A WORLD BEATER ITALY
Bears mentor goes to great lengths to claim fourth title
BURLEIGH coach Tahnee Norris will fly across the world – and then back again – to be on-hand for her team’s shot at a fourth straight South East Queensland women’s division one rugby league premiership.
Norris will today return Down Under from Italy, where she has been as part of her role as Australian Canoeing program manager.
“We’ve got the world championships coming up. I went over early for the junior world champs for kayaking,” the former Jillaroos ace said.
She will miss tonight’s training run before taking the reins for their last session at Pizzey Park on Thursday night ahead of the Saturday grand final at Cbus Super Stadium – following which she will head back to Europe for the world titles in Portugal.
“It’s been hard but I have been keeping in contact with the girls and I have got Luke Faul assistant coaching for me,” Norris said.
“He is a former NRL player. We grew up in the same town so he is good mates with my younger brother.
“He’s been filling in for me. It has been good actually because I know I can just hand it straight over to him and he’s going to run with what we have been doing all year and not change anything.
“I was messaging him before making sure that (at) the Tuesday session we are doing a little bit of contact and working on some line defence, and then Thursday night I will be home for the last training session and jersey presentation.”
Faul was in charge for Burleigh’s grand final qualifier against Brothers Ipswich, which they won 18-6.
The Bears will face West Brisbane in the decider after the Panthers upset Brothers 16-12 in the preliminary final at the weekend.
The women’s grand final will be played as a curtain-raiser to Gold Coast’s Round 22 NRL match against Penrith.