Warringah put away Gordon 46-19 in the Shield of Shute on Saturday morning. The hosts had lost their head-to-head earlier in August, 24-35 in a match that left them questioning their edge. By then they had been uneven all season — two wins, two losses, one against each side they've met twice. This time they picked up where they left off after that defeat.
They came out with purpose. The scoreline told the story quickly. Gordon, who had won four of their last five before this, found themselves behind early and never really recovered. The visitors had beaten Sydney University 40-35 and West Harbour 40-35 in their previous outings, but against Warringah the margin was different. Things came to a head within the first quarter.
Warringah's recent form had been up and down. They'd beaten Randwick twice in the past fortnight, 31-26 and 33-22, but also lost to Sydney University. Gordon had been on a run — victories over West Harbour, Northcote, Sydney University, and Warringah in August — before losing to Manly on the 15th. That run ended here. The hosts worked their short corners and punished every mistake.
The final score — 46-19 — reflected a game that was decided early and never really tightened. Gordon showed flashes, but couldn't string enough together. Warringah, who had looked vulnerable in their August loss to the same side, cut them open at will when they had the ball. The difference was in the execution, not the opportunity.
What this means in the table depends on where both sides sit, but the result itself is straightforward. Warringah reversed the August result and put some distance between themselves and their rivals. Gordon's unbeaten streak in this fixture ended. The scoreline tells you everything you need to know about who wanted it more on the day.