Coach hails “surreal” Shute Shield premiership triumph as Rats silence doubters
It was the kind of magic Saturday afternoon that will be retold around the traps at Rat Park for years. The Warringah Rats stormed to a famous Shute Shield premiership win, stunning heavy favourites Eastern Suburbs and capping off a season of grit, flair and unbreakable belief.
For head coach Josh Holmes, the victory still doesn’t feel real. “It’s a bit surreal. I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” Holmes admitted. “I’ll take some time over the next couple weeks to sit back and enjoy what we achieved. It was a special day, an incredible day.”
Written off by large sections of the Shute Shield community, with many assuming Easts would cruise to the title after losing only two games all year, it was Warringah who dictated the tempo. Playing with the same attacking style that defined their season, Warringah out muscled and out enthused their highly fancied opponents.
Holmes said the team entered the decider determined to play rugby their way. “We definitely had the mindset going into the game that if we were going to win against a very good Easts outfit, we needed to play our footy and accumulate points. We weren’t going to win from penalty goals. We prepared really well and delivered on nearly everything we talked about.”
While Easts struck back to level at 17-all, Warringah refused to buckle. A crucial defensive stand on their own line, followed by a penalty to edge back in front, proved the turning point.
“We just held tough. We didn’t get nervous or feel the pressure,” Holmes said. “Those little areas, where Easts were coming down our line, we stayed composed and capitalised. That was very pleasing.”
Holmes credited his game drivers – Coby Mile, Ben Marr and Ben Woolett – for steering the side with ice-cool heads. But he also pointed to the Rats’ depth as the true X-factor. All season long, the Warringah bench delivered impact at key moments, a philosophy Holmes instilled after learning hard lessons in 2024.
“The bench became a weapon for us. Once the boys bought into it, we started talking about the ‘bomb squad’. By finals time, it gave us a bloody good chance. In the end, the proof’s in the pudding – it showed how powerful it can be.”
The triumph also underlined how Holmes has grown from a reluctant coach into a premiership-winning leader. Initially coaxed into coaching Colts in 2021, he now stands at the summit of club rugby. And he’s hungry for more.
“Great teams have the ability to come back and back the season up,” he said. “If we want the Rats to keep striving forward, we need to make sure we’re not just resting on our laurels. We’ve got to come back next year and do it again.”
For now, though, the celebrations will continue at Rat Park. The premiership has reunited old boys and perhaps more importantly energised a new generation of supporters. “Everyone’s heart still lies down at Rat Park,” Holmes grinned. “It was awesome to see so many people behind us. That’s what makes this club special.”
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