Hunter lead the Shute Shield competition after five rounds following their fourth win of the season. Elsewhere, Norths claimed bragging rights over Gordon in the North Shore derby and Warringah claimed their first win of the season. 

West Harbour also struck late to beat Manly, Sydney Uni outlasted Randwick and Eastwood were too good for Souths. Catch up on all the action from the weekend below. 

Norths 23-17 Gordon

Norths hooker James Margan scored the try every No.2 dreams of scoring, to set up a 23-17 victory over Gordon in the first North Shore derby of the year. 

With the match in the balance at 16-10 in the 73rd minute, Margan threw a short lineout to Saxon Gillies on Gordon’s 22 metre line. He then received the ball back and broke four tackles in the five metre channel to score in the corner. 

Trailing 6-3 late in the first half, Gordon scored the first try of the match when Tristan Fuli barged over from close range in the 37th minute. 

Norths regained possession shortly after the restart though and added a third penalty goal to take a 10-9 lead to half time. 

10 minutes into the second half, Gordon coughed up the ball inside their own half. Norths quickly spread the ball to winger Reece Mau’u who slid over in the corner to put the home side up 16-10. 

Margan then claimed his five pointer in the 73rd minute and Jude Gibbs converted the try from the sideline to extend Norths’ lead to 23-10. 

Gordon crossed through centre Barrie Karea in the 78th minute to give the travelling fans hope of a comeback, but a mistake in their own half just after the full time siren ended the match at 23-17. 

The Shoreman sit second on the ladder on 20 competition points, four ahead of Gordon in third. 

West Harbour 16-14 Manly

West Harbour continued their unbeaten start at the new Concord Oval with a gritty 16-14 victory over Manly. 

The Marlins started quickly and crossed through lock Byron Leach in the 4th minute after launching an attack from the back of a five metre lineout. 

West Harbour hit back with a penalty goal, then took an 8-7 lead to the half time break after Josh Brown scored from a lovely long ball from Hunter Hannaford. Hannaford hit Brown on an overs line and Brown showed class to finish in the corner. 

The Pirates should have extended their lead early in the second half but two referees both claimed they couldn’t see what appeared to be a pretty obvious grounding. 

Hunter Hannaford kicked a penalty goal minutes later though to extend the home side’s lead to 11-7. 

Midway through the second half, Hunter Ward put Manly back in front after sniping from the back of a solid five metre scrum to give the visitor’s a 14-11 lead. 

West Harbour refused to go away though. From a lineout 15 metres from their line, the Pirates forwards set up a solid maul and showed great patience to slowly creep towards Manly’s line. They crossed after close to a minute and took a 16-14 lead. 

Manly attacked in the closing stages, but West Harbour’s defence held strong for the third time this season at Concord Oval. 

Sydney Uni 21-14 Randwick

Sydney Uni bounced back from a disappointing loss last week to beat Randwick 21-14 in a tough and tight affair at University Oval. 

No.8 Papillon Savele opened the scoring for the Students with a pick and go try off the back of a dominant Sydney Uni five metre scrum.

Randwick responded with their first real attacking opportunity though, scoring from a maul to level the scores a 7-a piece at half time. 

Uni pushed ahead 10 minutes into the second half when Simon Kennewell showed great speed and strength to score off a Connor O’Shea inside ball. 

But Randwick again responded. With a Uni player in the bin, the Galloping Greens produced a lovely set piece play to put centre Zac Carr in space. A few phases later, flyhalf Coby Miln kicked cross field to an unmarked Christian Yassmin to level the scores again. 

Sydney Uni moved the ball deep into Randwick territory shortly after the ensuing restart. 

While Randwick initially repelled Uni’s maul, the Uni forwards battered the Randwick defensive line before replacement hooker Bryn Edwards ran a lovely line to score untouched next to the posts and seal a seven point victory. 

Uni now sit sixth on the ladder on 13 competition points, one spot and one point of Randwick in seventh. 

Warringah 15-13 Eastern Suburbs

Warringah produced a gusty performance to beat Easts 15-13 at Rat Park and claim their first win of 2023, while handing the Beasties their third loss on the run. 

It didn’t start well for the home side though. Easts kicked an early penalty goal and led 10-0 after six minutes following a try to hooker Julien Heaven courtesy of a nice cut out ball from No.9 Jonny Van der Velde. 

Warringah appeared desperate to get their season back on track though. 

On the back of a dominant scrum on the halfway line, the Rats spread the ball to winger Esera Chee Kam who was tackled just short of the try line. 

Prop Martin Mulhall then produced his second big effort in less than a minute and broke two tackles to score near the posts and reduce his side’s deficit to 10-7 at half time. 

Both sides kicked penalty goals in the second half, pushing Easts lead to 13-10. 

Warringah had the chance to level the scores in the 67th minute but turned down a penalty opportunity in front of the posts. Instead the Rats’ forwards took a tap and battered the Beasties line. Eventually, Warringah spread the ball and Ben Marr scored out wide. 

The Rats then controlled territory in the final 10 minutes to secure a vitally important 15-13 victory. 

Despite a near disastrous opening month to the season, Warringah are only a bonus point victory out of the top six. 

Easts have now lost three straight matches and face Sydney Uni, Gordon and Norths in the coming weeks. 

Hunter 33-32 Western Sydney

In just their fourth season, the Hunter Wildfires lead the Shute Shield competition following their fourth win from five matches this year. 

The Newcastle side scored in the 78th minute to steal victory from an impressive Western Sydney side, in a seesawing battle with six lead changes.

Hunter started well and led 12-3 after 25 minutes following a try to fullback Nate de Thierry and a second from a driving maul.

The Two Blues hit back quickly though, scoring through lock Paula Waqa, then winger Taliki Nadredre and added a penalty goal to lead 18-12 at half time. 

The home side extended their lead early in the second half when Jay Fonokalafi scored off a lovely short call from Jaycob Matiu and led 25-12 before Hunter wrestled back momentum. 

The Wildifires scored from their maul first, then took a 26-25 lead when Nick Murray backed up a Tiueti Asi break. 

Two Blues centre Sitiveni Moceidreke scored in the 72nd minute from a nice backline play to put his side ahead again, but Hunter had the last laugh. 

The Wildfires worked their way deep into Two Blue territory and eventually crossed near the posts through forward Morgan Inness to claim a 33-32 victory. 

Eastwood 30-16 Southern Districts. 

Two second half tries to recent Super Rugby debutant Michael Icely proved the difference in Eastwood’s 30-16 victory over Southern Districts. 

The Woodies opened the scoring through winger Daniel Ala who barged over from close range several phases after an Eastwood five metre scrum. 

The two sides exchanged penalty goals before Souths hit back against the run of play. Rebels flyhalf Will Thomas pressured his opposite number in defence and caused a mistake. He toed the ball through for Sam Tabuatamata who scored to give Souths an unlikely 13-10 lead. 

But that good work was quickly undone on either side of the half time break. Souths failed to get numbers to the breakdown and conceded two penalties while on the attack to gift the Woodies two penalty goals and a 16-13 lead. 

Michael Icely then crossed for the first of his two tries in the 56th minute, then again 10 minutes later to set up a match winning 30-16 lead. 

The Woodies are eighth on a congested Shute Shield ladder, four points ahead of Souths in 11th.