Shute Shield finals wrap: Rat star who learned his trade from rugby league legends

His Manly Sea Eagles career was cut short thanks to a pair of budding NRL superstars, but Warringah’s Harley Attwater owes his hot Shute Shield form to two rugby league legends.

Harley Attwater made the switch to rugby union.

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Warringah’s Harley Attwater revealed the big influence that former NRL stars Matty Johns and John Hopoate have had on his career after playing a starring role in the Rats’ 24-7 win over Norths in their Shute Shield semi-final at Rat Park.

In the other semi-finals, Eastwood beat Easts 24-21 in a fiery clash with several dust-ups at TG Millner Field while Sydney University beat Manly 47-31 on Saturday and ended the Marlins season.

That means in Saturday’s double-header grand final qualifiers at North Sydney Oval, Eastwood takes on Warringah and University will play Norths.

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Harley Attwater made the switch to rugby union.

Attwater did an excellent job stepping up to fill the No.10 spot against Norths in the absence of skipper Hamish Angus on Saturday, setting the backline in motion, not overplaying his hand and kicking judiciously.

He is one of the most improved players in the Shute Shield and has become the Rats Mr Versatile playing every position in the backline this season except No.12.

As a youngster, Attwater was a rising rugby league star who played in the Sea Eagles’ Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides.

“But I had Clinton Gutherson and Tom Trbojevic in front of me and I thought this isn’t much fun so I went and I went and played Manly Colts,” he said. “You probably get rubbed out if you are not a superstar at 20, 21. There was an opportunity here and the rest is history.”

Harley Attwater playing for Harbord. Picture: Manly Daily

And Attwater said he has had some great mentors on the journey to get to where he is now. Hopoate coached Attwater in the Manly Cove junior league team where he learnt to play what he sees.

“I think every Tuesday session we did was just touch for an hour,” Attwater said.

He then played with the Harbord Devils 16s and 17s where great football brain Johns was his coach and taught him how to get his backline going.

“That was when I moved into the halves and he was really good,” Attwater said.

And he said his current coach Mark Gerrard has played a big part in his current form.

“He just instils that confidence in us from Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,” he said.

Attwater said after a shaky last couple of weeks, the Rats showed the competition what they are about on Saturday.

Attwater in action at Rat Park.

“We were really upset not getting the minor premiership and we are going to give this comp a red-hot crack,” he said.

And with Angus set to return on Saturday, the big question is where Attwater will end up.

“I’m just happy getting a number on my back at the moment,” he said with a wide grin.

Eastwood held on to avenge their 48-26 loss to a spirited Easts the previous week at Woollahra Oval and ended the Beasties impressive charge into the finals.

Eastwood had a dominant scrum which saw them awarded crucial penalty try.

Easts showed plenty of ticker, with backrower Jack Turley and halfback Jack Grant both yellow-carded in the second half.

Originally published as Shute Shield finals wrap: Rat star who learned his trade from rugby league legends