The competition turned on its head

Heavyweights humbled as the bye looms large.

Round 8 brought us to the annual competition-bye of the Shute Shield season, and the competition showed no interest in slowing down. A couple of heavyweights copped surprise defeats, a few sides clearly had one eye on the long weekend, and across the board the scorelines were tight enough to make your stomach hurt. Good stuff. Let’s get into it.

Sydney University v Eastern Suburbs
Uni def Easts 33-10

Uni announced themselves in style, putting on a masterclass of patience and precision at the No. 2 Oval. The first try was a statement. Uni held the ball for countless phases, shifting edge-to-edge until the Easts defence had nothing left to give – and it was the tropical fruit himself, Joe “Mango” Manglesdorf, who went over to finish it. The Northman, Tom Curtis, converted. An Easts lineout overthrow gifted Uni their second, with Oli Schmude flying onto the loose ball and dotting down. The Beasties hit back through a scrum inside Uni’s 22 – a simple ball over the top found the flyer Ollie Dawkins, and suddenly they were back in it. But Uni weren’t done before the break. With five minutes left in the half, the Wonder Kid Joey Fowler produced an audacious chip over the Easts defence, which was scooped up by the go-go gadget limbs of George Poolman to extend the lead. Curtis converted. Halftime.

Easts struck first in the second half – good composure building pressure, some big boys flying into contact sending a few Students with a one way ticket to the floor, and eventually Otto Serfontein was over in the corner. But Uni’s response was emphatic. The forwards kept rolling around the corner, forcing the Beasties’ defence to scramble, before the big men turned to the dark arts. Twenty-odd phases later, Eddie Poolman broke through the desperate Easts line. Curtis converted. With ten to play, Hwi Sharples dashed through at the ruck to seal it. Curtis converted. Easts left stunned – the Students are taking names. Fulltime.

Southern Districts v Manly Marlins
Manly def Souths 36-23

The hero of last week, Joe Dillon, wasted no time continuing his try-scoring form, opening Manly’s account inside five minutes. Will Kaye converted. Souths struggled to hit their lineouts, handing Manly easy possession, and they made them pay. Against the run of play, Souths’ David Nicol produced another genuine try of the season contender, stealing the ball a metre from his own line and racing 99 metres to dot down at the other end. Struan Hutchison knocked over two penalties to edge Souths in front, but Manly kept coming. A huge cut-out pass from Dickens found Yool Yool, who put the Marlins back in front. Kaye converted. Halftime.

Meli Dreu took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half – someone get this man on ‘Dancing with the Stars’, those twinkling toes are something else. Kaye converted. Dreu had his double before you’d had time to get another frothy – simple hands down the edge, away he went. Kaye converted. With 20 to play, Manly went to the corner once more – Dickens to Dreu, flick pass to Kaye, and try time. Dally Bird earned himself a naughty boy breather, tut tut, but it barely slowed them down. Souths did manage to get the maul rolling – Dom McGrath over twice in the final quarter, first at the maul. Then showing serious pace for a big lad, he crossed for his second. Hutchison converted. But a Kaye penalty with ten to go sealed it. Another tough day for the Rebels – but you can feel a serious upset brewing at Forshaw. Mark my words. Fulltime.

Western Sydney v Hunter Wildfires
Two Blues def Wildfires 31-29

Western Sydney meant business from the jump – just 110 seconds on the clock and they were already over the chalk, Rilloy Suesue darting through the middle, offload and Tyrone Mahutariki-Fakalelu raced home. Reece Suesue converted. Hunter hit back with a seriously sexy Brendan Palmer counterattack, slicing through, chipped ahead, won the footrace, and finished. Try of the round contender. Slick hands down the edge off a lineout put Two Blues’ Cody Nordstrom in the corner. Hunter hit back through the maul, the pressure was immense and too much for Mahutariki-Fakalelu, who earned himself a pitstop on the naughty step for cynical interference. Even a man down, the Two Blues kept coming – Ray Niuia bursting through off another maul with 15 to go in the half. Hunter’s Tuafa Kinikini showed serious power, palming his way through to narrow the gap. Wootton converted. Western Sydney weren’t done. They shifted the ball side to side until Braden Stewart fended his way over right on the stroke of halftime. Suesue converted. Halftime.

Hunter opened the second half through Brendan Palmer’s double in the corner. But eight minutes in, the Wildfires turned the ball over on halfway and the Two Blues did what they do best – punish you on the counter. Ball went wide, the big men bashed Hunter into submission, and Liam Lord clinched it. Rodney Iona added a huge conversion. Hunter missed a penalty to close the gap with three to play, and though the fat lady had well and truly sung, the Wildfires pressed on desperately – Philip Talaileva rolling over late to secure the losing bonus point. Wootton converted. Fulltime.

Randwick v West Harbour
Wicks def Pirates 35-19

A slip in discipline gave Harbour the first shot at points, but Hunter Hannaford had a kick he’d like to forget from right in front. Ouchie. The Wicks made them pay – forwards putting their heads in some very dark places, and James Hendren doing what backs do best, scoring off the back of their hard work. Felix Turinui converted. Momentum stayed with Randwick as Isi Naisarani steamed onto the ball and went in untouched. Turinui converted. The Pirates hit back through Cameron Orr, who showed real composure at the line. Hannaford converted. With ten to play in the half, Turinui – on debut – was over the line. Well in, son. Turinui converted. Aidan Wearne continued his hot form, twisting his way over for the Pirates. Hannaford converted. Halftime.

Randwick wasted no time extending their lead in the second half – maul time, and Tyler Maybery barged over. Turinui converted. Ethan Cusick earned himself a naughty boy for repeated infringement – have a rest, mate. West Harbour took advantage, Trent Bax finishing in the corner to give them hope. But the final play belonged to the Wicks, Callum Smith dotting down under the sticks. Turinui converted a perfect game. Fulltime.

Eastwood v Warringah
Woods def Rats 27-24

Like he’s done so often, resident behemoth Jaiden Christian barged over to give the Rats the lead. Byron Smith converted. The Woodies responded through the maul – slow and steady wins the race, and Xavier Degei was the recipient as it crawled over. Warringah hit back when Zac Barnabas went through the lineout untouched. Smith converted. Naughty boy Olly Paotonu was sent for not rolling away – careful what you wish for, an extended break coming right up. With ten to go in the half we had our second naughty boy, Charlie Tupu cited for a high tackle – early mark for you mate, off you trot. Fourteen versus fourteen, and Woods capitalised. Will Goddard burrowed in under the sticks. Lachie Shelley converted. Minutes later, back to a full complement, Shelley added three more and the Woodies led by one. Halftime.

Smith knocked over three early in the second to edge the Rats back in front. Not long after the restart, Woods had the ball back on Warringah’s line – Evan Sheldon retook the lead for Eastwood. Shelley converted. Five points the difference, and three minutes later Shelley was sent for a deliberate knock-down – naughty, naughty boy. A costly Eastwood turnover on their own try line handed Warringah a penalty, quick tap, and Alfa “Romeo” Kepu went in untouched. Smith converted. With 13 to play, Eastwood won a lineout and deployed a gaggle of ducks on the field (if you don’t believe me, check the tape) – the avian connection clearly working as Isaac Crowe finished off some sexy hands on the edge to seal it. Woods take a big scalp. Game of the round. Fulltime.

Gordon v Northern Suburbs
Gordon def Norths 29-19

Home away from home for Gordon this week in the battle of the North Shore – Woollahra Oval the venue, as God only knows what Chatswood Oval cricket pitch looks like after all that rain. Jordan-Lee Bacon crashed over early to give the Stags the lead. Justin Landman converted. Minutes later, Norths’ James Margan crossed from a rolling maul to make it two tries inside seven minutes. The Shoremen rolled with the momentum and, like a bat out of hell, Lachie Hooper found himself with ball and space – Norths had two inside 12 minutes. Matt Ryan converted. Gordon hit back through Brandon Quinn, on his 100th game, finishing off a very naughty Landman chip. Landman converted. The fifth try came inside 20 minutes – two on the bounce for the Gordon wingers – as Oli Arcus went in at the corner to extend the lead. With seven to play in the half, a Norths scrum set up Josh Barr on a short ball – too strong, too close. Ryan converted. All square, and Gordon went to the lineout – only to be turned over by Norths, which sparked a bout of hugs and kisses. We love to see it. Siosifa Amone’s refusal to let go gifted the Stags a penalty, and Landman knocked over three on the bell. Halftime.

Milan Basson went over for Gordon seven minutes into the second half. Harry Snook converted. From there, the scores remained unchanged – neither side able to convert pressure into points, though not for lack of trying. In a nasty turn of events, Gordon’s Adrian Brown suffered what looked like a serious neck injury. With 4.5 minutes remaining, play was suspended for 20 minutes before he was stretchered off to an awaiting ambulance. From all of us at The Peanut Gallery – we wish you the very best with your recovery, and hope to see you back out there soon, bud. Norths gave it a good crack once play resumed, but to no avail. Fulltime.