Shute Shield: Easts look for strong start against Southern Districts

A LATE surge from Easts was not enough to overcome top-of-the-table Manly in wet conditions at Woollahra Oval on Saturday.

Easts take on Manly in the Shute Shield at Woollahra Oval. Picture: Damian Shaw.

A LATE surge from Easts was not enough to overcome top-of-the-table Manly in wet conditions at Woollahra Oval on Saturday.

After three rounds of the Shute Shield Easts have a losing record – the latest by 21-15 – but coach Darren Coleman isn’t fretting.

“In the first four games, we will have played three of the top teams, if you had offered me one or two wins I would have taken it,” he said.

Easts take on Manly in the Shute Shield at Woollahra Oval. Picture: Damian Shaw.

Easts take on Manly in the Shute Shield at Woollahra Oval. Picture: Damian Shaw.

On Saturday they play Southern Districts at Forshaw Rugby Park, Sylvania Waters.

“If we come away 2-2 (win-loss record) after Saturday, I would consider that a win,” Coleman said.

They went behind 18-0 early to Manly on Saturday.

Coleman said the early lapses needed to stop after Easts found themselves in similar situations the previous two weeks.

Another point of contention for the coach is the start of the second half.

A penalty against Easts in the opening play of the second half took the Marlins to 21 points.

Easts take on Manly in the Shute Shield at Woollahra Oval. Picture: Damian Shaw.

And at 21-5 Easts could not quite muster a comeback.

“Definitely something we have to look at is our start,” Coleman said.

“I don’t know if it is how we warm up or our mental approach, but we can’t be giving teams 10 and 18-point head starts.”

A strong rally in the last 25 minutes saw the margin narrow to six points.

“I think the good thing is at 18-0 I never felt we were out of it,” Coleman said.

“I thought we could get the ball and get control. There is a lot of belief in our side.”

An added boost for Easts will be the likely return of NSW Waratahs Tala Gray and Kotaro Matsushima.