Sport
7 October, 2021
Bourke appointed Power’s new coach
A CHANCE to coach his home club was too good for Nick Bourke to refuse.
A CHANCE to coach his home club was too good for Nick Bourke to refuse.
The two-time Kolora Noorat premiership defender has been unveiled as the Power’s newest mentor following outgoing coach Ben Walsh’s decision to stand down.
The 26 year-old will travel from Geelong to coach the club, who approached him about the opportunity following the home and away season.
“I suppose it went from there, the club came to me after our last home and away game and asked if I would have any interest in taking on the coaching role,” Bourke said.
“I obviously wasn’t expecting it and I hadn’t put any thought to it, so I took a bit of time to think about it and go through a few pros and cons.
“Living in Geelong it was going to be a little bit more to think about, but the more I thought about it I realised I probably wasn’t going to get an opportunity like this very often.
“To be able to take on the coaching role for a club I grew up loving is something I thought I’d probably regret at some stage if I didn’t do it.”
Bourke’s appointment was announced to the players recently, and while held reservations about how the news would be received by his team-mates, he had little to worry about given the response was positive.
“The club told me they thought it would be the right call (to appoint me) in keeping the majority of the list together,” Bourke said.
“That was something that played on my mind, not knowing how it would be received, but it’s been great to get a lot of positive feedback from the players and people around the club.
“It’s been very appreciative.”
Since his appointment, Bourke, a former Geelong-listed player, has moved swiftly to assemble his coaching team.
Joel (playing) and Sam Moloney (non-playing) have come on board as assistants, with the pair hoped to provide another layer of experience to the Power’s coaching ranks.
“Once I said yes, it was probably the first thing I wanted to tick off in having a couple of people there that I really trust and that are local as well,” Bourke said.
“They’re two people who live and breathe the club and played all their junior footy there and both are very good footballers in their own right and have really good football brains.
“To get them two on board was certainly a really big target of mine and will be huge for the club going into next year.”
With the annual silly season already in full swing, Bourke said he was in the process of re-signing the club’s playing group.
But relationships with two Geelong Football League stars has already helped him secure two quality recruits to the Power.
Former Leopold pair and team-mates of Bourke, Lucas Boyd and Jeremy Larcombe will call Noorat Recreation Reserve home next season in a big boost to the 2019 premier.
Bourke said Boyd would bolster Kolora Noorat’s forward stocks, while Larcombe will strengthen his side’s defensive unit.
“I went to them before I made my decision and asked if they would have any interest if I was to take it on and they both said they definitely would,” he said.
“Jez hasn’t played in the last couple of years because of work and family commitments and Lucas was probably looking to take that step back.
“To have them on board is going to be really special for me being two close mates of mine.
“On field they are going to be super. They’re obviously very good footballers in their own right but around the club as well they’ll be great with the young kids and helping to develop them.”