The 2026 Shute Shield grand final will be contested by Eastern Suburbs and Warringah at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday, September 5, setting up a rematch of last year’s title decider.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 3.15pm, with the fixture confirmed after both Sydney clubs came through the finals series. Warringah will defend the championship they won against Easts in 2025.
The Rats’ title defence has included a remarkable late-season selection story involving hooker Tom Gee, who moved from fourth grade into the first-grade side after injuries left the club short of options.
Gee, 27, had played 137 grade matches, all below first grade, before making his senior debut against Gordon. He then scored twice in Warringah’s semi-final victory over Randwick.
His promotion followed a serious neck injury to regular hooker Wes Thomas, while second-grade replacements Finn Hurd and Elijah Ti’a were also unavailable. Rugby Australia reported that Warringah’s application to register former Fiji under-20s and Drua player Joshua Uluibau for the finals was rejected by Sydney Rugby Union.
Easts, meanwhile, are seeking to reclaim the trophy after falling short against the Rats last year. The Eastern Suburbs club won the 2024 Shute Shield final and is preparing for another contest against Warringah in what has quickly become one of Sydney club rugby’s defining rivalries.
The Between Two Posts panel has reviewed the semi-finals and looked ahead to a final that will bring the two leading sides of the competition together once again at Leichhardt Oval.
