PAPA BEAR

Burleigh’s grand 2020 vision locks in Lenihan

JIMMY Lenihan will move into his second decade at the helm of Burleigh’s Intrust Super Cup side after signing a twoyear contract extension.

Lenihan was off contract at the end of this season but such is the Bears’ faith in him that they have struck a deal before a ball has even been kicked in anger to keep him at the club until at least 2020.

The 44-year-old is a respected figure at Pizzey Park and the Bears moved quickly to lock his future in before starting a player retention drive.

Burleigh won the state league in 2016 before being crippled by injuries en route to ninth last year.

Things are looking up again ahead of their Round 1 match on Saturday against regular frontrunner Sunshine Coast.

“It’s good to see that the club feels confident in the way things are going,” he said.

“It’s nice to have that sort of security; now it’s just about focusing on putting in some good performances this year.”

Lenihan’s time with the club dates back to 2000, when he began playing for the Bears after stints at the Gold Coast Seagulls and St George and Huddersfield in the Super League.

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Since transitioning to coaching, he held the top job from 2006-09 and then again from May 2014 to now.

The period in between saw him rediscover his love for the game, coaching Bilambil to the 2011 Rugby League Gold Coast A-grade title.

Lenihan’s family have become entrenched in the club.

“It has been a big part of our life here so it is something that I am very proud to be a part of still,” he said.

“The kids come down a fair bit and the wife (Hayley) comes down and watches.

“She is probably not the biggest football follower. She likes to follow us individually but yeah we are always around the place.”

With his tenure secure and seven 2016 premiership players named for Round 1 – plus three forwards with NRL experience who have since joined – the Bears have an opportunity for prolonged success much like they enjoyed under Rick Stone.

“The word dynasty is a bit of a scary word to say … at this point we’re only as good as the season we had last year and we didn’t have a really good year,” Lenihan said.

He predicted their first-up opponents, the Falcons, will “no doubt be one of the top three sides in the competition this year.”