Shute Shield kick-off: Two tribes go to war

In a highly anticipated year for Australian Rugby, which includes the upcoming tour of the British and Irish Lions, April will mark the commencement of the 2025 Shute Shield for both the Manly Marlins and the Warringah Rats. 

After guiding Reserve Grade to a premiership in 2024, new Marlins boss Sam Lane will step into the hot-seat. The former representative level fly-half has been happy with the club’s progress through the off-season. “We’ve had really good numbers. The boys are competing bloody hard at training and the intensity is through the roof. Due to that we’ve got a few bodies that aren’t available to us for these trials, but the players and staff will ensure we will be ready come round 1.”

Marlins fans will fondly remember Sam’s father Tim guiding the Marlins to their last title in 1997, a year that’s becoming a little too distant in the memory banks of locals around the Corso. Asked whether Tim provides any advice in a coaching capacity, “Yeah of course, he’s a pretty analytical thinker, but he’s also quite a gentle voice and even when I was playing, he was more inclined to let me figure it out. So, he’s definitely not an overbearing figure but he’s been good to lean on for a little bit of wisdom and support.”

Further north, the Rats are coming off a strong 2024 campaign, narrowly missing out on a Grand Final appearance after losing a tight semi-final against eventual premiers Eastern Suburbs. It was a very promising first season in charge for former star halfback and club legend Josh Holmes. Holmes has spent the summer reflecting with some disappointment but plenty of optimism moving forward. 

“I guess there are two ways to look at it. Obviously, the goal was to make a grand final and win the competition and we put ourselves in a position to do it, so from that end it was disappointing but obviously from a wider first year perspective I think the club did really well overall. We gained some invaluable experience and hopefully we can enjoy an even more successful season in 2025”.

A huge cornerstone of the Rats success over the past decade has been the support of their community through the junior clubs, local families and of course the Old Boys initiative – the ‘Warringah Hillbillies’. Holmes is committed to continue nurturing this important aspect of the Rats organisation. 

“We are a community club and when the Rats are firing you will always find that relationship is super strong. We will continue to immerse ourselves in the community because we love and appreciate the support we get but we also have to ensure we give back as well”.

Peninsula Rugby fans will be salivating to know they don’t have to wait long for the Marlins and Rats to lock horns in season 2025, with a bumper ANZAC Day Derby clash awaiting the two sides at Manly Oval in Round 4. The two coaches had a unified message regarding this one, “BE THERE!”