New coach aims to be a cut above

A CHANCE to win a premiership with Marist Brothers is driving new coach Darryl Butcher in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League.

Butcher, 39, is a club stalwart and was the NRRRL player of the year when he was at the peak of his powers in 2011.

He went on to win a reserve grade premiership and has switched his focus towards a first grade title as coach.

Last year, he was able to learn from Matt Barber who has moved into a director of coaching role.

“I really enjoyed working with the group last year and this was the next step up,” Butcher said.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, it’s been a goal of mine and now I’ve coached every team from under-12s up to first grade.”

Butcher will have plenty of support, with strike centre Mitchell Krause and mercurial halfback Shallin Fuller returning.

They were among the best players in the competition last year, while the club has also recruited fullback Noah King.

King played first grade at Casino as a teenager before going on to the Canterbury Bulldogs junior system in the NRL.

Talented juniors Damon Caldwell and Kye Cooper have also returned and look set for a big year.

Butcher retired from first grade a few years ago and has played alongside some of the current crop. “I’ve got a lot of great mates at the club and I knew I would probably end up coaching some of them,” he said.

“They know I’m here to coach and what I expect from them regardless of our friendship.

“I look at someone like Mitchell Krause, I played with him years ago, but he’s probably coming off his best two seasons now.

“We’ve looked at where we need to recruit and we’re getting up to 40 blokes at training, so it’s been really positive so far.”

The team made the finals last season and was beaten in the first week by Bilambil, which went on to play in the grand final.

Butcher said his players burned out by the time they got there and were looking to rectify that this season.

The club has trial games coming up at home against the Coffs Comets on March 15 and the Tugun Seahawks the following Saturday at Crozier Field, Lismore.