Shute Shield, it’s a serious family affair
By Mark Cashman
The Shute Shield has always had a welcoming, almost family feel about it and our piece about the Wilson brothers Harry and Teddy, the sons of Wallaby great David, put this column into investigation mode.
It wasn’t quite a Kate McClymont ICAC forensic investigation, but it did bear some interesting fruit.
There are numerous sibling combinations at a number of the clubs and numerous other sons of famous fathers playing through the ranks.
Let’s start at North Sydney Oval and that cracking game against Eastwood that went right down to the wire last Saturday.
Click here to watch the highlights of all round six Shute Shield matches
Harry Wilson of course seems to have first dibs on the fullback jersey in what is shaping as a pretty good backline, while at Norths there is their skipper Harry Burey at inside centre and younger brother Max at fullback.
Throw on to that pile the fact that Jack Burey is Norths’ go-getting General Manager and you will agree with me that we are on to something here.
Don’t forget the Sinclair brothers though – Angus the very accomplished No.10 in first grade, Hugh continues to develop as a Super Rugby player at the Tahs while the youngest Hamish is a lock in twos.
At Coogee Oval there is the Harrison clan – Will plays at the Waratahs and had time on the field on Saturday against Gordon, Jack turned out for the Wicks reserve grade side at No.10 and dad Mark is the very hands on GM.
Gordon had the Fuavoa brothers – prop ‘Guns’ and centre Kevin – in their starting side on the weekend while scrum half Jacob Abel and hooker Robbie Abel, who came off the bench and is with the Waratahs, played key roles.
Last year the Highlanders also had the Goddard brothers Jordie and Harrison but that combination has been split with Harrison playing for the LA Gilitinis in the MLR in the United States.
Also at the Highlanders is lock Jack Margin, whose brother Hugh moved to Warringah this year to get more time in the top grade.
Eastern Suburbs have that brotherly feel about them too with the Donato siblings, opensider James and fullback Dan, regular top graders and the Maddocks boys Jack (he’s at the Tahs and sometimes Wallabies) and Will also about.
Father Peter Maddocks has been coaching director at Woollahra in past years but is having a change up at the moment and is coaching Randwick’s reserve grade side.
Teddy Wilson, son of David, in his first year out of The Kings School, is there too and is increasingly being used in the senior teams after starting the season in the colts.
Manly has always been famous for the family combinations with the Coxs and the Bergelins prominent.
Wallaby scrum half Brian Cox was the father of Marlins greats Philip and Mitchell while their mother Judy is a life member and a constant on the sideline both home and away.
Harry Bergelin is still one of the first backrowers packed in their Shute Shield side while Anthony played a heap of grade games and served as president until recently.
Their dad Bernie is one of the club’s legendary figures and interestingly named in one of the Manly v Warringah derby teams from the 1970s.
Over a 20-year period Bernie played 214 first grade games, was captain for a record 122 of those and appeared in two grand finals, both lost to Randwick in the 1970s and 1980s.
While we’re at the Village Green add to that list the Crerar brother Adam and Ben.
But perhaps the greatest of all referee Nathan Shute, the grandson of Robert Shute after who the competition was named.
Nathan controlled the The Kings School v Waverley College first XV game on the weekend and is not unfamiliar with the grade and colts ranks.
As you can see there are great family connection right throughout the competition which after six rounds seems to be getting into some sort of rhythm.
Sydney Uni and Norths remain the two teams yet to taste defeat but as we all know this competition isn’t a sprint and much can happen over the next four months.