Before the opening kick off of the 2023 Shute Shield season on Saturday, we at Rugby News thought we’d put our collective foots in our collective mouths and come up with a reason why each of the 12 clubs can and can’t win the competition this year.

While this is largely based on what we’ve learnt from the 12 coaches in recent weeks, it would be greatly appreciated if no reference is made to this come grand final time on the final weekend of August.

Eastern Suburbs

Why they can win it:

On paper, Easts should be the outright competition favourites. They have a quality coach, a heap of Waratahs and Junior Wallabies who should return in time for the pointy end of the season, and plenty of depth on the back of winning four premierships across lowers grades and colts last year.

Why they can’t win it:

The downside to having so much talent coming in and out of your side, is that it makes it hard to build consistently throughout the season. Easts paid the price for that in the first half of last year and only just snuck into the finals. That led to a match up against Eastwood in week one of the playoffs and an early start to summer.

Eastwood:

Why they can win it: