Newcastle Rugby League: Ian 'Bubba' Bourke appointed to coach at Lakes from 2022

Almost 15 years down the track, after coaching stints at the Knights and Wyong, he still remains passionate about the Seagulls. Which is why the club has turned to him to take over the coaching reins from next season.

"It's a great club with a lot of really good people involved so I'm looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge," Bourke said.

"Lately, I've been involved at the club behind the scenes in a junior pathways co-ordinator role. We've got a lot of good juniors here with plenty of up-side so there is enormous scope for improvement.

"I reckon that if we get the right people that want to play for the club for the right reasons, I think we can establish a fair team. I'm sure that's the case."

Ironically, had it not been for the uncertainty around work, Bourke would no doubt still be coaching in the Knights system.

A former Knights junior who came to Newcastle from Cowra to play Jersey Flegg back in 1996, Bourke was offered the Knights' NSW Cup head coaching role last season but reluctantly had to turn the job down because financially, he could not afford to take it.

"There was a lot of uncertainty around my mining job at the time and with my wife Kelly and four kids [Jackson 13, Hayden 11, Lily 9 and Lucy 8] to worry about, I couldn't afford to risk my livelihood so had to make the gut-wrenching decision to walk away from the Knights job," he said.

"As it turned out when COVID hit, I lost my job in the mines anyway which was really tough at the time but I'm back working for Centennial Mining again so I can't complain. And I'll now be able to throw myself into the Lakes job."

Bourke won titles at Lakes playing under Rip Taylor in 2001 and as captain coach in 2006 and 2007.

There have been some lean years in recent times but he believes hard work, effort and sacrifice will take you a long way in the game.

"We are not going to be able to financially match the likes of Cessnock and Maitland and the ones with leagues clubs and those clubs with good attachments in the mines," he said.

"But there is a good foundation there at Lakes at the moment. They haven't been too far off. In regards to the top teams, we are separated from them at the moment but I honestly don't think it's a gap we can't close.

"I firmly believe with a good foundation, if we can just get a few experienced players to help with the development of the young kids around them, we'll be okay. "

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