Shute Shield transfer centre: 2024 player movements from every club revealed
A Wallabies star joins a heavyweight, a former NRL player joins a club on the rise, and two brothers want to make a big difference in the west as the Shute Shield begins. See every transfer here.
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Of the 40 top squad players at Western Sydney Two Blues last year, only 14 remain for the 2024 Shute Shield season.
The squad — who came within one win of the finals in 2023 — has been gutted by poaching from rival teams, retirements, and talent who have graduated to professional contracts.
But Two Blues head coach Sailosi Tagicakibau believes that Kiwi brothers and halves partners Rilloy and Reece Suesue can form the backbone of a team that can threaten the premiership heavyweights.
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“The Suesue brothers have been at the club since I came across from New Zealand three years ago, they are now the heart and soul of the club,” said Tagicakibau, the 41-year-old former Samoan international.
“I’m really happy they stuck around, I had to fend off other teams that wanted them.
“They are here to make a difference at the Two Blues, they really care about the club and are emotionally invested. They drive the culture and the standards.”
Tagicakibau has lost the likes of former Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu (France), superstar Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo (retired), while former staff members Daniel Geurs (Warringah) and Liam Winton (Gordon) have coaxed a number of players to jump ship.
“We’re finding it pretty tough, the rugby union presence in western Sydney is grim,” Tagicakibau said.
“There’s not much going on out here because there’s a lot of league, and if not league then our players are looking at playing in the north shore or eastern suburbs.
“It’s tough to keep our juniors transitioning and staying, but it does open the door for locals and other players from across the Tasman to step up.”
But Tagicakibau has managed to sign highly-rated former league star Sitiveni Moceidreke.
Fullback/centre Moceidreke is a league convert who played one NRL game for South Sydney Rabbitohs before joining the London Broncos in the Super League.
Jerome Williams is a key retention for the Two Blues.
Here is a full list of Shute Shield player movements for the 2024 Shute Shield season that kicks off on April 6
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL SHUTE SHIELD FIXTURE LIST
Chris Delooze is back at the helm for year two, and after a fast start to 2023 the Marlins will expect to remain in the hunt come finals time.
After two semi-final losses in 2022 and 2023, Manly want to get off the win-loss rollercoaster and get results at the end of the season.
Delooze has been building a culture that centres around Manly being a great place to play and 2024 will see a blend of the usual faces from last season along with some quality locals who have been attracted to the club.
The “Battle of the Beaches” against bitter rivals Warringah is set for round four on ANZAC Day at Manly Oval before the return to Rat Park in round 13 on July 6.
Harry Fehily has graduated from assistant coach to the top job in 2024 and will lead a Gordon squad coming off a successful 2023 season which saw them push Randwick all the way in the qualifying final.
For Gordon, the focus is on the club championship as a whole but they need first grade to lead the way.
Coach Joe Barakat is back and Souths can only build on a disappointing 2023.
They’ll be looking to make Forshaw a formidable fortress once again with the return of some physical rugby. Captain Phil Potgieter returns alongside young local juniors Declan Mulcahy and Corey Goldsborough.
Josh Holmes will lead Warringah, having graduated from their championship-winning Colts program that only lost four games across their three Colts teams in 2023.
After sealing the first grade Colts premiership win at the death over Sydney University, Holmes’ focus shifted to the grade program that disappointed in 2023.
Finishing second-last is unfamiliar territory for the Rats and the faithful Hillbillies and fans that pack out Rat Park will be expecting their beloved team to be in action in late August.
Ned Slack-Smith – returning from the Force – and will be looking to make his Waratahs debut in 2024, and reigning rookie of the year, Zac Barnabas, returns from Manly.
Scott Coleman led the Wildfires to their inaugural finals appearance in 2023 but they were beaten in a tight match by grand finalists Norths.
The Wildfires squad has been building across recent years but recent success has seen a number of players head overseas to professional contracts including 2023 leading try scorer Phil Bradford, Connor Winchester and Alex Phola, all to the US’s MLR competition.
Leon Fukafuka and Semi Nabalarua have gone to Italy while Jacob Barrett has moved to Ireland.
Coleman has signed Angus Websdale from Randwick, Tau Koloamatangi from Moana Pasifika, and Italian Gabriele Venditti from the Zebra club.
The defending champions enter their title defence with a new director of rugby, Matthew Bowman, who will help head coach Stephen Hoiles.
While they’ve lost some star power, the Wicks will remain one of the major title threats in 2024 as they seek back-to-back titles.
The 2023 runners up will be looking to go one better under head coach Zak Beer in 2024.
Norths have been building nicely with successive minor premierships but haven’t converted at the crucial time, losing 17-15 to Randwick in last year’s grand final.
The cruel defeat seems to have prevented some retirement whispers and the majority of the 2023 squad will return. Some key players from that team have been lost to professional contracts including Nick Duffy (MLR, San Diego), Henry O’Donnell (Western Force) and Max Burey (Western Force), however Beer has made some strong signings from overseas and interstate.
Wallabies star Isi Naisarani is the big-name recruit among a wave of Colts players breaking into the first grade squad for the Students this year.
Eleven first grade colts players are now in the top squad, and they’ll be joined by 2019 World Cup Wallaby Naisarani.
The 29-year-old backrower is rehabbing from injury but Uni coach Todd Louden is hopeful he’ll take the field early in the season.
Louden’s main focus is on youth, and building a team that can play together for the next five years, hence the call-up for the Colts stars.
Reigning David Brockhoff medallist (Coach of the Year) Cam Treloar is looking to build on the year that could have been for the Pirates.
Moving back to Concord was a huge boost and there is confidence in the camp off the back of a 2023 season that was shaped by losing the majority of games by less than seven points.
West Harbour boast a solid team led around the park by Dion Spice with experienced players returning in Sonny Satuala, Otto Wendt, James Faiva and Hunter Hannaford.
Losing Prez Tufuga is a big blow, however they have recruited strongly, with former NRL Manly flyer Tevita Funa joining the club.
Treloar and assistant coaches Dan Parkes and Mark Gudmonson have enormous belief in their core group of returning players; prop Sonny Satuala, lock Otto Wendt, halfbacks Spice and Drew Sellars, and experienced playmakers James Faiva, Hunter Hannaford and Roman Prassad.
Ben Batger has made the move from Eastwood and will lead a new look coaching team including Billy Melrose this season.
After missing the 2023 finals, Easts will be looking to build having not lost many players.
Two Easts juniors returning to Woollahra Oval are Waratahs debutants Miles Amartosero and Fergus Lee- Warner.
Coming from Eastwood, Chris Bell and Fabian Goodall will look to continue their good form along with a host of new recruits from the Great Britain Sevens program – George Gibson, Harrison Mataele, Calum Randle and Jamie Adamson.
New coach David Telfer has graduated from their successful youth program having led first grade Colts to the semi-finals in 2023.
In his first year in charge of the top squad, Telfer is looking to build with a strong squad containing reigning Ken Catchpole medallist, Michael Icely, who will appear when not with Aussie Sevens.
Despite the loss of key players Fabian Goodall, Chris Bell, Harry Wilson and Wayne Borsak, Eastwood remain a force in the Shute Shield and will once again be looking for a big season having recruited well, welcoming Julian Zissis, Ben Dalton, Reece Tapine, Angus Blackmore. In what shapes as their final season at TG Millner before the move to Castle Hill, the Woodies want to make this season count.
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Originally published as Shute Shield transfer centre: 2024 player movements from every club revealed
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