Warringah are your 2025 Shute Shield champions.

The Rats proved too strong for the reigning premiers at Leichhardt Oval, maintaining ascendancy for most of the game to secure their first title since 2017 and just the second in the club’s history. 

Warringah 37-24 Eastern Suburbs 

Heading into the 2025 Grand Final, Warringah were undoubtedly the underdogs, having finished second in the regular season and been without the opportunity to test themselves on the final stage for six years.

Meanwhile, Eastern Suburbs had fresh in their minds the knowledge of what it took to win last year’s big dance, however also carried the burden of the added pressure that came with defending their crown. 

Both sides felt each other out as the game roared to life, with the Beasties grinding out first points via the boot of Cooper Whiteside. But it was the Rats who looked most dangerous in the opening stages and played as though they knew points were imminent.  

A break from the combination of Ben Marr and Ben Woollett lead to the first five-pointer of the day, as quick recycled ball saw no.8 Chlayton Frans capitalise on the overlap with 14 minutes gone.

Warringah then continued to pile on the pressure, culminating in their second score through lock Keelan Whitman who took a clever inside ball from Charlie McKill to cross as the game reached the 30-minute mark.

A characteristic break from Henry Palmer then gave Easts their first real opportunity to score, as Darby Lancaster added his own individual brilliance to get his side back in the hunt. 

The one-cap Wallaby carried hard into the already stretched Warringah edge defence and was briefly grounded on the 22-metre line before quickly releasing and recycling the ball, getting back to his feet to bust through the would-be tackle of Tyson Davis for a free run to the line.

A Coby Miln penalty extended Warringah’s lead to seven points at the break, but the late score for Easts gave them a much-needed boost at half time.

That energy flowed through into the early stages of the second half, as Reon Lowery powered his way over under the posts from close range, as he has done so many times this season in the red, white and blue jersey.

Another three points from the reliable boot of Miln made it 20-17 with half an hour left to play, but bets could have gone either way for who was going to control the game in the championship minutes.

As the game entered the final quarter, the Rats were knocking at the door, rumbling through their forwards just inches from the Beasties line. Their patience finally paid off when replacement Malachi Tia found a gap next to the ruck, giving Warringah a 10-point buffer. 

But the Beasties weren’t ready to roll over just yet and turned to their ever-faithful maul to generate another converted try and bring them back within a single score at 24-27 with nine minutes to play. 

Warringah then went right back to basics and continued to build pressure deep in the Easts half, with fresh legs off the bench in Tevita Alatini no match for tired Beasties defenders, forcing his way over and all but sealing it for Josh Holmes’ men. 

The icing on the cake came in the dying minutes, as the Rats turned the ball over on their own 40-metre line, quickly shipping it through the hands to find Frans in space. 

Hollywood couldn’t have scripted a better ending, as the Player of the Match sprinted from the half to claim his second try and etch Warringah’s name on the Shute Shield for 2025.