The Burleigh Bears have confirmed former Eels star Luke Burt will take the reigns as head coach next season.
As one of Parramatta’s favourite sons, Burt played 264 games for the Eels between 1999 and 2012 before moving into a coaching role at the club. He also worked in an assistant coaching role with the Gold Coast Titans.
The 41-year-old has been the assistant coach for the team for the past two seasons, helping guide the team into the 2021 and 2022 preliminary finals.
Burt said he is looking forward to continuing to build the side over the next two seasons.
“I’m excited to be handed the position of head coach at such a prestigious club as the Bears,” Burt said.
“Having been an assistant coach here for the last two years I can see why the club has been so successful over a long period of time and look forward to being a part of future success.”
Burleigh Bears CEO Damian Driscoll said Burt is a great pick for the local club.
“Luke has a great understanding of the club, he understands our values and where we want to take the club,” Driscoll said.
“He was a big part of the clubs success this year and we look forward to him building on this with the great crop of players coming through in 2023.”
Burt will replace Rick Stone, who is heading back to Newcastle for family reasons after three seasons in charge.
“Rick will be missed. He has been an integral part of the Burleigh Bears for over two decades,” Driscoll added.
“He leaves the Bears in a terrific position, not just in regards to our success on the field, but the legacy he leaves behind around the Club’s culture and values that are at the heart of everything that we do at Burleigh.”
IMAGE | Burleigh Bears Facebook
