Shute Shield: Warringah Rats draw, player movement, season preview

Last year they “underperformed”. This year the Warringah Rats have high expectations of playing finals footy in the Shute Shield and some new faces to help them.

Gordon playing Warringah last season. Gordon went on to win the Shute Shield crown.

Warringah Rats coach Michael Ruthven is excited.

Excited to be back training, excited his club managed to retain the majority of their men and excited about the new faces in the team preparing for the 2021 Shute Shield competition.

The Rats have lost some players to retirement, including Josh Holmes, Sam Ward and Sam Needs.

WARRINGAH RATS PLAYER MOVEMENT

“We had two boys contracted to the MLR (Major League Rugby in the US) in Maclaen Jones and Mungo Mason,” Ruthven said

“But outside of that our retention has been great.”

Among others, a trio of Penrith players have found their way to the Northern Beaches along with a player from last year’s Shute Shield winning club Gordon.

There have been a few changes to players at Eastwood in the off-season.

“We’ve picked up Hugh Margin from Gordon, Dean Blore from Penrith, Johnny Tuivaiti from Penrith and David Tifa from Penrith.”

Also bolstering their stocks is Giovanni Mountain-Silbery.

WARRINGAH RATS 2021 SEASON ASPIRATIONS

Ruthven has pulled no punches in his assessment of the Rats in 2020.

“Absolutely I’m not happy. We under performed and underachieved. We were really disappointed with where we finished up,’’ he said

“As a coach you wear the burden of that.

“We just weren’t able to get the best out of the group.

“We are looking to bounce back and have a strong year and get the club back into final footy is where we belong. There are plenty of positives.’’

Rory Sutor of Warringah. The club has high hopes for 2021.

WARRINGAH RATS 2020 RESULTS

Warringah finished the 2020 regular season with six wins and six losses.

This left them in eighth place on the ladder.

WARRINGAH RATS 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

The battle of the beaches between the Rats and Manly is held each year.

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.

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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