Shute Shield 2021 Randwick rugby draw, Galloping Greens players, season preview
There’s been some big changes in playing personnel but is it reason for Randwick to stress ahead of the 2021 Shute Shield? SEASON PREVIEW
Southern Courier
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Randwick Rugby’s famous pathway program will be put to the test in 2021 as coach Ben McCormack works to fill gaps left by departing, injured and retiring players and an exodus of guns to the US.
There were a variety of reasons for the exits of players who played a significant role with the club in a coronavirus affected 2020 season.
PLAYER MOVEMENT: GAINS AND LOSSES
Randwick lost a significant number of their first grade players in the off-season with some heading to the US to play, sevens guns like Lachlan Miller and Maurice Longbottom returning to the the Olympic program ahead of Tokyo and others ruled out through injury.
Captain Nathan den Hoedt has been picked up by LA Giltinis for the 2021 major league rugby season in the US along with his old teammate Christian Poidevin, while Jake Turnbull has gone to the Houston Sabre Cats as a loose head prop.
INJURIES, RETIREMENTS
“George Hendry, the tight-head, has a neck injury so I don’t think we will see him,” McCormack said.
“Brooklyn Hardaker has busted his knee and is out for the season and Dave Horwitz is retiring.
“Tom Holland has also gone to the Rebels.”
WHAT THE COACH SAYS
McCormack said the time is right for Randwick to use a new group of young players who have been waiting in the wings.
“We aren’t stressing,“ he said.
“It is times like this you just have to have confidence in your that your programs are producing.
“It’s the time when the time and effort put into our colts program pays you back.
“We have a number of young blokes who have pushed through but I haven’t had a crack in first grade yet but look like they will.”
RANDWICK RESULTS
At the end of the regular season in 2020, Randwick had won eight of the 12 games in a season shortened due to coronavirus.
In the preliminary final against Gordon they were pipped 15-14 in the dying moments of the game.
2021 SHUTE SHIELD DRAW
ROUND ONE April 21: Manly v Gordon, Sydney Uni v Newcastle, Easts v Souths, Wests v Randwick, Penrith v Norths, Eastwood v Two Blues. Warringah Bye
ROUND TWO April 17: Gordon v Two Blues, Sydney Uni v Wests, Easts v Manly, Warringah v Randwick, Newcastle v Norths, Souths v Eastwood. Penrith Bye
ROUND THREE April 24: Norths v Gordon, Sydney Uni v Eastwood, Randwick v Easts, Souths v Warringah, Wests v Newcastle, Two Blues v Penrith, Manly Bye.
ROUND FOUR May 1: Penrith v Sydney Uni, Easts v Eastwood, Newcastle v Randwick, Norths v Souths, Warringah v Wests, Manly v Two Blues, Gordon Bye.
ROUND FIVE May 8: Gordon v Souths, Sydney Uni v Manly, Easts v Two Blues, Wests v Norths, Eastwood v Warringah, Newcastle v Penrith, Randwick Bye.
ROUND SIX May 15: Randwick v Gordon, Sydney Uni v Easts, Norths v Eastwood, Warringah v Penrith, Manly v Wests, Souths v Newcastle. Two Blues Bye
ROUND 7 May 22: Wests v Gordon, Sydney Uni v Warringah, Newcastle v Easts, Penrith v Randwick, Norths v Two Blues, Souths v Manly. Eastwood Bye
ROUND EIGHT May 29: Gordon v Warringah, Penrith v Easts, Randwick v Souths, Manly v Norths, Eastwood v Newcastle, Two Blues v Wests, Sydney Uni Bye.
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ROUND NINE June 5: Gordon v Eastwood, Randwick v Sydney Uni, Easts v Norths, Warringah v Manly, Souths v Penrith, Newcastle v Two Blues, Wests Bye/
ROUND 10 June 19: Sydney Uni v Gordon, Wests v Easts, Two Blues v Randwick, Norths v Warringah, Penrith v Eastwood, Manly v Newcastle, Souths Bye.
ROUND 11 June 26: Gordon v Newcastle, Sydney Uni v Souths, Randwick v Norths, Eastwood v Manly, Warringah v Two Blues, Penrith v Wests, Easts Bye.
ROUND 12 July 3: Easts v Gordon, Two Blues v Sydney Uni, Eastwood v Randwick, Newcastle v Warringah, Manly v Penrith, Souths v Wests, Norths Bye
ROUND 13 July 10: Gordon v Penrith, Norths v Sydney Uni, Warringah v Easts, Randwick v Manly, Wests v Eastwood, Two Blues v Souths, Newcastle Bye.
ROUND 14 July 17: Eastwood v Gordon, Sydney Uni v Randwick, Easts v Newcastle, Souths v Norths, Wests v Manly, Penrith v Two Blues, Warringah Bye.
ROUND 15 July 24: Gordon v Wests, Manly v Sydney Uni, Norths v Easts, Randwick v Warringah, Two Blues v Eastwood, Newcastle v Souths, Penrith Bye.
ROUND 16: July 31: Gordon v Norths, Sydney Uni v Easts, Randwick v Penrith, Newcastle v Eastwood, Warringah v Souths, Wests v Two Blues, Manly Bye
ROUND 17 August 8: Warringah v Gordon, Souths v Sydney Uni, Easts v Randwick, Eastwood v Norths, Two Blues v Manly, Penrith v Newcastle, Wests Bye
ROUND 18 August 14: Two Blues v Gordon, Eastwood v Sydney Uni, Manly v Easts
Randwick v Wests, Norths v Newcastle, Penrith v Warringah, Souths Bye
ROUND 19 August 21: Gordon v Randwick, Newcastle v Sydney Uni, Two Blues v Easts
Norths v Penrith, Manly v Warringah, Wests v Souths, Eastwood Bye
FINALS 2021: Week 1 Finals: August 28. Week 2 Finals: September 4. Grand Final: September 11
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