Shute Shield 2025

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Well done Hunter. Good to see those Colts results.

 

[FNC Rugby]

what's happened to the Eastwood colts program?

 

[wamberal99]

Eastwood has been putting a lot of time and effort into finding a new home. It is a bit unsettled now.

 

[Crashy]

A fair assumption

 

[Crashy]

Manly win 3rds and 4ths vs rats

 

[Crashy]

Manly flogged. A shame as the crowd was massive at manly oval.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

 

[Crashy]

Jeez apart from first grade, gordon did well across grade and colts. Leading club champs in colts and grade as well.

 

[pnut]

Very strange at Manly 2nd grade 4-0 with PD of +140. Yet Dor and coach continue to stick with imports.

 

[Crashy]

Yep manly wins 4th, 3rd and second grade and lose 1sts... Hearing the squad are increasingly perplexed with the dropping of players and instability its causing. 0-4 suggests something.

 

[Homer]

Manly won colts as well.
However, it is a very good Rats side starting to hit their straps. 80 odd points scored in the last two weeks.

 

[pnut]

Also 2nd 3rd 4th in top of the table

 

[Nuggetyflyhalf]

Manly guilty of recruiting rather than promoting from within. Long way back now for the men from the beaches.

 

[Crashy]

A young coach may not be helping either

 

[HarryElite]

I think theyll come good, young coaching group yes, but just some teething issues, plus a lot of high quality players still to return from injury and overseas over the next couple of weeks.

 

[pnut]

Like who more imports?

 

[Crashy]

Michael Hooper.

 

[Crashy]

yool yool apparently twinged a hammy or similar the night before the game - so yes there are a few to come back but not sure how many.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Manly won colts as well.
However, it is a very good Rats side starting to hit their straps. 80 odd points scored in the last two weeks.

Rats are looking very strong, their bench is impressive and appear to have recruited well to support the core group of players. Early tip for the GF

 

[Marlins]

I think there are some very harsh judgments being made on Manly RFC here. Sure, the form for the first xv has been poor in the first 4 weeks (arguable the Rats game was their best performance) but as a club, compared to many others, it doesn't struggle for numbers in grade or colts (from a tiny catchments area) in a paradigm where many of its elite local juniors chose to play colts at the rats in 2025. Additionally, its performance so far in these lower grades and colts has been exceptional.
I suspect the board at Manly have invested in Sam for the medium/long term and were given encouragement by Manly 2s beating a red hot easts second grade side 3 times in 5 weeks to win the comp last year. Sam and his team will grow into the role, it'll take time.
Manly are probably trying to replicate what Easts did a few years ago - create a very strong club through all the grades, and first grade will evolve organically with some bespoke recruitment. There's only one SS winner on GF Day, so clubs need to use lower grades, colts and culture etc as a fairer barometer of the season's overall success. I know the board has achieved record sponsorship revenue for 2025, and there is no lack of community support if Anzac Day is anything to go by.
It's a tough comp with healthy competition, but the suggestion that Manly as a whole is not a strong/elite club isn't backed up by the facts. It's up to the first xv now to aim up.