Gold Coast Dolphins batsman Kevin Chapman to return to Mudgeeraba Nerang as player and coach

A ROCK of the Gold Coast Dolphins’ 2018-19 Queensland Premier Cricket campaign will join the Kookaburra Cup ranks next season as a player and specialist skills coach.

GOLD Coast Dolphins batsman Kevin Chapman will return to Cricket Gold Coast club Mudgeeraba Nerang next season to take up a role as a specialist skills coach.

The 30-year-old, who scored 372 first grade runs for the Dolphins in 2018-19 at an average of 31, will combine playing commitments with Mudgeeraba’s Kookaburra Cup side with a technical role across the club.

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With Cam Garnham (club coach), Dylan McLaughlin (first grade), Guy Diven (second grade) and Darren Santer (third grade) to continue in their coaching posts, Bushmen president Matthew Gill said Chapman would be a valuable asset.

“Chappy will be focusing on technical stuff. He will be in a supporting coaching role and will be working with Dylan McLaughlin a lot with first grade but Cam will remain club coach,” Gill said.

Kevin Chapman in action for the Dolphins last season.

“There’s no pressure from us (for him to return), we more than encouraged Chappy to stay at the Fins. He had a good year.

“We see ourselves as a pathway to the Dolphins - our ethos is to get them down the road (to Bill Pippen Oval) - but if and when (players) come back, we welcome them with open arms.”

Chapman first joined the Dolphins in 2004-05, spending five season seasons at the club before splitting his playing time with Mudgeeraba in 2009-10.

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He became the backbone of the Bushmen’s batting line-up over the next nine seasons, but returned to the Dolphins in 2018-19 as uncertainty lingered over the format for the Kookaburra Cup season.

“There’s a lot of time and commitment involved with playing for the Dolphins so (returning to Mudgeeraba) is not as time consuming,” Chapman said.

Gill said Mudgeeraba products Mitch Daly and Josh Nelson had indicated they would remain at the Dolphins next season.