Round 2 and the Shute Shield took a moment to remember one of its own. This weekend was the Marzo Memorial round. A true-blue legend and a reminder that this competition is much more than just a game. The roots run deep. Gone but never forgotten.

On the field, it was a round of extremes. Big scorelines dominated the afternoon, with the Two Blues and Beasties putting on attacking clinics. But for every blowout, there was a thriller - Shelley's last-gasp heroics in Newcastle, a draw at Manly Oval and a one-score finish at Forshaw Park. Same as it ever was. This is the Shute Shield.

Warringah v Gordon
Rats def Stags 24-17

Well, not the start the Hillbillies were wanting. Managing to turn the ball over from Gordon, Byron Smith went for a cheeky grubber, deflected off a leg and Cole Spinks went 40 metres to put Gordon in front. It was the usual antics from Warringah to follow. Five minutes and several phases later, Rats continuously found holes in the Gordon defence, it was only a matter of time until Smith crossed the chalk. If you went for a pie, bad decision. A couple of minutes later, Gordon scrum, 40 out from the line, simple set piece move, kick through, Ben Pollack over. DENIED. I mean, look, all I say is I’ve seen tries awarded for less…Vindication for Gordon came through Presley Tufuga. Shaky scenes at the back for Rats, multiple loose passes and Tufuga was under the black dot with ten to play. Spinks converted. Pressure makes diamonds or so they say, Warringah are relentless with possession. Once more phase after phase and simple numerical advantage meant Ben Woollett flopped over before the half. Smith converted. All square at Halftime.

Rats struck first in the second half. Attack lost it shape, Smith the cross-field kick, Charlie Tupu in the corner. Champagne footy. ‘Twas truly a game of two halves. Staggies fell asleep at the wheel for the third quarter. A poor exit and kick chase and Rats smelt blood. Line-break, inside ball, Woollett bagged two. Smith converted. There may have been blood in the water, but Gordon hit back. Hands will do it 90% of the time but welcome to the other 10%. Huge cut-out pass from Harry Snook and Pollack was not denied this time. Fulltime.

Southern Districts v Sydney Uni
Students def Rebels 31-28

Rebels first on the board. Quick tap from Isaac Kneepkens and Mason Duke crossed over. Struan Hutchison converted. First naughty boy went to Jake Douglas for technical maul stuff that we in the backs simply don't understand. Uni went to the maul and the boy wizard Harry Potter went over. Tom Curtis converted. Potter's second try - magic. Ugh, I know. Beats 8 defenders. Lucas Ripley scored Uni's third before the break. Halftime.

Souths are a crafty team - give them an inch and they'll take the proverbial mile. It was a scrappy second half, Uni failing to play in the right areas and Souths putting on a show with their offload game and twinkling toes. First points after the break went to Uni - Curtis chipped through off the scrum and Ripley got his second. Naughty boy number two was Uni's Jack Regan - maul nonsense again. In the chair, pal. Rebels took advantage and Kneepkens dotted down. Hutchison converted. Right when you think the Students were going in again - Kneepkens reads the attack, intercept, went 80. Hutchison converted. Poor communication under the highball and the Uni backfield collided. Lewis Young scooped it up and plopped over. Hutchison converted. Eddie Poolman put Uni back in the lead with seven to go. Curtis converted. Souths had a chance to tie it with three on the clock but alas, not to be. Fulltime.

West Harbour v Two Blues
Two Blues def Pirates 38-12

The Battle of The West. *Opening scene, cut to beautiful day at Concord Oval and a Two Blues scrum* “ANNNDD ACTION!” Chip and chase down the edge from Reece SueSue, a bounce gifted from the gods and Christian Papa went in for the Two Blues *end scene*. Great to see the prodigal son Cam Orr back in red and black, looks like he never left. Pirates hit back with what we in the business call a training try - Aidan Wearne straight through, offload to Will Yates and the big man raced home untouched. Baptiste Mousques converted. A well-known trade secret - you're most vulnerable after scoring. Lolagi Visinia straight back in off the kick-off. Rodney Iona converted. Pirates replied through Moli Schaumkel, cheeky dart from the ruck. Not long after, Two Blues were back in business through Latrell Ah Kiong. Iona converted. Halftime.

Silky set-piece is the theme of the week and Two Blues pulled out their best threads on this day. Visinia bagged his double. Iona converted. Maul try, Braden Stewart - too big, too strong, say less. Iona converted. Cody Nordstrom sliced through with 10 to go, brought down just shy, flat ball across the face and Ione Moananu sealed it for Western Sydney. Iona topped off a near perfect day. *AANNDD CUT! That’s a wrap” (literally).

Hunter v Eastwood
Woods def Wildfires 38-36

Big, beefy boys bashing each other - that's what the opening 20 minutes in Newcastle looked like. Yummy. Hunter opened through Brendan Palmer, 5-metre scrum, untouched in the corner. Love converted. He did it last week and he's done it again - Jhy Legg straight through for Eastwood’s reply. Roderick-Evans converted. Hunter hit back through Connor Winchester with a naughty grubber, Palmer kicked ahead and try number two for the wee man. Woods, through the razzling (it's a word, I promise), dazzling feet of Isaac Crowe, returned serve. Roderick-Evans converted. Vulnerability after scoring? Doesn't apply to Eastwood - one phase off the kick-off, Crowe went 40 metres, offloaded to Tom Goddard, under the sticks. Roderick-Evans converted. Halftime.

Soft defence and a barging Jack Barr got Hunter back in it. Love converted. Dylan Nelson went in twice in the corner in quick succession. Hunter went to their maul - Eyda Haisila the beneficiary. Love converted. Palmer completed his hat-trick from 60 metres out, shortly followed by TJ Talaileva racing away to put the Wildfires in front with 15 to go. Then Lachie Shelley happened - streamed down the sideline, tackled twice, goes again twice, offload to Matty Gonzalez and try time. Roderick-Evans converted. Game of the round.

Manly v Northern Suburbs
Draw 24-24

Will Kaye, fresh from Gordon, wasted no time jumping over the tryline for his new club. Kaye converted. Kick through down the edge and Billy Dickens went over. Kaye converted. Norths hit back through Benji Hoppe from close range. Minogue converted. Silky hands in phase play and Meli Dreu bounded home. Kaye converted. Nathan Russell found space from 10 metres out and Norths were back in it. Minogue converted. Sione Misiloi became first naughty boy for the game - showing Minogue that even without the ball, he's still going to get whacked. Halftime.

Norths weren't at their best and the second half wasn't off to a great start. A sloppy penalty gave Kaye three more and Manly pushed their lead outside a converted try. “Nae bother” the Shoremen cried. A sexy quick tap move and Matt Ryan slipped through a gap. Minogue converted. A missed Minogue penalty, then Ryan was sent for a deliberate knock-on - probably should have been a penalty try but alas, naughty boy number two. Have a breather champ. Bad to worse yet Norths never went away. Good goal line defence and staying in the fight mounted the pressure, which resulted in a Minogue three pointer to level the scores. Manly had numerous opportunities but couldn't dot it down. Norths dropped it cold after the bell and that was that.

Randwick v Eastern Suburbs
Beasties def Wicks 46-33

Stunning start for the Beasties in The Battle of The East. Jack Bowen cross-field to Viliami Fine, Easts in front. Bowen converted. Great breakdown accuracy got Randwick rolling - Solomon Tuqiri in the corner. Andrew Deegan converted. Cheeky snipe at the ruck and Connor Tupai was in for Easts. Bowen converted. Fine got his double, barging his way down the wing. Big shout out to Deegan - nasty knock-out in the contact, hope to see you back soon mate. Easts' maul too much - Archie Gavin over. Bowen converted. Carbon copy minutes later for Gavin’s second. 25 minutes in. Five tries. Jack Barrett gave Wicks some hope from close range before the break. Cusick converted. Halftime.

SEXY SET-PIECE ALERT. Midfield scrum, simple cut pass, Otto Serfontein steaming away, offload and Ollie Dawkins in. Bowen converted. NAUGHTY BOY ALERT. Mr Gavin, you are legally required to use your arms when tackling. Numerical advantage in hand and the bobcat Oniti Finau pounced, TRY TIME. Poor discipline from Wicks gave Bowen three points. Finau replied with his second, edging Wicks closer. Cusick converted. Easts too far ahead and too strong - Gavin off the naughty step and over for his hat-trick. Bowen converted. In the dying minutes, Wicks got their consolation through Louis Robinson. Cusick converted. Fulltime.

If things keep going the way things are going, this is going to be the best season we’ve seen. End of.

As always, thanks for tuning in. I’ll see you next week for the ANZAC weekend madness.

Kano