By MARK CASHMAN

The race is on for the top six and a crack at the Shute Shield in all the big end of season games.

In this topsy turvy season complicated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic who are the teams most likely to finals footy come October?

There are five rounds left before the playoffs begin and the even-ness of the competition is underlined by the fact that there are only a handful of wins from first place until sixth and nine teams still have a mathematical chance to make the grade.

Here’s how your club is sitting as we head into Round Nine and the job they have to do before season’s end.

GORDON

Currently First on 35 points

Despite their front row problems of late it’s hard to see Gordon finishing out of the top two which will have them nicely positioned for a tilt at the premiership. This weekend’s game against Souths will set the agenda for the rest of the year and their clash with Sydney Uni at Chatswood will tell us about their ‘street cred’.

v Southern Districts at Chatswood Oval

v Northern Suburbs at Chatswood Oval

v Sydney Uni at Chatswood Oval

v Penrith at Nepean Rugby Park

v Eastwood at TG Millner

SYDNEY UNI

Currently Second on 31 points

Uni’s only loss came in the 87th minute of their game against Southern Districts against a side that was far from full strength because of a Covid-19 scare the week before. They are playing a great brand of footy and will welcome back a selection of Super Rugby stars at some stage. hard to see them finishing outrun of the top two. Always a contender.

v Eastern Suburbs at Woollahra Oval

v Randwick at Uni No.2 Oval

v Gordon at Chatswood Oval

v Northern Suburbs at Uni No.2 Oval

v Two Blues at Lidcombe Oval

v RANDWICK

Currently Third on 30 points

The Wicks have a tricky draw to contend with and have a bye week thrown in there where they won’t be ticking over the points. Still they have the points in the banks and if they can sneak a result or two against Norths and Uni they can stay pithing the top four. That will be a distinct advantage as they search for that second chance in the finals.

v Northern Suburbs at Pittwater Rugby Park

v Sydney Uni at Uni No.2 Oval

v Manly at Coogee Oval

v  BYE

v Eastern Suburbs at Woollahra Oval

NORTHERN SUBURBS

Currently Fourth on 29 points

Norths have probably been the surprise pack of the front end of the competition banking points just about every week and only losing the one game in the first eight round – to Eastern Suburbs at Woollahra. Critical games appear each week from now on in as they take on teams higher on the log then the Shoremen. They will need to get results against Gordon and also Uni as well as finishing off well against Warringah to remain in the top four.

v Randwick at Pittwater Rugby Park

v Gordon at Chatswood Oval

v Southern Districts at Pittwater Rugby Park

v Sydney Uni at Uni No.2 Oval

v Warringah at Pittwater Rugby Park

EASTWOOD

Currently Fifth on 27 points

Injuries have started to cut into their ranks a bit with the likes of Michael Icely and lachlan Shelley out for the season with broken bones. That said they have some depth and a real emerging super star in the national sevens star Tim Anstee. All their games will be played at TG Millner and from my reckoning they are a 10 pointy better side there. The bye will hurt but they are capable of finishing anywhere from fourth through to sixth.

v Manly at TG Millner Field

v Penrith at TG Millner Field

v BYE

v Warringah at TG Millner Field

v Gordon at TG Millner Field

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS

Currently Sixth on 25 points

Souths are a young side that has been hit by a multitude of injuries yet they are still in there swinging and sitting in sixth place on 25 points. Of their starting pack at the start of the competition there are only four left and they are now a side that teams get up for to play. Their draw isn’t torturous by any lengths and they could well sneak in – either way they will be a real player in the Shute Shield in 2021.

v Gordon at Chatswood Oval

v Hunter Wildfires at Forshaw Rugby Park

v Northern Suburbs at Pittwater Rugby Park

v Manly at Forshaw Rugby Park

v West Harbour at Drummoyne Oval

EASTERN SUBURBS

Currently Seventh on 22 points

Easts started the season pretty patchily losing games that many people thought that they should win easily. But they have come together over the last three rounds to come within three points of sixth place. Big test against Sydney Uni this weekend and a game that is pivotal to their hopes. The rest of their games are far from landmines and they could be very well positioned  come the middle of October. Great work out the week before the finals with the Beasties hosting Randwick in the big eastern suburbs derby. Capable of finishing as high as fourth in my mind.

v Sydney Uni at Woollahra Oval

v Manly at Manly Oval

v Penrith at Woollahra Oval

v Two Blues at Lidcombe Oval

v Randwick at Woollahra Oval

MANLY 

Currently Eighth on 20 points

The Marlins can mathematically make the finals but it must be said that they haven’t until last weekend been a side that looks anything like a finals side. The game against Eastwood at TG Millner this weekend is critical and then they go a run that includes Easts, Randwick and  Souths before the dreaded last round bye kicks in. This may not be their year after a season of changing a lot about the way they play their game.

v Eastwood at TG Millner Filed

v Eastern Suburbs at Manly Oval

v Randwick at Coogee Oval

v Southern Districts at Forshaw Rugby Park

v BYE

WARRINGAH

Currently Ninth on 17 points

You’d get good odds about the Rats making the finals and I’ve got to be honest when I say that they bye this weekend probably kills off any chance of them being anywhere near the finals in 2020. Still they are very good side that has a lot of points in them and will come aaswya from the 2020 as a stronger and more cohesive unit.

v BYE

v Two Blues at Pittwater Rugby Park

v Hunter Wildfires at Newcastle No.2 Sportsground

v Eastwood at TG Millner Field

v Northern Suburbs at Pittwater Rugby Park

IMAGE: AJF PHOTOGRAPHY