Promising Gold Coast football siblings the sons of former NRL player Darren Anderson

HIS top-flight rugby league career was cut short amid a horror injury run, but a former Gold Coast NRL star is now helping sons carve promising future playing soccer.

HIS top-flight rugby league career was cut short amid a horror injury run, but former Gold Coast Charger Darren Anderson insists he has no regrets.

Now, the 44-year-old is channelling his focus into teenage sons Hayden and Lachlan, who have defied their rugby league roots to carve out promising careers in football.

A Canberra junior, Anderson arrived on the Glitter Strip in 1994 after joining the Gold Coast Seagulls, but their demise the following year sparked a move to Sydney in 1996.

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There, the young five eighth or centre played two games with the Sydney Tigers before returning to the Coast in 1997 for a nine-game stint with the Chargers.

But with a knee reconstruction and three broken wrists hampering his shot at stardom, Anderson spent the rest of his playing days in the Queensland Cup with Burleigh, earning Queensland Residents selection three years in succession.

Former NRL player Darren Anderson with football-playing sons Hayden and Lachlan. Picture: Jerad Williams

Now running his own building business, he has watched Hayden and Lachlan progress through the NPL ranks at Gold Coast City and Gold Coast United, with the pair to enter their fourth state-level campaign in 2019.

Both are members of Queensland development squads, with Hayden to play under-20s with the Gold Coast Knights next season and Lachlan to be part of United’s under-15 outfit.

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“I feel proud,” Anderson said.

“They did start off (playing league) at Burleigh Bears, just because I did. They were both handy rugby league players but in juniors with the big kids and big collisions, it’s pretty hard when you’re young.

“As soon as they got into the soccer they shined and went with it. They’re doing good in soccer and I’m really enjoying watching them.

“I never made a household name for myself (in rugby league) but they know I loved it and was fairly talented at it. They know my achievements.

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“I had a couple of bad years there (with injury) in the wrong part of my career and then it just took a little while to get back. I probably didn’t really hit my straps until I started going back into the Q Cup and finding form again.

“(But) there’s no regrets, it is what it is. That’s part of sport.”

THE ANDERSON FACT FILE

Name: Darren Anderson

Age: 44

Lives: Elanora

Sport: rugby league

Position: centre/five-eighth

Clubs: Canberra, Gold Coast Seagulls, Sydney Tigers, Gold Coast Chargers, Burleigh Bears

Career highlights: 11 NRL games for Tigers and Chargers in 1996-97; three-time Queensland Residents and Queensland Country representative; Australian OzTag representative

Name: Hayden Anderson

Age: 16

School: Palm Beach Currumbin

Sport: football

Position: striker/winger

Club: Gold Coast Knights (formerly with Gold Coast United and Gold Coast City)

Career highlights: made senior NPL debut for United this year; 2018 Coach’s Player of the Year for United’s under-16s; member of Queensland development squad

Name: Lachlan Anderson

Age: 14

School: Palm Beach Currumbin

Sport: football

Position: attacking midfielder

Club: Gold Coast United (formerly with Gold Coast City)

Career highlights: three years in NPL system; member of state development squad