The victory means Warringah Rugby Club has lifted both the Shute Shield and the Sydney Premier Women’s Chikarovski Cup in the same year after their Ratettes won their Grand Final on Saturday August 9.
It's handstands and cartwheels time at Rat Park!
“It’s the proudest moment of my life, proudest moment of my rugby career,” Captain Ben Marr said post-match
“I am a bit lost for words. I am so proud, we worked so hard for this over the last two years. We had a lot of belief in ourselves all year, but we came good at the right time. You saw how much it meant to us today. I reckon that was probably the difference. We wanted this really bad.
“Massive shout out to our bench. All year our bench has been unbelievable and we have come home strong. It has been one of our biggest weapons. The bomb squad, we call them.
“We just had to take it to them in the first half and if we were in the fight in the second half, our bench comes on and finishes the job for us.”
Player of the Match Chlayton Frans, who said he'd been building towards this for a few years, stated it was ''over in a flash'', and that they had focused all Season on getting to the Grand Final and then getting the job done.
Chlayton secured the Rats first try of the match at the 14th minute - and then scored the last try of the game in a HUGE streak down the field during the last minute of play.
In between Warringah lock Keelan Whitman went over the line in the 29th minute and the competition’s top point-scorer Coby Miln's conversion sailed over. Coby Miln went on to chalk up a further three on the stroke of halftime and Warringah had a seven-point lead.
At the 48th minute a penalty gave Coby another opportunity he wasn't going to miss. At the 61th minute Rats replacement forward Malachi Ti'a smashed over for Warringah's third try and Miln's conversion made it a 10-point game.
At the 77th replacement prop Tevita Alatini powered his way over. Around 180 seconds later.... along came Chlay.
Job done.
The Rat Army poured onto the field from a hill a little alike their spiritual home at Warriewood.
Coach Josh Holmes said:
“We showed Rats spirit and when we got the ball, we talked about it all week, 'let’s play Rat footy', and move the ball to space.
“This one is pretty special, this one means a lot. There are lot of boys in this group who have been there for the hard times in the last few years. To see them go and do that, it was pretty special.”
Josh became a coach in 2022, and took the Rats to a Colts premiership in 2023 before taking on first grade last year.
Sue Barry-Cotter, President Warringah Rugby, and the seniors club first lady president, took on her role in 2022 too. Sue had previously served for 3 years as President in the Warringah Rats Junior Rugby Union.
''These guys have given their all - with their eye firmly on the prize, turning up each week and playing for each other and the community.''
‘’Thanks to the support of coaches, managers, directors and support crew, they've taken out the top gong.''
''Huge thanks to our headline sponsor Bayfields and the whole Bayfield Family for their unwavering support.''
''History was made this year by a great team and community. Post game on ground was truly unforgettable.''
There is an extra sweetness about this year's win. The Rats were close in 2024. At North Sydney Oval, Darby Lancaster crossed in the 81st minute to send the Eastern Suburbs into the Grand Final after Warringah had almost pulled off the upset of the Season.
Long-term supporters, the Bayfield family, must be as stoked as the rest of the WRC family.
Pre G.F. traditions - skipper Ben Marr with Mark and Wayne Bayfield, Josh Holmes, and Kaine Bayfield,. Pic; WRC
Founded in July 1922, the Shute Shield is Sydney’s premier grade rugby union competition, played from April to September. The trophy was established in honour of the late Robert Elliott Stewart Shute who passed away on June 5, 1922, following a match at Manly Oval. He was playing for Sydney Uni, and scored 2 tries. In 1923 Sydney University were the first holders of the shield given in his memory.
Robert had only been back from serving with the AIF in France for two years, enlisting as an 18 year-old in April 1917 and seconded to the 32nd Field Reinforcements as a Gunner before being transferred into the 8th Battalion. His parents, Richard and Amelia Stewart Shute, both had to give permission for their only son to serve. His delayed return to Sydney in October 1920 meant he may have been tasked with some challenging duties in 1919 France - although his war records show he did get leave to go to Paris in June 1919.
Warringah Rugby Club's Shute Shield win is historic. This is a great win by a team that has delivered great rugby all season, and who have in turn great support staff, a great club and great community standing behind them.
Warringah's Shute Shield win is historic. This is a great win by a team that has delivered great rugby all season, and who have in turn great support staff, a great club and great community standing behind them.
Warringah Rats 1st Grade Team for the 2025 Shute Shield Grand Final
Worth noting: Sam Thomson was playing his 100th First Grade game - Rhett Butler was on 100 Grade Games for the Grad Final.
Warringah Rugby Club - about us
Warringah Rats are proud to be a 'top to bottom' Club from Juniors to Colts, Women, Seven's and Grade/Seniors.
We're about rugby and community.
“The Rats” as we are affectionately known, holds significant value for us. After experiencing many difficult years with many humiliating defeats the players were reminded by Doug Leslie Snr. (a Rat of Tobruk), that to give up in the face of adversity is never an option. The tradition of the Rats of Tobruk, of bonding together and making commitments in the true spirit of mateship should always be remembered and will prevail just in the same way as the Desert Rats of Tobruk prevailed.
From that time on the Club became known as the Green Rats and their long held friendship with the ‘Rats of Tobruk Veterans Association’ and their legacy is honoured by a memorial on the hill at the southern end of ‘Rat Park’.
More at: www.warringahrugby.com.au
Go Rats!
