By Jonathan B Geddes

THE heat is on for the 12 Shute Shield clubs this Saturday with the intriguing scenario that all games have a bearing on the make-up of the top six.

With three rounds to play the competition is on a knife’s edge with seven teams still vying for four vacant spots in the finals.

A slip-up on the weekend could prove fatal for a team’s play-off aspirations.

Heading into Saturday’s games the ladder stands with Easts (69 points), Warringah (63), Wildfires (55), Eastwood (52), Randwick (50) and  Norths (49) making up the top six.

They are followed by Gordon (47), Sydney Uni (42), Two Blues (39), Manly (34), West Harbour (14) and Souths (8).

Only competition leaders Easts and Warringah have guaranteed their places for the finals.

The showdown between the two competition leaders on Saturday at Rat Park will be vital in determining the minor premiers.

As Rats coach Josh Holmes said: “If we don’t get the result we want we don’t change positions, but if we get the result we give ourselves the chance to finish first.”

Asked if Easts are competition favourites the coach replied: “You don’t win 11 straight and not be the team to beat.”

THE BATTLE OF COOGEE

THE stakes will be sky high when Randwick takes on Norths at Coogee Oval.

The loser will fall to seventh if Gordon beats Souths at Hurstville Oval – a result which would mean the Highlanders climb back in the top six.

A win could see Randwick climb to third spot while a Norths’ win could move to them to fourth.

It has been an intense week for Randwick coach Shaun Berne and Norths counterpart Zak Beer as they prepare their troops for this crucial battle.

“There is a lot on the line with all the teams bunching up around that fifth and sixth spot,” Berne told Rugby News.

“It shows how healthy a lot of teams are in terms of competing … it’s definitely an interesting comp.

“I think we’d all like to be sitting higher up the ladder – we’d all like to be in Easts’ and Warringah’s shoes.

“I’m not feeling comfortable right now with how it looks and where we sit but it is what is. We are excited by the opportunity that if we get three wins in the next three rounds we’ll be in there somewhere fighting in the finals series.

“If we lose a game or two we probably don’t deserve to be there. With three games to go you are just trying to win every game you can.”

And as Berne said: “The conversation changes again after this weekend.”

The Randwick coach has reminded his players what happened when the sides met in round six and Norths won 34-19.

“Norths did a really good job and took all their chances and we didn’t feel like we really fired a shot against them,” he said. “We definitely deserved to lose that day.”

Both sides have had a turnover in personnel since that game.

The Galloping Greens have been boosted by the return of former skipper Ben Houston who came off the bench in last Saturday’s win over Gordon after returning from the MLR in the US.

GREEN ENERGY

BEER’S soul focus has been on this game with the Galloping Greens.

“All my time and attention is now looking at Randwick,” Beer revealed. “Last week it was beating Eastwood, the week before it was beating Uni and the week before that it was beating West Harbour.

“I can’t control how many bonus points other teams get when they are playing each other and what their run to the finals looks like.

“Every game we have played over the last month has been the same. Luckily as a club we built a culture that stands up at this time of year. We are used to playing these sorts of games.”

He said this situation brings a sharpness to the preparation and the team has demonstrated that over their past three performances.

“Randwick have been successful the last couple of years and they will have high expectations of themselves,” Beer said.

PRESSURE EVERYWHERE

THE Wildfires will consolidate their third spot if they beat West Harbour in Newcastle, while a loss could see them drop to fifth.

Eastwood could climb to third if they beat Manly at TG Millner Field – or even fall to fifth if they are beaten.

It is the last throw of the dice for the Two Blues and Sydney University who play at Eric Tweedale Stadium.