CHANGE OF PACE
DESPITE making Gold Coast Hockey’s Division 1 grand final for more than five years in a row, a preliminary knockout last year saw swift action at Burleigh.
After coaching the side through their purple patch, Col Rawding stepped aside of the Burleigh men’s team, leaving Australian country rep Josh McRae to take over – and the move is already proving a masterstroke.
“He (Josh) put his hand up to coach and he’s brought a new flavour to the role and the boys have really warmed to his coaching style,” said now team manager Rawding.
“Results aren’t the main aim but we’re playing a really open, fast-flowing style which should lead us into finals again.”
Burleigh haven’t dropped a game so far this season and defeated fellow early-season standouts the Roosters 2-1 yesterday.
“It was a very fast moving game and probably the quickest game we’ve had all season,” said Rawding.
“They provided a good contest and we had several opportunities which we didn’t convert. But then we scored twice but there wasn’t a lot in it.”
After losing a few players to the youth national championships and Australian country side, Rawding was impressed with the side.
“Our second side is performing quite well so we could draw upon some seasoned players,” he said.
“They’re not quite the same standard as other guys but they provided a contest.”
After a shock finals loss last season, Rawding admitted that the club had high hopes for 2019.
“Our first goal is to make the final and then we’ll go from there,” he said.
“We think we’re playing a competitive style and if we keep improving we’re confident we’ll get back to that spot.”
In the other weekend results, Mudgeeraba defeated Capri 0-1 and Labrador beat Casuarina. In the women’s Division 1, Labrador and Roosters drew 1-1 and Capri defeated Mudgeeraba 1-0.
HE’S BROUGHT A NEW FLAVOUR TO THE ROLE AND THE BOYS HAVE REALLY WARMED TO HIS COACHING STYLE COL RAWDING ON JOSH McRAE