We’re a month out from the start of the 2023 season and the Shute Shield rumour mill is in overdrive. 

While most sides are still yet to play their first trial match, we’ve spoken to all the clubs to get an idea of how their seasons are shaping up. 

Rugby News will publish a more detailed season preview with each coach in the weeks ahead, but for now, here’s what we know about each Shute Shield side ahead of the 2023 season. 

Eastern Suburbs – 9/10/12 combo could help Beasties break Shute Shield drought 

It’s been a long time between drinks at Woollahra Oval and Easts’ fans are desperate for first grade success. 

If the form of scrumhalf Teddy Wilson, flyhalf Jack Bowen and inside centre Mosese Tuipolotu in last weeks’ Waratahs A win over the Brumby Runners is anything to go by though, Beasties fans have lots to look forward to. 

Wilson and Bowen will miss part of the season with the Junior Wallabies and Tuipolotu looks ready for Super Rugby. But if they all meet up back at Woollahra come finals time, Easts will be tough to beat. 

Eastwood – New look Woodies will be fit and dangerous late in the season

Eastwood have lost five first graders from last year to contracts overseas and a number of other young stars will spend a good portion of the season playing Super Rugby. 

That opens the door for the club’s next generation, many who have spent several seasons developing in Eastwood’s vastly improved colts program. 

One thing we do know, is that the Woodies’ big men are going to be fit and spent a good portion of the summer showing up the ‘pretty boy’ backs in the gym and on the training park.

Gordon – Stags hoping youth can mix with experience 

Like Eastwood, Gordon will also be relying on lower grade players and colts to push into first grade this season. 

Fortunately, those players have now been part of a successful system at Chatswood Oval for two or three seasons and know exactly what coach Billy Melrose expects of them. 

Melrose is also one of the better recruiters in Sydney club rugby and will likely find a gem or two to plug any holes in his squad. 

Hunter – Wildfires backline is stacked

Before injury struck, Hunter had arguably the most dominant midfield in the competition in the pairing of Luke Nadurutalo and Nafi Tuitavake. 

After years of trying, Bubba Coleman has now managed to add former Gordon gun Alex Pohla to his backline. Pohla lives and works on the Central Coast and has moved to Hunter to be closer to home. 

When he’s fully fit, Pohla is the most dangerous back in the competition. He’ll also play outside flyhalf Conor Winchester, who was arguably the most improved player in the competition in 2023. 

Manly – Speed and explosiveness the key to Marlins’ next step

After winning 11 of their first 13 matches last year, Manly lost their last seven straight. 

New coach Chris Delooze believes speed and explosiveness is the key for his side and has spent the summer turning the Marlins into a faster side around the park, that is also tougher at the breakdown. 

Hunter Ward, who was a standout for the Waratahs A side last week, will be key to Delooze’s plans. 

Northern Suburbs – Shoreman want to be clutch in key moments

After finishing the regular season as minor premiers, Norths couldn’t find a way past arch rivals Gordon in last year’s preliminary final. 

Despite being the most consistent team throughout the regular season over the past 3-4 years, Norths are still trying to add to the 2016 title. 

Coach Zak Beer said he planned to use the summer to help his squad make better decisions in key moments by focussing on situation based drills throughout the offseason. 

Randwick – Hoiles will give Wicks a tougher edge

The first thing former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles spoke about after taking charge of his former club at Coogee Oval, was discipline and defence. 

It’s not something people usually think of when Randwick is mentioned, but it may be what is needed to turn the Galloping Greens from one of the most talented squads in the competition, into genuine premiership threats. 

Southern Districts – Rebels hoping to go back to the future

After a dismal 2022 on and off the field, new Rebels coach Jayson Brewer and successful former first grade coach Matt Barr have spent the summer helping Souths rediscover the club’s old DNA. 

For the best part of the last decade, Souths were a hard nosed side who were particularly difficult to beat at home at Forshaw. An electric backline would attack from anywhere on the back of clean, front foot ball delivered by a big, bruising forward pack. 

The Rebels know the side they want to be. Now it’s up to Brewer, Barr and co to help them get there. 

Sydney Uni – Uni need to rebuild, but they’ve done it quickly many, many times before

Sydney Uni know how to rebuild and rebuild quickly. But the challenge facing returning coach Damien Hill may possibly be the toughest a first XV coach at University Oval has faced in recent memory. 

Two thirds of the Sydney Uni first grade squad from the past two seasons have now earned professional contracts. 

It’s an incredible achievement but it does leave a big void at Camperdown. If any club can overcome it though, it’s Sydney Uni. 

Warringah – Rats want to be most competitive team in the competition

Warringah will be without gun backs Ben Marr and Ben Woollett in 2023. They also probably won’t see prop Sateki Latu, who looks unbelievably fit, and will likely replace Angus Bell in the Waratahs’ side after his injury in round one. 

Despite that, coach Mike Ruthven seems confident that’s he’s got the cattle to compete for longer periods of the game and the season than any other Shute Shield club. 

That’s been the focus at Rat Park over summer. 

West Harbour – Treloar looking to get all of West Harbour singing from the same hymn book

Warringah legend Cam Treloar has left the Northern Beaches to take up the head coach role at West Harbour’s brand new Concord Oval. 

Now that the club has first class facilities, Treloar has focussed on rebuilding the culture at the club, from grade, into colts and down in to West Harbour’s feeder clubs. 

Treloar said he has no doubt that the talent is there. His first focus is to get everyone on the same page and working towards the same goal.

Western Sydney – Two Blues looking to avoid second year syndrome

Two Blues coach Sailosi Tagicakibau believes 2023 is more important for his club than last year’s incredible turnaround at Granville. 

Tagicakibau believes fitness is the key if his side wants to avoid sport’s dreaded second year syndrome. Last year, Tagicakibau said his first grade side found out what it took to compete every week. This year, he wants them to discover what it takes to win every week. 

The Two Blues have hired former Randwick S&C coach Mike Davis to get the big men moving. 

And in the words of Tagicakibau, Davis is a very scary man.