Shute Shield’s 50 most influential players: 20-11
The June long weekend comes just over halfway through the 2023 Shute Shield regular season and we’ve now had plenty of time to take a look at all 12 sides.
So with no matches over the weekend, we thought we’d pull together a list of the 50 most influential players in the Shute Shield, based solely off their performances so far this season.
The list was compiled based on conversations with all 12 Shute Shield coaches and a number of key competition statistics.
To be eligible for the list, players must have played at least five of the 10 competition games so far this season.
- Ben Dowling – Randwick
After making his Super Rugby debut for the Waratahs earlier this year, former Aussie 7s gun Ben Dowling has been outstanding at fullback for Randwick. Dowling has speed to burn and ranks third for linebreaks and is in the top 10 for tackles breaks. He’s also a fantastic link player and has had a hand in some fantastic Randwick tries this season.
- Jack Bowen – Eastern Suburbs
Another that has split his time between Shute Shield, Super Rugby and the Junior Wallabies. When Bowen is in a Beasties’ jersey, Easts are a different side. He’s young and still has a few edges to smooth, but he’s unbelievably talented and looks set for a big future in professional rugby, if his performances in the Shute Shield this year are anything to go by.
- Aaron Blacklock – Manly
Manly have the best lineout in the competition and alongside lock Justin Mataele, veteran Aaron Blacklock is a big reason why. Blacklock is the most accurate lineout thrower in the competition with a 93.1% success rate. With other regular first grade hookers down in the 70s, it’s a massive advantage for the Marlins.
=16. Isikeli Fukofuka and Nick Dobson – Hunter
How many car trips back from Newcastle this year have been spent talking about the Wildfires scrum and lineout so far this year. The hunter props, Fukofuka and Dobson lead the best scrum in the competition and have a big impact at maul time. While they have plenty of other weapons, if Hunter win the comp this year, it’ll be on the back of these two and the Wildfires set piece.
- Luke Gersekowski – Northern Suburbs
Former Australian Schoolboys captain Luke Gersekowski is a quiet achiever but he’s got arguably the biggest motor in the competition. After joining Norths from Canberra over summer, Gersekowski has averaged close to 17 tackles per game, the most of any player in the competition. He’s also handy over the ball.
- Hunter Ward – Manly
While he’s only played seven matches so far this year, stopping him from featuring further up the list, young Manly backrower Hunter Ward has developed into one of the most dominant forwards in the competition. Ward has scored four tries in his seven matches and averages close to four tackle breaks a game. Another that looks destined for a long career in professional rugby.
- Enoka Muliufi – Eastwood
After regaining the additional kilos that he was told to lose in previous years, Woodies No.12 Enoka Muliufi has been back to his barnstorming best this season, constantly getting Eastwood over the advantage line. He is ranked second in the competition for tackle breaks, fifth for running metres and sixth for total carries. Put simply, he’s a player no one wants to tackle.
- Ben Marr – Warringah
While Warringah’s season hasn’t quite gone to plan, Ben Marr has remained the best player on the field in almost every match he’s played since returning from a season with the Aussie 7s. Despite playing only eight of 10 matches so far this year, Marr ranks in the top five for carries, running metres and tackle breaks and deserves a crack at Super Rugby.
- Andrew Tuala – Hunter
The linchpin of Hunter’s near impossible to stop driving maul, Hunter prop/hooker Andrew Tuala is another Wildfire who looks to be in career best form. Now 32, the former Waratahs forward has oodles of experience and class and is a big reason why Hunter find themselves at the pointy end of the Shute Shield ladder.