Manly Marlins coach Chris Delooze knows his side’s best rugby is as good as any other side in the Shute Shield. 

Last year, Manly were at the pointy end of the Shute Shield ladder by the June long weekend, but faded from there and were knocked out by Norths in the preliminary final after winning just two of their last 10 matches.  

“We’ve just got to be better in the second half of the season,” Delooze told Rugby News.  

“We were better last year than we were in 2022, but we need to finish our seasons stronger than we have been. We’ve done a pretty thorough review and we think we’ve found a few ways to try and change that outcome.

“We finished second in the grade club championship so that shows that depth isn’t really our problem, we’ve just got to change our mindsets a little and potentially tinker with how we are playing tactically towards the end of the season.” 

Heading in to his second year in charge at Manly Oval, Delooze seems happy with his side’s prospects for 2024, despite losing star No.7 Zac Barnabas, who has returned to his junior club Warringah.  

“There’s been a fair bit of chopping and changing across most playing squads over recent months but I’m really happy with the continuity we’ve got in our playing group and in our coaching staff. 

“It’ll be nice to go into this season with a few new additions on both fronts. 

“We had a few players get a chance in the backrow in first grade at the backend of last season and they did a really good job, then we’ve got guys who are natural No.7s who all posses different strengths so I’m confident we will manage.”

While Delooze said his side wouldn’t be changing a great deal tactically, he did say there has been quite a bit of change at the club over summer, with a new club president in Matt Curll, a new general manager and new coaches across colts and the women’s program. 

“The place does have a bit of a fresh feel to it,” Delooze told Rugby News. 

“We want to really drive our connection to the local community this year and we think by applying a one club mantra and training as one big group as much as possible, we think we’ll be well positioned to do that. 

“We don’t just want to connect our grade program with our colts and our women’s programs, but also with our junior clubs and we’ve been talking to a lot of past Manly players to find new ways to do that.”

The Marlins will kick start their 2024 Shute Shield campaign with a joint trial with Warringah against the Waratahs at Rat Park on February 17 in a match that could see star Marlins and Tahs’ backrower Langi Gleeson line up against his club side. 

“The Waratahs are going to be fit, fast and furious at that stage of their preseason,” Delooze said. 

“I’m not sure what sort of side DC will play against us because they have other trials but it will be a great hit out and a great opportunity for our players to show what they can do and also get an idea of what it takes to make it at that next level. 

“It’d be great to see the two Langi brothers go head to head. If Langi does play for the Waratahs, I’ve got no doubt Ben will be right up for the challenge so that could be a matchup to watch. 

“We’ve got plenty of exciting young talent and a lot of them are ambitious and want to play at that next level so this match is a fantastic opportunity for them to get a taste of it.”