Jersey Flegg Cup: Canterbury Bulldogs coach Luke Vella’s sense of perspective

A horrific injury ended the career of a promising Bulldogs prospect in an instant. Now, seven years on, that man is using his experience to mentor the next-generation of NRL hopefuls at Belmore.

Luke Vella once had his sights set on achieving his own NRL dream, starring as a talented hooker coming through the junior ranks with the Canterbury Bulldogs.

In an instant, the professional future he had dreamt of was ripped away after an horrific shoulder injury in a under-20s match in 2014.

Now, just seven years on, 27-year-old Vella still calls Belmore home but now as the club’s Jersey Flegg head coach, using his own experience to mentor the next generation of potential NRL stars and rubbing shoulders with Bulldogs’ head of football Phil Gould and coach Trent Barrett.

Vella in action for Bulldogs’ SG Ball.

The hooker played Harold Matthews, SG Ball and under-20s for the Bulldogs.

Vella, who also teaches rugby league at his former school Westfields Sports High, said he developed a new sense of perspective after his career-ending injury.

“A big thing I took away from my injuries is not taking anything for granted,” he said. “I think you can really, as a young player, fall into that trap of self-entitlement and thinking if I do the bare minimum I’ll get through.”

In his third season as Jersey Flegg coach, Vella says his role with the Bulldogs is uncomplicated; to make sure NRL prospects rise through the grades with “top notch” basic skills such as dummy half passing, ball grip, strong carry and catch and pass.

Luke Vella.

The young mentor has aspirations to rise through the ranks and test himself against the best footy brains but is in no rush to get there, taking the chance to absorb as much footy IQ from Gould and Barrett when the opportunity presents.

“(Gus) is so worldly in what he knows,” he said. “Any question he basically has the answer to.

“We talked the other day about our job as development coaches isn’t winning games, it is about developing good people on and off the field. If we get that right, we will win games.”

Bulldogs finished fourth in this season’s abandoned Flegg competition.

The Canterbury Bulldogs Jersey Flegg Cup train-on squad is:

Anthony Pele, Bailey Hayward, Bayley Cox, Ben Moyle, Blake Layton, Cameron Lawrence, Charlie Lennon, Compton Fuatimau, Danny Ghantous, Diego Bravo-Graham, Ediq Ambrosyev, Eli Clark, Harry Hayes, Jack Todd, Jarvis Leafa, John-Lee Gabriel, Joseph O’Neill, Josh Kalati, Kaylib Savage, Khaled Rajib, Lachlan Vale, Larson Dale-Doyle, Lipoi Hopoi, Lleyton Borg, Louie Yehia, Mosese Pope, Omar Yaghi, Ulysses Roberts