By MARK CASHMAN

Round Six of the Shute Shield has been run and won with Gordon, Sydney Uni, Eastern Suburbs, West Harbour, Randwick and Warringah recording victories.

Wests broke through for the first win of 2020 with a 22-19 victory over Manly while Easts remained in the hunt for a place in the playoffs with a gridding win over Northern Suburbs.

Here’s what happened across the competition over the weekend.

HUNTER WILDFIRES v GORDON at Newcastle No.2 Sportsground

Gordon underlined their premiership credentials once again with an eight tries to one and 50-7 win over the Hunter Wildfires in the 7TWO TV match of the round on Saturday.

It was the coming together of the coaching Coleman brothers – Darren and Scott – for the first time in a game that had a great back story and oodles of banter.

The game and all the banter probably panned out the way that I had expected with the Highlanders getting away to quite a substantial victory and the home side competing hard for the entire 80 minutes.

“It was a proud moment for the family,” Scott ‘Bubba’ Coleman said.

“I just wish we could have competed a bit better. I’m bitterly disappointed to be honest.

“At half-time we were in it and could have troubled them and maybe sprung an upset. You can’t fault our blokes commitment. It is just our execution at the moment.”

Shawn Ingle, the young South African born opensider was in everything, prop Dave Puchert pulled off a couple of big shots and carted the ball forward, while the Wildfires try scorer George Noa consistently got over the advantage line.

But three quick tries just after halftime really stacked the game in the Highlanders favour.

Older brother Darren said it was a great weekend in Newcastle that had been taxing on and off the field.

“The facility and organisation in and around the game were top shelf,” Coleman said praising what is happening with the game in the Hunter.

“Obviously personally pretty special to coach against my brother and have a big family event over the weekend.

“Hunter were a physically tough team. They whacked us regularly and have been the most physical team we’d played thus far.

“We actually have a quite a medical list to deal with on the back of the game.

“We got over for three quick tries after halftime to make it 43-7 and still yet to bring on a full fresh bench with regular starters so the score could’ve really blow out.

“Full credit to them – they never threw in the towel and we scored only one more try in the 80th minute.”

Darren added that it was a good opportunities for some non-regulars to get some big minutes in the top grade.

Ola Tauelangi, prop Bosco Tagaloa, flanker Jack Maguire were among Gordon’s best and are sure to cause some election headaches this week against a West Harbour side that has hit some form.

GORDON 50 (Jack Maguire 2, Brendan Mitchell, Harrison Goddard, Ellis Abrahams, Tautalatasi Tasi, Joshua Nercessian, Lucas Price tries; Rodney Iona 5 conversions) d HUNTER WILDFIRES 7 (George Noa try; Michael Moloney conversion).

EASTERN SUBURBS v NORTHERN SUBURBS at Woollahra Oval

The dream to make the playoffs is alive and well for Eastern Suburbs after their gritty 24-14 win over Northern Suburbs in blustery conditions on Saturday.

The Beasties came into this game in need of a win after what has been a faltering start to their season and their coach Pauli Taumoepeau would have been pleased with their endeavour and derring do.

The sat on eight points with only a single win from their four games – 11 points out of the top six – and really needed to get the show underway if they wanted to play in the post season games.

It’s not that they hadn’t been playing well but the results had not been coming and critical times in games had been let slip.

The win over Norths was far from being an easy run through with the game all locked up at 14-all at the halftime break but the Shoremen feeling some pressure at scrum time.

Easts held the whip hand for much of the second half and that was rewarded with a penalty goal from Daniel Donato who was good all game and then a try from centre Henry Paterson.

In the first half easts got out of the block early with a try to Dean Oakman-Hunt but Norths were able to get back into the contest and surged ahead with tries to Heinrich Brendel and Nathan Russell.

Norths front row stocks had been depleted following injuries against the Hunter Wildfires and Easts managed to stick a few scrums on them close to the halftime break in their own 22m.

The result was a yellow card to Jack Brewer and a try to the home side that set the tone for the territorial advantage Easts gained throughout the second stanza.

Easts coach Taumoepeau said the win was a vital one in light of how the competition table had been shaping over the first weeks of the season.

“I think we had to win that game given how the top end of the table is travelling,” he said.

“Norths presented some real problems for us to solve. They tested us in numerous areas and were able to pressure us into errors.

“They’re a solid team with good leaders and well coached.”

Norths coach Earl Va’a said his side had come away from the loss with some vital lessons.

“We just couldn’t stop them getting momentum from their pick and drive game,” Va’a said.

“There are no excuses from our side ion things because we knew that it was coming. We just need to look at how we can do things better.

“We got off to a slow start and the pressure started to come through the scrum and we didn’t manage it as we could have.

“Suffice to say that were from lessons from the game.”

Brad Hemopo continues to impress for Norths while on the other side Charlie Gamble was good for the Beasties.

EASTERN SUBURBS 24 (Dean Oakman-Hunt, Jeremy Williams, Henry Paterson tries; Daniel Donato 3 conversions, pen goal) d NORTHERN SUBURBS 14 (Heinrich Brendel, Nathan Russell tries; Angus Sinclair 2 conversions).

EASTWOOD v SYDNEY UNI at TG Millner Field

A two-try effort by fullback Tim Clements has helped Sydney Uni to a hard fought 36-26 win over Eastwood on Saturday.

The try count ended up being five to four in favour of the Students with the intensity of desperation of the contest underlined by the fact that four yellow cards were shown throughout the 80 minutes.

Nick Champion de Crespigny and Jack McCalman (Uni) along with Rhys Sheriff and Michael Icely (Eastwood) all spent time on the naughty chair.

Uni got a real surge midway through the first half when they racked up 22 unanswered points to run out to a 22-7 lead, but this match was never going to lie down quietly.

The Woods came back into it and pushed the score to 22-21 in favour of Uni but unlike last weekend against Souths the visitors managed to close this one out.

Uni coach Michael Hodge was pleased withy the manner of the victory in what has historically been a big game for both clubs.

“Really pleased with that win on Saturday. TG has always been a tough place for us. It was typical Eastwood v Uni battle and both teams had their moments,” Hodge observed.

“It wasn’t dissimilar to last week’s match against Souths actually, but this week we showed much better maturity and closed out the match.

“Tim Clements was again a standout, and it was our forwards who really set the platform for us in both attack and defence.

“It was an important win for us, as we head into the bye this week before taking on a much improved West Harbour side.

Eastwood coach Ben Batger said the side that had negotiated the conditions best got the spoils on Saturday.

“I think the result could have gone either way, but Uni probably played the conditions better and were able to execute in critical areas like set piece and their exits better,” Batger said.

“It was another great battle typical of these two clubs and a really high quality game of football.

“I thought both our wingers – Fabian Goodall and Lachlan Shelley – were dangerous while Willie Leoso really stepped up in the front row and has been a real surprise packet since joining us from Central Coast.”

Of some concern was the fact that they had to play one down for 20 minutes of the clash with Sheriff and Icely both yellow carded.

That probably reflected the intensity of the contest but I am sure that Batger would prefer to be fully manned for the entire 80 minutes in games of this magnitude.

SYDNEY UNI 36 (Patrick O’Doherty, Banjo Travers, Henry Clunies-Ross, Tim Clements 2 tries; James Kane 4 conversions, pen goal) d EASTWOOD 26 (Tim Anstee, Matthew Gonzalez, Fabian Goodall 2 tries; Tane Edmed 3 conversions).

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS v RANDWICK at Forshaw Rugby Park

Randwick have been quietly working feverishly away from the spotlight but it will be hard to ignore their premiership credential after their 34-5 win over Southern Districts on Saturday.

The Galloping Greens have been on top of the competition table for a number of weeks now but there was always that feeling that the draw had treated them kindly as they pulled together a wide range of talent.

But that will no longer be the case and their credential to contend after being a mid table side for the past couple of years, are more than legitimate.

From my count there were five members of their backline with professional rugby backgrounds and they seem to be playing well to a plan that makes the most of their undoubted talent.

They were helped on the weekend by the fact that Souths were hit by a number of game ending injuries with Phil Potgieter, Sam Harris and James Finch all being blue carded early in the game.

Isoa Nasilasila also had to quit the game with an ankle strain while the talented Liam Moseley had to come off after copping what looks to be a serious knock to his hand.

Randwick coach Ben McCormack scoffed at a suggestion from Gordon coach Darren Coleman that his side were the premiership favourites.

“DC is just deflecting from his well assembled team of stars. We’re just a team of battlers doing our best mate,” McCormack said.

“We were good yesterday, I didn’t think anyone played poorly, we were able to take Souths out of their comfort zone by quality field and game management from my 9, 10 and 12.

“Dave Horwitz and Kristian Jensen kicked astutely and consistently turned them around, they were very well supported by Tyzac Jordan at No.9 who was driving great energy and tempo.

“It was really disappointing to see a number of injuries on the day though, we lost Tiaan Tauakipulu in the first 10 minutes to what looks to be a season ending knee injury.

“I feel horrible for the kid, we lost another couple in the second half.

Souths coach Todd Louden gave credit where it was due on the day.

“Randwick started fast – we lost four players to concussion as well as two injuries – the perfect storm losing our scrum half after only eight minutes,” Luden said.

“None the less Randwick performed well and we couldn’t pull them in with the numerous changes and a hangover from last week.

“We didn’t manage the windy conditions at all either and their No.10 Dave Horwitz kicked very well.”

Will Latu and Nathan Lawson defended well in the midfield but losing as many forwards as Souths did didn’t help.

RANDWICK 34 (Kristian Jensen 2, Simon Kennewell, Triston Reilly, Maurice Longbottom tries; Dave Horwitz 3 conversions, pen goal) d SOUTHERN DISTRICTS 5 (Joe Cotton try).

WEST HARBOUR v MANLY at Drummoyne Oval

They’ve been close over past couple of starts but West Harbour broke through for their first win of the 2020 Shute Shield season on Saturday with a “warts and all” 22-19 win over Manly.

Wests have been in all of their games so far this season but have fallen away and conceded points in the championships minutes of the second half.

But that was far from the case against the Marlins on Saturday with their scrum a major weapon and they were able to claw their way back into the game when they fell behind midway through the second stanza.

The Marlins looked to have had the game in their keeping when their centre Hutana Coffin crashed over and it was converted by Harley Attwater to give the visitors a 19-15 lead.

But Francis Ieremia forced his way over for the critical score that was duly converted by Patrick Pellegrini who was one of the Pirates better players in the backline.

They then survived a number of surges from the Marlins including a rolling maul that it’s way over the try line but was ruled to have knocked on.

Wests coach Mark Gudmunson was a happy man in the wake of the victory.

“The most pleasing part was that we did not drop off for a period of the game like we have in the last few,” he said.

“When they got the lead back in the second half, we battled back and took back the lead again. That is something that we haven’t been able to do.

“They had opportunities late, but it was our desperation in defence and effort that stopped them, that was really pleasing.

“It does not get any easier with Gordon and Uni in the next two games, but we have had been close in each of our games this year and to get one over the line is the belief this team needed.

“Francis Ieremia and Pat Pellegrini were real standouts individually and Connor Chittenden just keeps getting better each week too. Our scrum was again a weapon for us.”

Manly coach Matt McGoldrick said Wests deserved to get the chocolates.

“West’s played really well to their credit. They controlled the ball, played the wind better than us and took their chances,” he said

“I’ve just finished the stats and we made 183 tackles to their 78. They just held the ball for long periods and frustrated us. Fair play to them.

“They turned over a stack of ball against the Rats the week before and just didn’t do it against us. It’s a funny old game sometimes.”

WEST HARBOUR 22 (Francis Ieremia Saufoi, Patrick Pellegrini, Tavite Gadeisuva tries; Pellegrini 2 conversions, pen goal) d MANLY 19 (Mitchell Tye, Hutana Coffin, Yool Yool tries; Harley Attwater 2 conversions)

PENRITH v WARRINGAH at Nepean Rugby Park

Warringah headed to the foot of the mountains with the goal of a solid bonus point victory over Penrith, and that was ultimately achieved, but the 49-17 scoreline didn’t really reflect what actually happened on Saturday.

Penrith came out of the blocks in fine style and were first to score with a penalty goal to centre Dean Blore and midway through the first half were ahead 10-5 before the Rats turned things around.

What followed for the Rats was eight tries – including doubles to Ben Marr and Ben Woollett – that put the game firmly in the visitors favour before the Emus’ good intent throughout the game was rewarded with a try to Riley Acorn that was duly converted by the more than handy Blore.

Rats coach Mike Ruthven said his side responded well to the pressure that the home side was able to mount in the first half.

“There was a bit of fools gold about our second half and we got a little lateral, trying to shift to space as opposed to creating space,” Ruthven said.

“We left some opportunities out there but we certainly didn’t have the same freedom we had in the first half.

“I thought our set piece was much better and really gave us some momentum to play off.

“I thought Sam Gleeson on debut was outstanding for us and Andrew Davies had another really strong game. We needed a solid bonus point win and we got that.

“It was refreshing to be back out at Nepean, the Emu Burgers were sensational, the hospitality was great and there are some great people involved out there doing a good job.”

Penrith coach John Muggleton said a 20 minute period at the end of the first half had brought the Emus undone.

“Through that 20 minute period we probably missed 10 tackles and the result was that they were able to score virtually at will,” Muggleton said.

“We actually led early but that period of the game just about blew us away which was unfortunate.

“At halftime I was able to get to them and make sure that they played to the game plan that we had in place and the result was that the second 40 minutes went their way only 10-7.

“At the end of the day we’re a lot smarter and closer to being where we need to be at to compete in the Shute Shield.”

Dean Blore continues to grow for the Emus while Jeremiah Nadurutalio on the wing and John Tuivati in the back row contributed to the home side’s effort.

WARRINGAH 49 (Rory Suttor, Mungo Mason, Tyson Davis 2, Ben Woollett 2, Ben Marr 2, Alex Fowles tries; Tom Halse conversion, Woollett conversion) d PENRITH 17 (Maciu Latbua, Riley Acorn tries; Dean Blore 2 conversions, pen goal).

WESTERN SYDNEY TWO BLUES had the bye

IMAGE: MARINA NEIL