Shute Shield 2026

[Prodigy]

Yeh, Eastwood sack their Coach. A bloke who brought a LOT of players to the club 5 years ago, from Gordon. He goes back to Gordon. So naturally those players are considering going back with him.

So Eastwood get the Points Cap changed to stop it. It's madness. They sacked their Coach, and the other clubs pay for it.

What's worse, the other clubs agreed to the rule change. Can't make this stuff up

What’s the points cap change?

 

[savetgmillner]

What’s the points cap change?

It basically limits the amount of players that can play each weekend if they change clubs.

Use Norths as an example - they got Matt Minogue (Eastwood), Callum Sirker (West Harbour) and Will Thomas (Southern Districts). If these 3 players changed to Norths in 2026 they could only play two of them each weekend.

I'm a bit old-school in that if a player wants to leave a club so be it. Trying to restrict their movement is not the answer in a semi-professional competition.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That is one of the dumbest rule changes possible.

If a guy wants out they want out. Saying hey you might not play because this guy came over from Souths is more likely to get a guys back up and just quit all together or go play subbies for below the table allowances.

Does this rule apply for guys coming from overseas? Lets just promote Clubs ignore internal recruitment which can also be seen as a promotion for the players at times as they try and climb towards a pro gig somewhere.

 

[teamsport]

It is a poor rule change, poorly thought out and causing chaos with recruitment.

One of the intricacies is the bottom four clubs can target whoever they want (no limits) so now Manly who are by no means a struggling club just had a poor year are throwing cash at everyone. I actually think Manly should be able to do this but this campaign is clearly lead by Eastwood who have used the struggling clubs like Western Sydney to drive an agenda because of the coach sacking.

All it does is shift the problem and that is why it should never have changed.

A lot of Eastwood's colts are now heading to Western Sydney due to another coach change and now Eastwood are crying poor again. It's ironic considering the initial combining for the grade decision.

 

[Desmond]

That is one of the dumbest rule changes possible.

If a guy wants out they want out. Saying hey you might not play because this guy came over from Souths is more likely to get a guys back up and just quit all together or go play subbies for below the table allowances.

Does this rule apply for guys coming from overseas? Lets just promote Clubs ignore internal recruitment which can also be seen as a promotion for the players at times as they try and climb towards a pro gig somewhere.

Colts are include in this rule change

 

[Pfitzy]

It sounds like something that junior sport does TBH (have seen it in league and rugby) - the concept is to stop clubs wholesale pinching squads from others.

It does not take into account the situation where people are leaving for good reason.

 

[Desmond]

The SJRU will come down hard on any breach of the rule. I would think a $100 fine for each player breach sounds consistent with their history.

 

[pnut]

It is a poor rule change, poorly thought out and causing chaos with recruitment.

One of the intricacies is the bottom four clubs can target whoever they want (no limits) so now Manly who are by no means a struggling club just had a poor year are throwing cash at everyone. I actually think Manly should be able to do this but this campaign is clearly lead by Eastwood who have used the struggling clubs like Western Sydney to drive an agenda because of the coach sacking.

All it does is shift the problem and that is why it should never have changed.

A lot of Eastwood's colts are now heading to Western Sydney due to another coach change and now Eastwood are crying poor again. It's ironic considering the initial combining for the grade decision.

Who have manly approached out of curiosity?

 

[HarryElite]

It is a poor rule change, poorly thought out and causing chaos with recruitment.

One of the intricacies is the bottom four clubs can target whoever they want (no limits) so now Manly who are by no means a struggling club just had a poor year are throwing cash at everyone. I actually think Manly should be able to do this but this campaign is clearly lead by Eastwood who have used the struggling clubs like Western Sydney to drive an agenda because of the coach sacking.

All it does is shift the problem and that is why it should never have changed.

A lot of Eastwood's colts are now heading to Western Sydney due to another coach change and now Eastwood are crying poor again. It's ironic considering the initial combining for the grade decision.

Can manly target everyone though if your only allowed to have 2 players from other teams in their match day 23? im confused. doesnt this whole new system stop manly doing that? meaning they have a poor year and now to fix it they cant just go and throw money at the 6 best players in shute shield as they can only field 2.

its the same rule for the whole comp, not 'bottom 4 are exempt from the rules'

what are eastwood complaining about?

 

[Prodigy]

Can manly target everyone though if your only allowed to have 2 players from other teams in their match day 23? im confused. doesnt this whole new system stop manly doing that? meaning they have a poor year and now to fix it they cant just go and throw money at the 6 best players in shute shield as they can only field 2.

its the same rule for the whole comp, not 'bottom 4 are exempt from the rules'

what are eastwood complaining about?

Dave Telfer taking players to Gordon....

 

[HarryElite]

Dave Telfer taking players to Gordon....

i see, isnt that always going to happen though? gordons coach last year has taken first graders to manly, dont see gordon moaning, if anything the new rule has probably restricted manly just getting 2 or 3 of them instead of 6 of them.

as far as i know, gordon have lost 10-12 first graders from 2025. eastwood have lost similar number including a lot of their 2nd graders and colts. souths have lost of few from 2025 to other clubs and back overseas.

 

[savetgmillner]

i see, isnt that always going to happen though? gordons coach last year has taken first graders to manly, dont see gordon moaning, if anything the new rule has probably restricted manly just getting 2 or 3 of them instead of 6 of them.

as far as i know, gordon have lost 10-12 first graders from 2025. eastwood have lost similar number including a lot of their 2nd graders and colts. souths have lost of few from 2025 to other clubs and back overseas.

Whoever was involved in this rule change clearly doesn't understand the level of the competition and were operating from self-interest. This is a semi-professional competition where the Sydney Rugby Union are now limiting player movement. I state it again - if a player doesn't want to play at a club, you cannot force them to.

From my end at TG I have heard that Two Blues are getting a significant number of colts join from Eastwood as they are following their coach. It's also a bit interesting that this only affects grade and not colts? Rumours as well that Jimmy Hokafonu and James McGregor following John Manenti to Sydney Uni?

 

[teamsport]

Can manly target everyone though if your only allowed to have 2 players from other teams in their match day 23? im confused. doesnt this whole new system stop manly doing that? meaning they have a poor year and now to fix it they cant just go and throw money at the 6 best players in shute shield as they can only field 2.

its the same rule for the whole comp, not 'bottom 4 are exempt from the rules'

what are eastwood complaining about?

Nothing to be confused about yes they can. See attached.

Manly were in the bottom four last season so can apply for change of circumstance without any hindrance.

A number of clubs apparently noticing now why these rule changes were brought about in particular in relation to Western Sydney & Eastwood.

It is worth noting the old points system did not stop anyone from changing clubs but it meant clubs were forced to make decisions themselves as to who to put on the field. Now this is being left in the hands of administrators who have a very limited ability to be impartial.

What has basically happened is a group of inexperienced administrators have banded together to make a decision to be relevant and not thought the consequences through.

Can't imagine too many clubs are too concerned that some MLR player who is probably only first grade standard anyway is playing them on a Saturday at 3pm.

 

[pnut]

Nothing to be confused about yes they can. See attached.

View attachment 23502
Manly were in the bottom four last season so can apply for change of circumstance without any hindrance.

A number of clubs apparently noticing now why these rule changes were brought about in particular in relation to Western Sydney & Eastwood.

It is worth noting the old points system did not stop anyone from changing clubs but it meant clubs were forced to make decisions themselves as to who to put on the field. Now this is being left in the hands of administrators who have a very limited ability to be impartial.

What has basically happened is a group of inexperienced administrators have banded together to make a decision to be relevant and not thought the consequences through.

Can't imagine too many clubs are too concerned that some MLR player who is probably only first grade standard anyway is playing them on a Saturday at 3pm.

Which players from Gordon??

 

[teamsport]

Which players from Gordon??

I am not sure which ones HarryElite seems to think there is 10 - 12 so should know more. Who is the Gordon coach to go to Manly?

 

[Desmond]

Whoever was involved in this rule change clearly doesn't understand the level of the competition and were operating from self-interest. This is a semi-professional competition where the Sydney Rugby Union are now limiting player movement. I state it again - if a player doesn't want to play at a club, you cannot force them to.

From my end at TG I have heard that Two Blues are getting a significant number of colts join from Eastwood as they are following their coach. It's also a bit interesting that this only affects grade and not colts? Rumours as well that Jimmy Hokafonu and James McGregor following John Manenti to Sydney Uni?

I was under the impression it includes all 1st Grade Colts and 1st Grade Players if they played more than 6 games for the current and previous season

 

[pnut]

I am not sure which ones HarryElite seems to think there is 10 - 12 so should know more. Who is the Gordon coach to go to Manly?

Head coach harry I believe as an assistant