Shore prop Felix Harvison charged down a Scots’ clearance kick and scored late in a 33-29 victory to help Shore win its first outright GPS premiership since 1969.

Needing a victory to guarantee the outright title, Shore conceded a try to Scots in the 60th minute but fought back to seal the side’s sixth straight win and the GPS title.

“That finish wasn’t good for the nerves, that’s for sure,” first XV coach Angus Sinclair told Rugby News.

“It showed the character of the team though. We knew Scots were a dangerous team who were going to give it everything in their last game of the season, at home on Old Boys Day.

“We were probably a little bit off, but we fought really hard and that’s been the story of our season.

“Then to win at the end with a charge down. We talk a lot about NTR’s – No Talent Required – actions and that is one of those that we’ve tried to define ourselves by as a team.”

Shore couldn’t catch a break in the opening month of the season and lost three competition matches by five points or less in the first four rounds.

But after losing to Joeys 17-14 in a Thursday afternoon match in early June, Shore bounced back to beat Scots (22-17), Riverview (20-8), Kings (38-12) Newington (24-20), Joeys (36-24) and Scots again (33-29) on a six-match run that delivered the title to Northbridge.

“We had a really good trial period and won five from five games, then we had a few tight losses at the start of the season,” Sinclair explained.

“Our first game against Riverview where we lost five minutes into injury time really hurt, but the boys learnt some valuable lessons from those experiences and I think that set them up for the backend of the season.

“We were pretty fortunate with injuries this year and you need that sort of luck to win a competition, but we only had 19 players start in our 10 games and six of those boys are back next season.

“There is a good core group of them that have been shown the way and know how to do it now so it’s up to them to lead the team next season.”

Sinclair reserved special praise for Shore skipper and flanker Marshall Le Maitre who will finish his schoolboy career as one of the most dominant GPS players in recent memory.

Despite that, Le Maitre’s playing future is yet to be finalised and Sinclair said he hoped his talented flanker would stay in Sydney.

“This is his third season in the first XV and when he came into the side, Shore hadn’t won a game since 2016.

“He was in the side that won that first game, he was vice-captain last year and captain this year and I’ve honestly never seen a player that gives more for a side.

“Week in, week out he is just about the best player on the field and he’s just a special competitor. He doesn’t accept losing and whenever he’s on the field, I always think we’re a chance.

“I really hope that NSW and Australian Rugby jump on him and make sure that he stays in our game and in our state and develops into a really good professional rugby player.”

The premiership is extra special for 34-year-old Sinclair who is a Shore Old Boy and returned to coach his former school after winning a Shute Shield premiership with Northern Suburbs.

“Shore was reasonably successful when I was at school. They won the school’s last title when I was in year 10 in 2006 and we were in the mix for a few seasons after that.

“But from 2011 onwards, it’s been difficult. There was a period where Shore didn’t win a first XV game for five or so seasons so to be where we are now, it’s pretty special.

“To win both the first XV and third XV competition, a few years ago it seemed a long way off but there’s been a lot of people working really hard on and off the field for quite a while now.

“It shows what can happen when you combine the right coaching staff, S&C and medical staff with a really good bunch of boys who are tight and committed to the school and to each other.”