BURTON DEFLECTS COACHING CONCERN
SURFERS Paradise playercoach Kris Burton says Tonga Lea’aetoa’s shock offseason departure would have disrupted Helensvale as much as it did his own club.
A former Tongan international prop, Lea’aetoa co-coached with Burton during the Dolphins’ past two undefeated premierships before taking on a new challenge at the Hogs.
Some in the Gold Coast District Rugby Union community feel the turnover could finally bring Surfers back to the pack.
Burton said changes in the coaching set-up always created a minor hurdle, though the Dolphins have secured a high-calibre replacement for Lea’aetoa in the form of Jed Hogan.
“Obviously when coaches change clubs and things like that, there’s always some disruptions but it happens in all sports,” said Burton, a former Italy Test star.
“In soccer it probably happens even more so, twice in one season the coaches might change.
“It’s just about adapting and making sure that everyone still has the same buy-in that they had originally.
“Same as him (Lea’aetoa) going to Helensvale, he has got to go there and establish relationships there as well.
“Our group still has a good buy-in to what we want and where we want to go.”
Hogan was Bond University’s 2017 reserve grade coach and brings a different voice as the Dolphins’ new co-coach.
“He is forwards coaching and working on a lot of technical stuff,” Burton said. “He has a lot of experience all over Australia.”
Surfers play Lennox Head in an away trial this weekend before Round 1 on March 10 against the Hogs.