Shute Shield 2025
- Thread starter Nuggetyflyhalf
- Start date
HarryElite
Ward Prentice (10)
They moved the tier 2 caps required for certain points higher, so vuni doesnt hit that mark anymore so therefore doesnt have the points allocated to him like last year. i believe it was because anyone and everyone seems to be able to get a tier 2 cap now for samoa or tonga, a lot of non professionals who just play club rugby in nz and australia so instead of it being 5 caps to be a 15 point player, its now 15 caps or something like that.I pointed out the Fifita issue a few weeks ago. Last year he was 11 points, after some controversy. Don't understand how he's dropped 10 points. All clubs are supposed to be using the same source for the player points this year so shouldn't be any issues
Will be interesting to see what happens with Uni. They lost the game and can't make the playoffs so losing competition points won't achieve anything.
Dave read that this the first time manly haven’t made finals since 2017 in 1s. Other grades great year credit to the work done in previous years to build depth.Poor Manly didnt make the finals this year.
Your reference to Minor Premiers though - that is a huge achievement as it reflects the whole season - a number of those players didnt play.
PS Minor premiers in all other grades, also reflects a strong club and culture - 2 more rounds to go
Do u think a part time coach affected 1s? Or change in structure with DOR ?
Interested in your thoughts
Pfitzy
Phil Waugh (73)
Only 5 wins and 15 BPs shows a lot of close results.
Prodigy
Cyril Towers (30)
Check out the comments
Basically more than a few current players commented saying they know of 9-10 middle graders on top of the 1st graders rumoured who were looking at leaving.
The premise was how about they look after the current players instead of trying to find new ones as they are all leaving.
Eastwood's colts coaching staff have resigned at the decision on the colts coach as well.
Reminds me of the Gordon implosion of 2010 when Lachie Fear left.
The premise was how about they look after the current players instead of trying to find new ones as they are all leaving.
Eastwood's colts coaching staff have resigned at the decision on the colts coach as well.
Reminds me of the Gordon implosion of 2010 when Lachie Fear left.
wamberal99
Vay Wilson (31)
About how many?
Blazing Saddles
Ted Fahey (11)
Was a few there ,most sheltering from the rain so all in the grandstands by the looks of it. Gordon bashed easts,they will be sore and sorry next week ,brings the wicks right into it. Would be even more interesting if played on real grass rather than synthetic
Blazing Saddles
Ted Fahey (11)
Hmmm Ok will go with Norths,Rats, Wix with the upset --- will set up a G/F replay to qualify for this years big dance
Blazing Saddles
Ted Fahey (11)
NSO only had the 1 game on it, the others played all grades, hopefully it stays dry over the weekend with AFL scheduled tonight,rugby tommorrow and loig on sunday, will be interesting how it all plays out for next weekend where the 2 semis are scheduled to play there
Crashy
Desmond Connor (43)
Any idea on who were the drivers behind this?
www.smh.com.au
The Shute Shield will undergo a major overhaul in 2026, with teams facing weekly caps on professional stars and foreign players, and limits on payments at club level, under a radical new system that will replace the controversial player points system.
The player points system, a salary cap-style talent equalisation device introduced in Sydney’s premier club rugby in 2008, has been scrapped and replaced by a new “cap system”, which limits the number of certain players a Shute Shield team can have on the field at one time, within categories like contracted Wallabies and Super Rugby players, and players from overseas.
In what was seen as a growing “arms race” among many Shute Shield clubs, foreign players had grown to account for 10 per cent of all players in recent seasons (with some clubs having far more than 10 per cent); inhibiting the development of local talent and reducing the pool of eligible players for the Waratahs.
Ahead of the Shute Shield finals series beginning this weekend, Sydney Rugby Union confirmed the changes in a letter to all Sydney club presidents, chairmen and general managers on Tuesday, following a three-month review.
The unwieldy points system has players given a value, with Wallabies worth 20 points and Super Rugby players worth 10 points each, and factoring in other histories overseas and at junior level. But an array of discounts are also available for things like junior rep background and long service at a club.Shute Shield sides have a limit of 100 points per game, and squabbling between clubs and fans over the self-reported player values is rampant, particularly around the star-studded clubs.
In 2024, Eastern Suburbs were found guilty of breaching the 100-point limit and were initially let off without punishment. But after rival club bosses threatened to boycott the Catchpole medal awards night, Easts were later docked five competition points. The penalty didn’t stop the Waratahs-laden Easts side winning their first premiership in 55 years, but the saga was the impetus for the SRU to fast-track change.
“Sydney Rugby has been looking at it for a number of years, it’s not just in isolation to the 2025 season or 2024 season, where we had some challenges with it,” SRU general manager Peter Watkins said.
“So, for many years, we’ve tweaked it but … at the start of 2024, we committed to the clubs that we would do an overhaul of the system. Timing just didn’t allow it for the 2025 season and recruiting cycle, but coming into 2025, we had that commitment to the clubs to look at it and push on.”
A six-week review by the SRU began in June, which included feedback and consultation with all clubs, and the new ‘cap system’ was approved by the board last week. The points system will remain in place for first and second grade colts.
Under the new cap system, clubs can only field a maximum of three players with 10 or more Wallabies or Waratahs caps, three players with full Super Rugby contracts and three who have played for the Junior Wallabies the previous year.
On face value, this would devastate a club like Easts, who had eight Super Rugby players in their grand final side last year. But crucially - and in a bid to reward local development - the new system also gives a full dispensation for any player who came through the club’s colts program, which amounts to six of those contracted Easts stars, like Teddy Wilson and Jack Bowen.
SRU data shows that of the 39 players in the Waratahs squad, 23 played colts with their current senior club.
Poaching of players was also a concern among club bosses and is addressed by a limit on players per game who’ve transferred from another club the previous year.
The new SRU system also stipulates that clubs can only pay contracted Wallabies/Super Rugby players a maximum of $500 per game, with no other incentives; the likely aim being to stop richer clubs hoovering up new star talent.
The aim of spreading talent across clubs and rewarding clubs with vibrant junior pathways is also seen to give a points discount to colts players who played at local village clubs.
Watkins said there is a place for overseas players in the Shute Shield, given it is an elite competition, but there was also a desire from clubs to reward those who develop talent and not block those players from progressing to top grades and NSW. Under the new system, only six players qualifying as a “foreign player” are allowed in a match day 23.
Easts president Dave Allen welcomed the move away from the player points system, which many clubs said had become a huge administrative burden.
“It had become really complex and, when you’re adding up points under pressure on the sideline to make sure that you’re not over. That’s all done by volunteers, right? And it’s a huge amount of stress to put on them, so it’s a step in the right direction because it’s just simpler.” Allen said.
On the overall changes, Allen said: “I get it with all these things, you’ve got to be a bit socialist with it … you try to bring everyone down to a certain level ... and they’ve broadly struck the balance right. If you have a player who came to you straight out of high school into a club, they don’t get counted, so that’s positive.”
Allen said he would still like to see a similar discount for amateur players who arrive at the club as adults and are developed into professional contracted players, like Charlie Gamble and Jamie Adamson.
But he said the new cap system would see Easts now double down on investing in their colts program.
“We’re never going to get something that everyone thinks is perfect,” Allen said. “So it’s pretty reasonable in the end. The (SRU) process was good. They had good people in there and they tried to get a range of opinions and that’s the way it’s coming out.”
Caps on foreign players, star payments under radical Shute Shield overhaul
The controversial points system in Sydney’s premier rugby competition, which generated endless rancour among rival clubs, has been scrapped after a major review.
The Shute Shield will undergo a major overhaul in 2026, with teams facing weekly caps on professional stars and foreign players, and limits on payments at club level, under a radical new system that will replace the controversial player points system.
The player points system, a salary cap-style talent equalisation device introduced in Sydney’s premier club rugby in 2008, has been scrapped and replaced by a new “cap system”, which limits the number of certain players a Shute Shield team can have on the field at one time, within categories like contracted Wallabies and Super Rugby players, and players from overseas.
In what was seen as a growing “arms race” among many Shute Shield clubs, foreign players had grown to account for 10 per cent of all players in recent seasons (with some clubs having far more than 10 per cent); inhibiting the development of local talent and reducing the pool of eligible players for the Waratahs.
Ahead of the Shute Shield finals series beginning this weekend, Sydney Rugby Union confirmed the changes in a letter to all Sydney club presidents, chairmen and general managers on Tuesday, following a three-month review.
The unwieldy points system has players given a value, with Wallabies worth 20 points and Super Rugby players worth 10 points each, and factoring in other histories overseas and at junior level. But an array of discounts are also available for things like junior rep background and long service at a club.Shute Shield sides have a limit of 100 points per game, and squabbling between clubs and fans over the self-reported player values is rampant, particularly around the star-studded clubs.
In 2024, Eastern Suburbs were found guilty of breaching the 100-point limit and were initially let off without punishment. But after rival club bosses threatened to boycott the Catchpole medal awards night, Easts were later docked five competition points. The penalty didn’t stop the Waratahs-laden Easts side winning their first premiership in 55 years, but the saga was the impetus for the SRU to fast-track change.
“Sydney Rugby has been looking at it for a number of years, it’s not just in isolation to the 2025 season or 2024 season, where we had some challenges with it,” SRU general manager Peter Watkins said.
“So, for many years, we’ve tweaked it but … at the start of 2024, we committed to the clubs that we would do an overhaul of the system. Timing just didn’t allow it for the 2025 season and recruiting cycle, but coming into 2025, we had that commitment to the clubs to look at it and push on.”
A six-week review by the SRU began in June, which included feedback and consultation with all clubs, and the new ‘cap system’ was approved by the board last week. The points system will remain in place for first and second grade colts.
Under the new cap system, clubs can only field a maximum of three players with 10 or more Wallabies or Waratahs caps, three players with full Super Rugby contracts and three who have played for the Junior Wallabies the previous year.
On face value, this would devastate a club like Easts, who had eight Super Rugby players in their grand final side last year. But crucially - and in a bid to reward local development - the new system also gives a full dispensation for any player who came through the club’s colts program, which amounts to six of those contracted Easts stars, like Teddy Wilson and Jack Bowen.
SRU data shows that of the 39 players in the Waratahs squad, 23 played colts with their current senior club.
Poaching of players was also a concern among club bosses and is addressed by a limit on players per game who’ve transferred from another club the previous year.
The new SRU system also stipulates that clubs can only pay contracted Wallabies/Super Rugby players a maximum of $500 per game, with no other incentives; the likely aim being to stop richer clubs hoovering up new star talent.
The aim of spreading talent across clubs and rewarding clubs with vibrant junior pathways is also seen to give a points discount to colts players who played at local village clubs.
Watkins said there is a place for overseas players in the Shute Shield, given it is an elite competition, but there was also a desire from clubs to reward those who develop talent and not block those players from progressing to top grades and NSW. Under the new system, only six players qualifying as a “foreign player” are allowed in a match day 23.
Easts president Dave Allen welcomed the move away from the player points system, which many clubs said had become a huge administrative burden.
“It had become really complex and, when you’re adding up points under pressure on the sideline to make sure that you’re not over. That’s all done by volunteers, right? And it’s a huge amount of stress to put on them, so it’s a step in the right direction because it’s just simpler.” Allen said.
On the overall changes, Allen said: “I get it with all these things, you’ve got to be a bit socialist with it … you try to bring everyone down to a certain level ... and they’ve broadly struck the balance right. If you have a player who came to you straight out of high school into a club, they don’t get counted, so that’s positive.”
Allen said he would still like to see a similar discount for amateur players who arrive at the club as adults and are developed into professional contracted players, like Charlie Gamble and Jamie Adamson.
But he said the new cap system would see Easts now double down on investing in their colts program.
“We’re never going to get something that everyone thinks is perfect,” Allen said. “So it’s pretty reasonable in the end. The (SRU) process was good. They had good people in there and they tried to get a range of opinions and that’s the way it’s coming out.”
the coach
Bob Davidson (42)
Isn't one of the Preliminary Finals at Pittwater on 23/8?