SHEARER DELIGHT
BATTLERS LURE EX-NRL PLAYER
VINCE Mellars is taking it upon himself to lead a Gold Coast team out of a massive win drought and into premiership contention.
Mellars, a centre, played 24 NRL matches across stints at the Warriors, Sharks and Roosters between 2003 and 2006.
He later carved out a 77game career as a regular in the English Super League.
Having spent the past four years in Gladstone, the 34-year-old has moved to Brisbane and linked with the Ormeau Shearers following talks with coach Julius Kuresa.
The Rugby League Gold Coast battlers are coming off a winless A-grade season.
Their last win came 641 days ago when they upset Runaway Bay 26-22 in Round 14 of the 2016 season.
Mellars, who plans to be on deck for multiple seasons, wants to drive a rebuild that will take the club to greener pastures.
“Just like with Harro (Ashley Harrison) at Tugun and Dayne Weston (at Currumbin), I think when you have had that experience – and this is like in a non-arrogant way – it is important to use that experience,” he said.
“Especially at a club like ours where, to be honest with you, they have been pumped all last year and the year before I think they only won a handful of games,” Mellars said.
“I am genuinely interested in the challenge of helping them out. Obviously we would like to take out a title but it takes time in building a process in terms of maybe a season and then realistically building towards next season.”
Ormeau impressed in preseason trials but were disappointed to come away from Round 1 on Sunday with a 46-12 loss to Bilambil.
Brutally honest, Mellars admitted the Shearers had “sucked” in the season-opener but believes they can turn it around.
“We’ll do really well. I know we will,” he said.
“It’s just disappointing that we didn’t show it (on Sunday).”
He identified five-eighth Grayson Te Kiri, recruited from Tugun, as a key man.
“We’re blessed to have Grayson. I am surprised he is where he is,” Mellars said.
“I don’t know if he has been affiliated with any other clubs or been in some sort of (NRL) system but I reckon we’re very lucky to have him.”
The Shearers’ task gets no simpler in Round 2, with an away match against Rugby League Gold Coast defending premiers Burleigh.