Experienced Gordon lock Jack Margin says the Highlanders are heading into their big Easter Saturday showdown against Warringah at Chatswood Oval with their eyes wide open.

The Highlanders are two from two at this early stage of the Shute Shield and sit in second spot on the table, but see the game against the Rats, their first home game of the season, as a real test of where they are at.

Margin, who played a key role in the last round win over Southern Districts, believes Warringah have evolved nicely from the heady days of Sam Ward, the Holmes brothers and others.

“They are always tough no matter what time of the season you come up against them and they still have that solid core of experience,” Margin said.

“They have guys like Tyson Davis and Seb Wileman in their midfield and there is a collection of young guys coming through like the Clift brothers and Fred Fewtrell in their pack.”

The pandemic and the atrocious Sydney weather have meant that this will be one of the first times that the Highlanders have been on the green grass of Chatswood Oval in 2022.

“Over the past six weeks I think we have had a total of two sessions on grass and Thursday night was scheduled to be the first time that we have been Chatswood Oval this year,” Margin said.

“But we are feeling good about where we are at and looking forward to playing at home.”

There is also the not so small matter of coming up against his younger brother Hugh who will play on the blindside of the scrum for the Rats.

Margin said the win over Souths last weekend was evidence of the side maturing and the effect that Waratahs squad member Mahe Vailanu can have at Shute Shield level.

“When you factor in he was coming off a COVID isolation it was quite a performance,” Margin added.

“His time in LA with the Giltinis and the Waratahs have really added to set piece expertise and if we get to play with him later in the year he will be a real asset.

“Souths really bullied us when they played us in the trials so in some ways we knew what was coming.

“Everyone in the rooms after that game felt that it was a hell of a lot closer than the 44-22 scoreline suggested.”