We’re halfway through the 2025 Shute Shield regular season and while the players and coaches enjoy a well deserved weekend off, we checked in with each club to learn a little more about their campaigns so far and what they are expecting in the back half of the season. 

Eastern Suburbs with Ben Batger – 1st: 39pts (8 wins, 1 loss)

How would you grade your first half of the season?

“I think we’ve had a really solid start to the season so I’d probably give us a B,” the coach of the defending premiers said. 

“Most weeks, we’ve only had four or first guys back from last year’s team so we have had to start from scratch to an extent, but the guys that have come in have been quick to adapt to our style and I can’t fault the effort. 

“We have snuck away with some wins at the death so we aren’t getting carried away by our ladder position but at same time you have to put yourself in positions to win games and we’ve been doing that, which is positive.”

Where do you need to improve?

“Honestly we need to improve in all areas but if I have to be specific, I’d say our attack, especially at set piece time and in the A Zone. 

“We also need to watch our discipline. We are averaging nearly one yellow card per game which obviously makes it more difficult to win.”

Which of your players has impressed you most so far this year?

“Otto Serfontein is a young centre who has come up from colts and has been excellent in his first year in grade. He’s really physical in the contact zones,” Batger said. 

“Robb Cobb, our loose head prop, has also been excellent and gets through a tonne of work. 

“Then I think some of our more experienced players like Chris Bell, Josh Bokser and Cooper Whiteside have been excellent in setting our standards, which helps when we’re developing a new team.”

Who is the team to beat?

“There are a number of really good teams,” the coach said. 

“The Rats and Eastwood both play really expensive rugby and can be difficult to stop and Hunter have been the benchmark all year, so I’ll say one of those three. 

“In saying that, there are teams outside of the top six that could just as easily be there at the end.”

Eastwood with Dave Telfer – 4th: 34 pts (5 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw)

How would you grade your first half of the season? 

“I’d give us a pass mark at this stage,” second-year coach Telfer told Rugby News. 

“We’ve had some good moments and we’ve had some poor moments which probably reflects how we sit in the middle of the pack at the half-way mark. 

“We haven’t beaten any of the sides above us and that is the challenge as we head into the second half of the regular season.” 

Where do you need to improve? 

“We need to improve our consistency in everything we do from our off-field stuff to the training field because that reflects on game-day. 

“If each of us, coaches included, take ownership and ensure we are accountable for our individual improvement, then that is all I can ask for as a coach.”

Which of your players has impressed you most so far this year?

“I’d like to think we have a number of players who have impressed the fans so far this year. 

“I really do feel we have a number of players who could step up into full-time contracts.

“When we, as a team, showcase this in the second half of the Shute Shield season,  I’ve no doubt we will have players get the opportunity at Aussie 7s or Super Rugby level.”

Who is the team to beat?

“You can’t go past Easts or Warringah. Defence wins championships and they are the two best defensive sides in the Shute Shield.”

Manly with Sam Lane – 10th: 16pts (2 wins, 7 losses)

How would you grade your first half of the season? 

“We’ve had a poor start,” Lane said.

“We had a number of new players who missed a fair chunk, if not all, of our pre-season and weren’t across our X’s & O’s as well as they could have been with more time together. It’s taken a while for those pieces to come together.”

Where do you need to improve? 

“We’ve got to improve in all areas of the game. But we have a lot of growth left in us which is the exciting part.”

Which of your players has impressed you most so far this year?

“The last few weeks as we have started to understand our systems a bit better, we are starting to see players come to life a bit who were probably struggling in those early rounds where we lacked a fair bit of confidence and cohesion. 

“I think a number of our guys will start to stick their hands up and show their talent as our confidence and cohesion builds.”

Who is the team to beat?

“Easts, should everything fall into place, will be hard to beat,” Lane said. 

“Those sides who get alot of quality back from Super Rugby and the MLR will obviously improve and I think the Rats have shown that they are probably the most dangerous side in the comp in transition. 

“Their back three are fun to watch when they get turnover ball.”