Despite Orange boys scoring the bulk of the points for Easts, Gordon claimed victory off the back of a dominant scrum which consistently overpowered the Beasties, more than half a dozen times through their clash in front of several thousand onlookers.

It took less than five minutes for the Highlanders to show how strong they were, with Jacob Abel scoring and skipper and No.8 Jordy Goddard burrowing over only a few minutes later after Gordon overpowered the Beasties' scrum on their five-metre line.

Sean Kearns converted both tries, as well as a penalty dead in front of the sticks 23 minutes in to put Gordon up 17-nil just after the midway point of the first half, with the three Abel brothers - Jacob, who was named man of the match, Robbie and Charlie all absolutely dominant.

Orange City junior Dan Donato stormed down the left flank from fullback to put the Beasties on the board at the 32-minute mark, missing his own conversion, but it put a bit of fire in the Beasties, with Charlie Gamble having a knock-on deny him a try and a penalty goal putting the score 17-8.

Another penalty directly in front was converted by Kearns with a minute to go, but Easts' Orange contingent was not going down without a fight.

WATCH: The Indigenous celebrations pre-match at the Shute Shield ...

When Jack Grant went over three minutes into the second half and Donato converted to put them within five points, there was a feeling the favourites would reel the Highlanders in, but instead, Gordon put on the jets.

Winger Mike Molloy ran into the left corner to score after Tautalatasi Tasi goose-stepped past his opposite number, before three fast breaks in the same play led to Oli Smeallie going over in the opposite corner in the space of five minutes and suddenly the score was 42-15 the Highlander's way.

A second try to Grant in the shadows of full-time with the conversion pulled the margin back, but Gordon's dominance was properly reflected by the scoreline and Highlanders coach Darren Coleman said it was a "great win" for the club to keep them in touch with the top of the table.

"It's important, we were just clinging onto the (top) six, we're still in the fight and it's good for the boys," he said.

"In the last few weeks they'd had some really tight losses and heartbreaking ones so to see them get the win, I was really happy for them."

He said the work of the forwards was the crucial different between the sides.

"It started at the scrum, the boys just fed off the back of that and we made less errors and fought with passion, so I thought it was pretty close to a complete performance," Coleman said.

"The front row (all starred), the Abel brothers Charlie and Robbie up front and I think Jacob got man of the match so it was a good day for them."

He also praised the work of "champion" skipper Jordy Goddard, who led from the front in the Indigenous round, while debutant fullback Alex Barker also shone.

The Orange boys in Donato and Grant did some of the heavy lifting for Easts, but Beasties coach Pauli Taumeopeau didn't mince words when reflecting on his side's "terrible" loss.

"The boys lacked a bit of heart, lacked a bit of courage, they didn't stick to the game plan, tried to go rogue," he said.

"Gordon played really well and obviously had a plan about their kicking and their attacking and we didn't have an answer for it."

The side's "arrogance" after scoring three minutes into the second half was a particular gripe of Taumeopeau, who said subsequent plays giving away penalties which the Highlanders converted into a try hurt.

He said the Beach to Bush round meant a huge amount to his side.

With six players with links to the Orange region, the club picked the city as their regional base to "give back", but said his side's showing was "disrespectful" towards that aim.

"I hate losing, but I hate (losing) today more because of how much it means to us," Taumeopeau said.

"The community that comes out, the effort this community goes to to get this here and the effort they go to make it the day it is ... we should respect them."