By Jon Geddes

MANLY assistant coach Damien “Turtle”  Cummins has described Saturday’s crucial showdown with competition leaders Gordon at Chatswood Oval as his side’s biggest test of the season so far in what will be a brutal round for some Shute Shield teams.

Rugby News has done the sums and can reveal this Saturday’s six clashes carry big ramifications for every club’s finals hopes and each result will be crucial in what will be an intriguing game of snakes and ladders.

That includes the Highlanders and Marlins, who currently sit in first and third spots respectively on the Shute Shield ladder.

A victory could see Manly leapfrog the Highlanders and Hunter to claim the No.1 spot, while a loss has the potential for the team to tumble to fifth.

Gordon also face the possibility of dropping  as low as fifth if they are beaten.

“It’s pretty brutal, isn’t it?” Cummins said.

And the wise old warhorse “Turtle”, who has vast experience as both a player and coach, well knows the challenge his side faces against the competition frontrunners.

Manly’s task has been made more difficult due to a flu outbreak which means they won’t be able to finalise their team until Saturday morning. 

“Gordon are the team to beat, absolutely,” Cummins said.

“They are seven (wins) from nine, have won four on the bounce and are knocking off teams very impressively.

“They have a big forward pack with a good set piece and when they get into your 22, they punish you. They know what they are doing, they are well organised.”

TACKLING THE ISSUES

THE Marlins have been working hard this week on countering Gordon’s strengths.

“Obviously we have to match them in the set piece,” Cummins said.

“We have to improve defensively – we are doing well at scoring points but are just having some defensive lapses.”

He said in last week’s win over Souths the team conceded some tries that came down to attitude more than anything else.

“It’s not because they don’t know how to defend or they don’t know the system,” Cummins said.            

He said the clash will give Manly a good gauge as to where they are at just over halfway through the minor premiership.

“They (Gordon) were grand finalists last year and they pretty much started this season where they left off,” Cummins said.

“Except for the first round against Souths (when they were beaten 16-7) they are racking up points.”

He said they found a way to win last week against Hunter when they were down 14-0 at halftime before coming back to snatch a 22-21 victory.

“They know how to win, that’s for sure,” Cummins said.

Manly are also progressing nicely and will be chasing their fourth win on the trot.

“There are a lot of new faces, so that is always tough,” Cummins said. “And we have a new head coach in Chris (Delooze) who does things differently.

“The club seems to be humming, we have good numbers and everyone is smiling and enjoying themselves so that is a pretty good barometer.”

Key players for Manly will be their in-form backrower Zac Barnabas and flying winger Yool Yool, who has got all his confidence back and is really fulfilling his potential.

THE UPS AND DOWNS

THERE IS plenty at stake for  all current finals contenders in the other five games.

The various scenarios include:

Hunter (second) could reclaim top spot or drop fifth when they play Easts in Newcastle.

Eastwood (fourth) could climb to second  or drop to sixth depending on the outcome of their game with  Sydney University at TG Millner Field, while the Students could sneak into the top six.

Similarly, Norths (fifth) could also jump into second spot or drop to sixth after their game with West Harbour at Concord Oval.

Randwick (sixth) have the possibility of going into fifth place or even dropping as low as eighth when they take on Souths at Forshaw.

And the Two Blues (eighth) have a chance to grab sixth spot if they can beat Warringah at Granville.

As if the Shute Shield coaches didn’t have enough to worry about already.