By SAM RYAN

The 2020 Shute Shield season has been like no other. 

We welcomed back Newcastle and Penrith into a 13-team competition, kicked off in mid-July after the longest pre-season on record and will crown a champion on the final day in October, when most of us are used to being on a beach or watching horses lose by a nose in Melbourne.

But despite all that, the rugby has been nothing short of brilliant and with three weeks remaining, we’re left with six teams who would all fancy their chances of celebrating at Leichhardt Oval on October 31.

Gordon have been the form team all season, dropping just one match to Norths in a brutal local derby in Round 10.

But behind the Stags, just six competition points and just one loss separates the next five challengers as we headed into Week One of the finals.

In short, it’s anyone’s title at this point and you won’t have to look far to find a punter convinced that their side will and should win the premiership in two weeks time.

GORDON

Why they can win: 

The Stags are the team to beat on paper, with 11 bonus point wins from 12 matches so far this season. They’re averaging 6.6 tries per match, miss fewer tackles than any other side in the competition and cause the most turnovers per match, by quite some way.

Why they can’t win: 

Gordon have a number of experienced rugby players scattered throughout their starting XV, but as a side, the Stags have little to no experience at this point of the season. After such a brilliant regular season, Highlanders fans want a title and that type of pressure can do funny things to a team come finals time.

EASTERN SUBURBS

Why they can win:

Despite welcoming back a number of Super Rugby stars in recent weeks, the Beasties have somehow managed to fly under the radar. An 81-24 win over Randwick that saw Easts jump from fourth to second put an end to that though and the Beasties come into the finals on the back of eight straight wins. Momentum, strike power and belief, Easts are well and truly in the mix.

Why they can’t win:

The Beasties set piece has been their Achille’s Heal in recent years and could cost them again in the coming weeks. By the numbers, Easts have the poorest scrum and lineout of the six remaining sides, something they’ll need to overcome if they want to play their way in to a grand final.

NORTHERN SUBURBS

Why they can win:

Norths are a side that know how to win matches at the pointy end of the season and while they might be missing some of the names that led them to that famous 2016 premiership, the Shoreman showed they can play tight, hard rugby in an impressive win over Gordon in Round 10. They’re also the only team to take it to the Stags and celebrate afterwards this season.

Why they can’t win:

Like Easts, set piece could be a problem for the Shoreman. The Sydney Uni forward pack taught Norths a lesson at scrum time earlier this month and it’s hard to see Norths playing late into the finals if they can’t turn that around quickly.

EASTWOOD

Why they can win:

While Eastwood haven’t scored as many points as Gordon this year, the Woodies attack is arguably the most potent in the competition. Eastwood lead the competition in carries, metres gained and clean breaks plus they hold possession on average for close to two minutes more than any other side in the playoffs.

Why they can’t win:

The final round’s tight loss to Gordon didn’t help Eastwood’s road to the grand final. After spending most of the season at the pointy end of the ladder, the Woodies will now need to beat an in-form Easts side in Week One to keep their season alive and will then most likely need to beat Gordon a week later to book a spot in the decider. Discipline could also hurt Eastwood. They’ve averaged almost one yellow card per game this season.

IMAGE: SERGE GONZALEZ / EASTWOOD RUGBY

• This is an edited version of a story that appeared in the Rugby News program published last weekend