Six games. Eighteen tries in one of them alone. Hunter score 54 points and still don't win. The Rats roll on. The Beasties flex. And the Two Blues serve up the game of the round.

Round 4 of the 2026 Shute Shield was, to put it mildly, a hell of a ride.

Gordon v Hunter Wildfires
Stags def Wildfires 66-54

What do you get when neither team wants to defend? 18 tries. Jesus take the wheel, let's rip in.
Hunter’s Logan Love gave us his best show and go and dotted down to get us underway. Love converted. Three minutes later, Gordon's maul from five metres out - Jayden Henderson peeled off and plodded down. Cole Spinks converted. Three minutes after that, Staggies were back in the driver's seat inches from the line. Connor Hickey, ball in hand, left foot step and over. Spinks converted. Four minutes later - ah, you get the gist. Gordon's forwards were getting great purchase off their carries, creating space for the likes of Justin Landman to slice through. Spinks converted. Gordon went in again at maul time - Samson Koneferenisi on the board. Spinks converted.

Staggies almost went in again off the kick-off but a bobbling ball gave Hunter an easy five-pointer. Adam Plummer the beneficiary. Love converted. Want to guess how long before the next try? Yep, three minutes. Some sexy set-piece at the lineout and Gordon's Lachie Albert was under the sticks. Spinks converted. Ten to play in the half, Hunter went on the prowl - big men doing big men things, something that will never get old. Titi Nofoagatotoa got them back in the game. Love converted. In what can only be described as a FIFA goal - chaotic, don't @ me - Spinks bagged one. Hunter hit back through Mone Ma'afu. Love converted. Staggies' set-piece has been sexy all year and today was more of the same. Aaron Neville-Smith went in just before the half. 40 minutes, 75 points. Everyone can breathe now. Halftime.

Right, we'll keep the second half nice and punchy. Here's what went down:

• Try scorers: Ronan Kelly, Brendan Palmer, Milan Basson x2, Sau Vaihu x2

• Naughty boyz: Spinks, not rolling away, Tom Horan, head high tackle.

• Kicking: Spinks 8/10, Love 7/8.

Key takeaways: Brendan Palmer continued his hot form bagging another for the season. Hunter came to play - their usual antics of bashing through the front door were on full display, and their backline can seriously shift the ball around. Dangerous in attack, lethal on their day. The halves combination of Lachie Albert and Harry Snook continues to click - great chemistry - and whatever Gordon are doing on the training paddock is working. Their set-piece is very tasty. As for previous Eastwood combinations continuing to fire in Tartan - it's a story worth watching as the season unfolds. Crickey, both teams will be having a defence focused week no doubt.

Sydney University v Manly
Marlins def Uni 21-15

It was a grungy game this one. It took thirty minutes but a turnover at the lineout and Uni were on the counter. The ball into space, good shape in attack and Uni won a penalty. The Northman Tom Curtis slotted three points. Neither team could break through - a good old fashioned close encounter. Manly's discipline cost them a man right before the half, Sione Misiloi sent for a deliberate knockdown. "He never stood a chance sir!" Early mark for you son. It felt like a Northern Hemisphere test match, neither side able to convert chances and points were crucial. Halftime.

A tale of two halves I hear you say. And a tale this be. The Students struck first - the Bison, Declan Moore extended the lead. Uni had a sniff but a soft turnover gave Manly the counter attack. They went 60 and Billy Dickens snuck in. Kaye converted. Manly found their feet and in a David versus Goliath battle, the Goliath Nikolai Foliaki bashed over the line. A Joe Dillon 50-22 gave Marlin’s possession - building phases and pressure it wasn't long before they were in again. Meli Dreu found himself in space and strolled over. Kaye converted. Glimmers of hope in the final 10 when naughty boy number two Meli Dreu was sent for offside. The Students showed moments of brilliance but were unable to retain possession when it counted. Manly were all over the ball at the breakdown but Ben Grant broke through in the dying minutes. Curtis converted. A big Marlins turnover sealed the deal. Fulltime.

Warringah v Southern Districts
Rats def Souths 41-12

Charlie Tupu kicked things off with a typical cracker of a finish in the corner. Souths hit back against the run of play - "a brain fart there from the Rats" to quote the commentary. A cross-field kick plucked by Dave Nicol. Struan Hutchison converted. Rats were finding easy metres on the right edge and the behemoth Lebron Naea was always going in. Isaac Kneepkens is a weapon in attack - those twinkling toes came away with the choccies again. Right before the half, Rats went to their maul and Zac Barnabas went over. The Rebels were right in it. Halftime.

In the second, Warringah showed why they are consecutive finalists. Poised and dominating possession, simple hands put Ben Woollett in the corner. Unfortunately, the Rebels couldn't stay in the fight. Rats continued to find purchase at the maul and eventually we got a naughty boy - Mitieli Tuinakauvadra sent for collapsing a maul, tough luck brother, time out. Eat, sleep, repeat and Rats got another. Naea got his second of the day. Smith converted. With five on the clock you'd think the game was all said and done. And it was. Rats turned the ball over inside Souths' 22, the backs went to work and Luke Tucker was under the sticks. Smith converted. Starved of possession and three on the clock, Souths gave away their scrum. Quick tap and Smith was in. Smith converted. This was a prime example of the score not reflecting the game. Don't sleep on the Rebels. Fulltime.

Northern Suburbs v Randwick
Norths def Wicks 39-28

Destined to be a cracker, Wicks set the tone early. Mitch Short stepped and ducked his way through the line, reached out - enter short joke here - and Wicks were in front. Cusick converted. Sexy time alert. Norths' scrum, 22 out - slick set-piece and a tidy flick pass put Callum Sirker in the corner. Eager to stamp their mark, Norths gained a penalty in front. Minogue slotted the three. Randwick's trademark is their love of possession and today was no different - great ball retention and speed of ruck gave Jack Barrett another for the tally. Cusick converted. Right before the half, Max Burey showed those dazzling feet and put Mr Baldy Baldy, James Margan over the line. Minogue converted. Halftime.

One minute into the second and Norths were firing - great shape in phase play gave the backs space and Sirker had a double. Minogue converted. Very soft defence at scrum time and Minogue bashed his way through to extend the lead. Minogue converted. Randwick's big boys went to work and proved too much a metre out - the Bobcat Oniti Finau closed the gap. Cusick converted. Minogue added three more with 20 to play. In the final quarter Sirker sliced through and bagged a hattrick - no mean feat, well in son. Minogue converted. Tim Sippel suddenly found himself with no one in front of him and with 10 to go gave Randwick hope. Sippel converted. To make things worse for Norths, Blair Tagi-Fuimaono was sent for repeat infringement. Tut, tut maestro. That's all she wrote. Fulltime.

West Harbour v Eastern Suburbs
Easts def Pirates 42-17

Pirates were unlucky not to score inside the first five minutes, held up over the line. Poor discipline from Beasties gave Pirates a penalty shot but to no avail. Third time's the charm - Pirates went to their maul, big boys deep into the dark arts and Will McDonald went in. Beasties replied with a maul of their own and Archer Gavin got his first. Bowen converted. It didn't take long for Gavin to get his second - another maul, another try, someone stop him! Bowen converted. Blustery conditions meant a tough day to throw the ball around and Albert Alcock - believe me, the temptation is real but I digress - off the maul, gave Pirates their second with 10 to play. I'll eat my words. Easts kept it alive out the back, cheeky switch with Connor Tupai and he dotted down. Bowen converted. Halftime.

It took 12 minutes but eventually Easts broke through. Sam Walker showed how elusive he can be, stepping his way over. Bowen converted. Gee whizz bang. A Bowen chip and chase sliding straight through and the try of the round has to go to Bryn Davies - a big man striding home from 30 metres out (in two weeks he'll have gone the length...), gassing the defence and under the sticks. Bowen converted. Ten to go and Davies got his second off another maul (in two weeks, this'll have turned into a hattrick). Bowen converted. Moli Schaumkel danced his way between the pointy things in the dying minutes. Hannaford converted. Pirates stayed in the fight and are showing serious improvement. Beasties continuing to dominate. Fulltime.

Eastwood v Western Sydney
Two Blues def Woods 30-27

WA cheeky turnover in the opening minutes and Cody Nordstrom toed the ball ahead, no one home and dotted down. A big, girthy battle between these two sides meant it took 20 minutes until our next score. A Woodies scrum was dominant, quick ball around the corner and Jhy Legg levelled things. Roderick-Evans converted. Moments later the big boys went to the maul and Sam Pickard flopped over. Roderick-Evans converted. Woods with the wind in their proverbial sails, big boys keeping things tight and bashing their way through. Too much to handle, our first naughty boy in Darius Mafileo sent for repeat offences. Halftime.

A poor exit from Two Blues gave Woods time and space. Then came Dylan Nelson, who broke through the line, left Iona not knowing which way was up with some sexy footwork and flew in - actual try of the round. Roderick-Evans converted. A penalty from right in front put Two Blues back in the mix. Iona converted. A stunning try from Two Blues' backs saw Rilloy Suesue go over. Iona converted. Eastwood's scrum was dominant all game - a tighthead penalty gave Roderick-Evans three points. Against the run of play, Isaac Te Tamaki raced home with the intercept. Iona converted. Thirteen to play and the Two Blues maul went to work - Braden Stewart went over. A long-range penalty from Iona increased the lead. Naughty boy number two, Stewart, cynical play. In true form, Lachie Shelley finished off a cheeky grubber to take things to the wire. Clock in the red and Woods were knocking at the door. Desperate defence from the Two Blues and they held out. Fulltime. Game of the round.