Grant’s got no time for grudges
GRANT Anderson has opened up on the full circle that has seen him return to the Bond University rugby head coach role seven months after he missed out on being retained.
Anderson is a stalwart of the club, having been a foundation player from when it was known as the Gold Coast Breakers.
In his first year as head coach, he guided the Bull Sharks to within a whisker of the play-offs but the top job for 2019 went to respected applicant Brad Harris.
Anderson has drawn praise this week from both Harris and Bond director of rugby Luca Liussi for his maturity and dedication to stay on as an assistant – and that decision has now paid off with a re-promotion in the wake of Harris’ appointment in a full-time role with Fiji Rugby.
“At the end of the day I truly believe in these players at this club and believe in where the club is going and it’s something I wanted to be part of,” Anderson said.
“If it wasn’t as head coach, then any other role I could do to help the club.
“Obviously it was difficult for me at the end of last year but I certainly don’t hold any resentment or grudges towards anyone.
“I’m just glad to be able to contribute back coaching the boys.”
He declared he would not change the style of rugby Harris has instilled.
“We have been really unlucky to lose a lot of the games by less than a try; the season could look very differently with a bounce of the ball here or there for us,” he said.
“I will obviously coach differently to what Brad did and put my personal stamp on how things are delivered and hopefully the boys will respond.”
Anderson’s task will be to inspire a late-season charge similar to what they mustered after a slow start to 2018.
“It really is a mirror image of where we were last year and we turned it all around with a really good win against Sunnybank; we’re hoping to replicate that this week against Norths at home,” he said.
“I think once this team nuts out a win, the belief will really flow through and they’ll just keep going from there.”
In a blow, hard-running No.8 Zach Moimoi suffered a hamstring injury at training on Tuesday.