Burns firing up for another shot at title

The Wattles Warriors have announced a familiar face will be back to lead the club ahead of the 2020 TRL Premiership season.

Travis Burns attempts to convert for Wattles against Brothers in TRL Premiership round nine rugby league at Glenholme Park, Sunday, June 2, 2019.

RUGBY LEAGUE: The Wattles Warriors are hoping the experience of Travis Burns can lift them to the summit of the Toowoomba Rugby League in 2020.

Player-coach for the past two seasons, Burns has again signed on to lead the club into next year.

Wattles bowed out in the preliminary final to Valleys last year after claiming the mid-season Madsen-Rasmussen Trophy.

Club president Amanda O’Halloran said they were delighted to have the former NRL player locked in for another season.

“We’ve announced Travis as coach for next year, and he will also be assisting with the U18s team as well,” O’Halloran said.

“We’re quietly confident about him playing next year, but no decision has been made yet.

“We did have another nomianton (for the position), but it was always going to be a case that if Travis was interested in returning he would be the most likely candidate.

“The club has had a couple of good seasons, taking them to a grand final and the semis last year, and we’re hoping to go one better in 2020.”

O’Halloran said that Burns, along with a number of other returning players, have strong premiership desires after going close in recent years.

“I know the premiership would be pretty important to him and a few of the other players as well who will go around for another year,” she said.

“We were confident this year, but things didn't work out as they should, which is sport.”

As well as leading the A-grade side, Burns will help out the U18s, playing an assistant role to incoming coach Aaron Fryer.

Garth Lonergan and Nick Morris will take up roles as player-coaches for the reserve grade.

GREW BACK ON BOARD FOR COWBOYS

Southern Downs clubs are fully locked in with their coaches for the 2020 season, with Warwick to again be led by Matt Grew.

The Cowboys took plenty of people by surprise during Grew’s maiden season as A-grade mentor, finishing the regular season in third and progressing to the grand final, where they were ultimately downed by Valleys.

It marks the second grand final that Grew has reached with the club, having steered the U18s to the 2017 grand final.