By Jonathan B Geddes, Image Clay Cross

AFTER captaining Shore to their first GPS rugby title in 55 years last year, Marshall Le Maitre was primed to embark on his next challenge in 2025.

So he enrolled in the school of hard knocks, bypassing the usual pathway of Colts, and stepping up to play grade with Northern Suburbs.

After six rounds of the Shute Shield 18-year-old Le Maitre has made the Norths No.7 his own, demonstrating he can mix it with more experienced and battle-hardened forwards in the torrid physical exchanges.

It has been quite the effort, given the huge gap between schoolboy rugby and first grade.

Le Maitre turned in another eye-catching effort in Norths’ 34-19 win over Randwick at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.

“We know what Marshall was capable of and to be honest I don’t care how old the guys are – as long as they can nail their role, that is the most important thing,” Norths coach Zak Beer told Rugby News.

“Age only comes into it if they are not physically up to it – but Marshall is most definitely up to it physically.”        

READY, WILLING AND ABLE

LE Maitre was focussed on this career path, aiming to challenge himself against the best.  

“I always wanted to play grade, I didn’t want to play Colts,” Le Maitre said. “And I always wanted to play first grade, but it came kind of quick.

“It was about putting on size and playing good footy and hopefully I keep doing that.”

The Waratahs Academy member has no doubts that he has made the right decision.

“I love it,” he said. “I’m in a good team with older players who have helped me a lot and a good coaching staff.”

 Beer had no hesitation bringing the schoolboy star straight into the grade ranks.

“I would never put someone in when they weren’t ready,” Beer said.

“I think it was initially through injury he got the jersey in the first trial match he played – and he hasn’t let go of it.” 

Beer described Le Maitre as a power-based and speed-based athlete who could easily play in the backline if he needed to.

“Marshall still has a long way (to go) in terms of the ceiling he can get to and we are working on developing his game every week,” Beer said. “And I think you will see that over the coming seasons.

“In our system he just has to worry about nailing his role which he is doing really well at the moment.”

A NEWLY RENOVATED SIDE

THE win over Randwick was Norths most impressive display of the season. The foundations for the victory were a strong set piece, coupled with a committed defence – where Le Maitre featured prominently.

If they continue to build that momentum, Norths look set to give the competition a real shake again this season.

“It was good,” Beer said of the performance. “Building a team is never a straight line and we are far from the finished product and there is lot to work on.

“But it was pretty close to a complete Norths performance with a lot of guys in their first season donning the Norths jersey.”

After their heartbreaking grand final loss to Easts last year, Norths have undergone an off-season renovation with Beer as the architect.

 “We are a new side this year with new skill sets, a new profile, new strength – but what is important is that we keep our Norths DNA and the boys typified that today,” Beer said. 

“We really enjoyed the tactical game of chess coming into this game, watching how they have played the last few weeks. We had a super clear game plan and the boys absolutely nailed it.”

Norths (sixth) face a huge test this weekend when they travel up the M1 to take on second-placed Hunter Wildfires in Newcastle.