24 August 2023
By James Mullan
Minor Premiers Norths will face Randwick in the Shute Shield Grand Final this Saturday at 3:15PM at Leichhardt Oval. The two sides have been jostling for top spot all season so it’s not a shock to see them squaring off for the title.
Randwick weren’t too phased in their finals run taking care of Gordon 32-23 and then Eastwood 38-20 to advance through. Norths also looked sharp in their playoffs, beating Hunter 23-17, and just last week, rolling Manly 23-5.
In fact, the Shoremen won 10 out of their last 11 game regular season games, only dropping that one game to Randwick who won 15-27. In round 3, Norths did manage to beat Randwick away at Coogee Oval, 23-28.
Norths are keen to avoid their recent history of faltering at finals time where they fell one game short of the big prize last year and in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
In an interview with rugby.com.au, coach Zak Beer reflected on just falling short these past seasons “2021 we were having a great run ten games in and we got cut short due to COVID. 2022 we were minor premiers and fell to Gordon at Rat Park last year…we got hit pretty hard by injuries in that round 18 clash with Easts for the minor premiership, losing five of our starting 15,” he said.
The last time the boys in red and black were in the Grand Final was as runners up 2017, only a year after their drought breaking 2016 premiership, having last won in 1975.
Norths are desperate to go all the way after being one of the top Shute Shield clubs in the last seven seasons. “The boys were pretty laser-focused on getting here. It’s been a couple of years in the making…we’re going to have close to 1000 first-grade caps in the 23, five who have played in Shute Shield Grand Finals.” Beer told rugby.com.au
For Randwick, last season ended in heartbreak, going down by one point in the quarter finals. They have historically been one of the most successful clubs in Shute Shield history, boasting 28 premierships. However, the club finds itself on a 19 year title drought and will be desperate to break it this Sunday.
A key player to watch for Norths will be comp leading scorer, Jude Gibbs. The fly-half hasn’t just led the way with goal kicking. His is play making and ability to control game tempo has kept their attack rolling.
Winger Seb Cameron leads the team in tryscoring with 11 this season and has benefited from playing outside centres captain Harry Burey and Waratah talent Henry O’Donnell. In the forwards, front rower George Thornton and hooker James Magan have been doing the dirty work while also driving the offence, even combining for 9 tries. Finally, their three back rowers Brodie Leber, Luke Gereskowki and Boston Kerapa have been the engine behind Norths’ success.
For those who can’t make it to the game it will be streamed on Stan Sports or available free to air on 9Gem with coverage starting at 3:00PM.