé – they’ve shared four so far this year – and have helped drive their teams towards 2nd spot (Souths) and three successive wins (Wests) respectively.

Hanging on their coat-tails is the equally impressive Andrew Deegan (60pts), a no.10 who has already offered up plenty of examples of his talent in guiding Randwick around the paddock and into top spot, and he is closely followed by Manly’s classy left-footer Sam Lane (59pts), who sits only a point behind. Next up is Easts’ Archie King (51pts), Warringah’s previous Roscoe Fay winner Hamish Angus (42pts) and Eastwood’s star flyhalf Jai Ayoub (42pts), who would undoubtedly be higher up the rankings if he hadn’t spent the last two weeks on international duty with Croatia.

Round 5 Most Tries:

4 – Richard Hooper & Peter Gilmore (Manly) vs Penrith

Round 5 Most Points:

23 – Tayler Adams (West Harbour) against Sydney University

Most Points in a Single Game in 2016:

28 – Angus Roberts (Sydney University) against Manly – Round Four