Shute Shield’s 25 best players of the past 25 years

We reached out to past players, coaches, and administrators to name the definitive top 25 players of the past 25 years. One name appeared on the top of the list of nearly everyone we asked.

It’s no small task putting together a list of the top 25 Shute Shield players of the last 25 years.

You could have arguments at clubrooms from Forshaw to Rat Park, with well over 40 names on the shortlist.

We reached out to past players, coaches and administrators – some of whom even put their club biases aside – for their selections.

We didn’t want the list just to be stacked with Wallabies, so the general criteria for inclusion was players who had stellar club careers from 2000 onwards, but who never truly cemented spots at Test level.

As you’ll see, this eliminated plenty of big names. Some players including on the list did have decent Super Rugby careers though.

In doing this research, one name appeared on the top of the list of nearly everyone we asked, and he has been named the best Shute Shield player of the last 25 years.

For the rest, there were arguments, debates and disagreements, as there inevitably will be in clubland when the countdown is released.

Here are the top 25 Shute Shield players of the last 25 years.