John Manenti has won the minor premiership three years in a row with Eastwood.

by Brendan Bradford –

Eastwood coach John Manenti has a knack for producing talented halfbacks. Having already had three number nines snapped up by Super Rugby teams in the last three years, the Eastwood mentor says 2013 scrumhalf Shanin Proctor is ready for his first full season in first grade.

“Shanin played second grade last year, but got a taste of firsts too and it’s something he’s worked really hard at,” Manenti says.

Shanin Proctor is ready for his first full season in first grade with Eastwood

“He’s trialled well and he’ll do a very good job for us. If form tells you anything, after Chucky Stannard then Nic White and now Mick Snowden, maybe get some money on him being a Super halfback next year!”

Ravaged by injury and depleted by Super Rugby call-ups last year, Manenti’s charges still won the minor premiership before consecutive losses in the finals ended their title defence. In 2013, he’s hoping for a more settled line-up.

“It got a little hectic with injuries, especially towards the end of the year when we were playing with a few guys who probably hadn’t played a lot of first grade before that,” Manenti says.

“But without question we can take pride in topping the table – in some countries that’s the competition, first past the post. That’s just the way it happens and the year before we had a very good run with injuries which helped us a lot. It’s certainly not an excuse we were leaning on.”

One of the biggest blows to Manenti’s side in 2012 was the season ending pectoral injury to 57-test Tongan flyhalf Pierre Hola in round four. Hola – the man who kicked the winning penalty in the 2011 Grand Final against Sydney University – played half a trial match last weekend but still has some way to go before being ready for first grade football.

“He’s progressing well, but my attitude is that the Melbourne Cup isn’t until November, and we don’t have to peak at this time of year,” Manenti explains.

Jimmy Hilgendorf starts at flyhalf for Eastwood against Southern Districts this weekend

“It’s about getting him right for the back end of the season and getting some football into him, probably in the lower grades, before we see him back to the form he had this time last year and the year before when he steered us into a grand final win.”

Despite Manenti’s eye to the future, Eastwood will need to be on their game in the opening month of competition as they take on Southern Districts, Sydney Uni, Randwick and Manly. Former Rebels and Force utility Jimmy Hilgendorf will marshal the side at flyhalf in Hola’s absence while Hugh Perrett retains the captaincy and hard-hitting back-rower Gareth Palamo is back for another Shute Shield campaign.

“Jimmy’s a really good asset to have and it was only a couple of weeks ago that he was borderline for the Waratahs as cover for Berrick Barnes, so we’re certainly blessed in that department,” says Manenti.

“As for Southos, they’ll be very motivated by last year’s Grand Final loss and they’ve recruited well and are certainly churning out some effective front rowers – but with a bloke like Bladesy down there who just loves talking scrums, it’s not surprising. They’ll be strong.”

The ABC cameras will be at T.G. Milner for opening round clash between the Woodies and Southern Districts. Full team lists are below.

EASTWOOD V SOUTHERN DISTRICTS at TG Millner Field (ABC TV game, kick off 3pm)

Eastwood: 1 Marty Plokstys, 2 Hugh Roach, 3 Dylan Brass, 4 Steve Cummins, 5 Mitch Lees, 6 Sione Tau, 7 Hugh Perrett (captain), 8 Jared Barry, 9 Shanin Proctor, 10 Jimmy Hilgendorf, 11 Cam Mitchell, 12 Tyler Spitz, 13 Michael McDougall, 14 Nick Reily, 15 Lachie Turner.

Southern Districts: 1 Duncan Chubb, 2 Steve Fualau, 3 Tim Metcher, 4 Andrew Leota, 5 Dallas Pawley, 6 Mick Kauter, 7 Jono Hayes (captain), 8 Marcus Carbone, 9 Waldo Wessels, 10 Rohan Saifoloi, 11 Alex Gibbon, 12 Apo Latunipulu, 13 Denny Godinet, 14 Oleni Ngunguatu, 15 Paul Asquith.

Referee: Ian Smith

WARRINGAH V PENRITH at Pittwater Rugby Park (3pm)

Warringah: 1 Ben Kelly, 2 Luke Holmes, 3 Wayne Borsak, 4 Vincent Wright, 5 Michael Kovacics, 6 Sam Ward, 7 Mark Porpiglia, 8 Boyd Killingworth, 9 Joshua Holmes, 10 Hamish Angus (captain), 11 Michael Dalton, 12 Michael Adams, 13 Dylan Smouha, 14 Brad Dixon, 15 David Feltscheer.

Penrith: 1 Peter Niumata (captain), 2 Kerren Straker, 3 Heath Toon, 4 Tyrone Emelio, 5 Sione Fifita, 6 Suafai Soliola, 7 David Reopopoama, 8 Leo Burgess, 9 Paula Katoa, 10 Siaá Taveuveu, 11 James Umu, 12 Fokolulu Taumalolo, 13 Keori Okati, 14 John Maumau, 15 Wilson Silipa.

Referee: Richard Goswell

EASTERN SUBURBS V NORTHERN SUBURBS at Woollahra Oval (3pm)

Eastern Suburbs: 1 Clay Brodie, 2 Alex Walker, 3 Rob McMicken, 4 Keliti Vaingalo. 5 Richard Stanford, 6 Andrew Shaw, 7 Ryan Hodson, 8 Pauli Taumoepeau (captain), 9 Luke Irwin, 10 Henry Hudson, 11 Anton Lavin, 12 Tom Azar, 13 Elijah Niko, 14 Louie Taylor, 15 Angus Sinclair.

Northern Suburbs: 1 Nic Curtis, 2 Will Weeks, 3 Nick Lah, 4 Ben Matwijow, 5 Chris Thomson, 6 Sam Figg, 7 AJ Gilbert (captain), 8 Pat Sio, 9 Liam Walker, 10 Scott Daruda, 11 Blake Murray, 12 Kenny Niko, 13 Bill Meakes, 14 Peter Schuster, 15 Corey Brown.

Referee: Damien Mitchelmore

PARRAMATTA V SYDNEY UNIVERSITY at Merrylands RSL Rugby Park (3pm)

Parramatta:  1 Nick Blacklock, 2 Myles Hunkin, 3 Chris Seuteni, 4 Charlie Leaeno, 5 Evan Olmstead, 6 Andrew Cox (captain), 7 Rodney Ma’a, 8 Josh Kaifa, 9 Solomona Silipa, 10 Tom Woods, 11 Dan Yakopo, 12 Damien Fakafanua, 13 Iese Leota, 14 Lani Tiatia, 15 Moses Tavola.

Sydney University: 1 Alasdair King, 2 Matthew Mafi, 3 Sam Talakai, 4 Oliver Atkins, 5 Will Skelton, 6 Liam Winton, 7 Benn Melrose, 8 Tim Davidson (captain), 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Jock Merriman, 11 Levi Dodd, 12 Tom Carter, 13 Michael Hodge, 14 Fetuli Talanoa, 15 Nathan Trist.

Referee: William Houston

WEST HARBOUR V RANDWICK at Concord Oval (3pm)

West Harbour: 1 Aisea Namoa, 2 Murray Scoles, 3 Vaughan Lomax, 4 Alfred Pinomi, 5 Bradford Kapa, 6 Jono Midghall, 7 Cohen Masson, 8 Tom Games (captain), 9 David Osofua, 10 Shaun Treweek, 11 Tito Mua, 12 Winston Wilson, 13 Alofa Alofa, 14 Macquire Tatola, 15 Dylan Taikato-Simpson.

Randwick: 1 Faitotoa Asa, 2 Nio Halangahu, 3 Richard Aho, 4 Junior Taavili, 5 Bryce Speechley, 6  Tom Bennet, 7 Seilala Lam (captain), 8 Nathan Paella, 9 Harrison Boileau, 10 Toby Browne, 11 Ethan Ford, 12 Terrance Hepetema, 13 Tim Wright, 14 Sam Latu, 15 Mark Kotezcky.

Referee: Michael Hogan

GORDON V MANLY at Chatswood Oval (3pm)

Gordon: 1 Hugh Cropley, 2 Ron Hobden (captain), 3 Willy Maumalanga, 4 Lex Fairley, 5 Andrew Turner, 6 Luke Rissman, 7 Gordon Broome, 8 Seb Murphy, 9 Terry Preston, 10 Mitch Walton, 11 Vesi Tokalaulevu, 12 Tom Matthews, 13 Matt McDougall, 14 Michael Manners, 15 Richie Williams.

Manly: 1 Eddie Aholelei, 2 Andrew Collins, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 4 Ed Gower (captain), 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Andrew Davis, 7 Kotoni Ale, 8 Harry Bergelin, 9 Adam Crerar, 10  Sam Lane, 11 Jacob Woodhouse, 12 Peter Gilmore, 13 Brian Sefanaia, 14 Richard Hooper, 15 BJ Hartmann.

Referee: Andrew Lees