New Ormeau coach Peri Creamer discusses keys to club’s Rugby League Gold Coast revival in 2020

NEW Ormeau coach Peri Creamer will cast the recruitment net far and wide but says two other factors will underpin the Shearers’ Rugby League Gold Coast revival next season.

NEW Ormeau coach Peri Creamer will cast the recruitment net far and wide but insists improved professionalism and a focus on enjoyment will underpin the Shearers’ Rugby League Gold Coast revival next season.

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With Julius Kuresa vacating his post at the helm of an Ormeau side that won just two games en route to this year’s wooden spoon, Creamer was last month charged with leading their A grade resurrection in 2020.

The 43-year-old began his coaching career in Jimboomba’s junior ranks before taking the reins of under-18 and open teams at Logan Brothers.

He has also been involved with Gold Coast Vikings and South East Queensland teams and spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Norths Devils’ under-20s.

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With a young and inexperienced side, the Shearers were simply outclassed this year and with the start of pre-season training looming on Tuesday, Creamer has made it his priority to bolster the playing ranks.

However, he said improving the playing roster was only one ingredient in the recipe for success.

Peri Creamer is the new Ormeau coach for next season’s Rugby League Gold Coast A grade competition. Picture: Tim Marsden

“The first thing is for us to be competitive and that starts next year. I’ll be pretty direct with the lads saying ‘if we want to progress we need to commit’,” Creamer said.

“When I spoke to a few of the boys, it was just the commitment to training (that hurt this year). I can’t be waking up on game day and calling blokes to make sure we’ve got 17 players.

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“The club has been really supportive. Even with pre-season I plan to do it a bit different to normal because I want the guys to enjoy pre-season and want to come back to training.

“We’re possibly looking at a young side but I still need a few old heads there. I’ve coached on the Gold Coast, I’ve coached in Logan and I’ve coached in Brisbane so I’ve got a big player pool to choose from.

“The key for me is probably to recruit from outside of the Gold Coast comp if we want to improve seniors. Everyone looks at the long-term (plan) saying three years (for success) but I’d like to say two years. Three years is too long for me.

“It’s exciting times but I don’t want to get too excited. It’s just about doing all our homework first. It’s going to be a massive challenge but a challenge is what I want.”

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Originally from New Zealand, Creamer’s playing days began in rugby union before taking up rugby league with the Cairns Kangaroos when he moved to Australia.

A police officer for the past 13 years, he said his time in the job had set him up well for life as a head coach.

“Policing has introduced me to those people skills and that mindset. You get to read the individual and things about them,” he said.

“It’s translating what I do in my workplace and being able to communicate to players and staff. They’re all giving up their time to play footy so it’s just understanding all that kind of stuff and being there for them when they need that support.

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“The team won two games this year and there’s probably another six they could’ve won. If you turn those around you’re looking at eight wins and playing semis.

“My goal is to get rid of that wooden spoon tag and be competitive as a senior unit for the club. It’s a bit of a test of their character.”

The Shearers will also be boosted off the field next season with the addition of a new clubhouse and changerooms.