New Coomera BWPL coach Trent Gregson discusses new role & surprise Southport exit

NEW Coomera coach Trent Gregson has revealed off-field politics were behind his surprise Southport exit but the title-winning mentor says he has found a “fresh start” with the Brisbane Women’s Premier League’s emerging force.

NEW Coomera coach Trent Gregson has revealed off-field politics were behind his surprise Southport exit but the title-winning mentor says he has found a “fresh start” with the Brisbane Women’s Premier League’s emerging force.

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After three years as Southport coach, including a 2017 double in the now-defunct Gold Coast Women’s Premier League, Gregson last month agreed to guide local rivals Coomera in the 2020 BWPL.

He had planned to take a 12-month break after leaving the Warriors but will now head to Viney Park as the replacement for Archy Kahondo, who steered the Colts to an unexpected finals appearance in their debut BWPL campaign this year.

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Having overseen a Warriors outfit that finished eighth, Gregson will be joined at Coomera by wife Lisa - a Southport player of 12 years - and he hopes others will jump at the chance to be part of a Colts side on the rise.

“At the end of last season I decided I wasn’t going to coach anymore, I was going to have a break for the year. Then I got contacted by Coomera, took a meeting and was pretty blown out by what they’re doing over there,” Gregson said.

Coomera Brisbane Women's Premier League coach Trent Gregson (right) with new signing Nikola Bayer.

“I know the ladies and Archy did amazing at Coomera last year. They’ve got a really talented squad so I’d be silly to say that didn’t factor in but that’s just a bonus that I’m going to a successful squad.

“I’m really looking forward to working with those ladies who did well last year. Let’s push for that top four again and even higher.

“I’d love majority of their squad from last year to come back and go around. I’d love to see some new faces to see what the fuss is about after they did so well.

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“It was a massive decision for Lisa (to leave Southport) obviously but she’s on the same page. The quality and support thrown behind the women at Coomera, it blew us away.

“It was amazing. It made me want to get back in and not have that year off.”

While Gregson conceded it was difficult to bid farewell to the Warriors, he said his Coomera challenge had given him a new lease on life.

“To decide to have the season off, it was (hard). Part of me was upset that we couldn’t complete what we sought out to build at Southport but unfortunately it just wasn’t to be,” he said.

“There was some politics I wasn’t real happy with at Southport and that was what made me want to have the year off and not be involved in that political thing anymore. I was a little bit worried about some of the things happening there.

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“And then when this came up (at Coomera), it was a fresh start. Their women’s program is second to none from what I‘ve seen on the Gold Coast and I think with their juniors and their vision, it’s what drew me across.

“I thought this is somewhere I can really put my passion for women’s football into place.”

Gregson has already secured the services of Brie Bond, Nikola Bayer and Georgia Elliston.