ARL officer set to move to Qld

Mike Castle has helped many young players.

Rob Wright

HIGHLY respected ARL development officer Mike Castle has tendered his resignation and will take up a similar position in South East Queensland later in the year.

With his partner working in the sunshine state and the tyranny of distance making normal life difficult, the English-born rugby league coach and player decided to bite the bullet and make the transition to Queensland when an opportunity opened up recently.

“I know I’m going to miss the Coffs Coast as I’ve had a fantastic couple of years living here,” he said.

“The timing was just right with the new job and while I’ve still got to be certain when I’ll be needed up there, it will come before the footy season is over and I’m going to miss helping out my club while we’re doing it tough.”

Castle was enticed to Australia to play rugby league for Orara Valley in the Group 2 competition by former coach (and now president) Darryl Fisher.

A club mate at London Skolars, Fisher often described his prize recruit as the Axemen’s “go to” man and together they tasted instant success with the dramatic extra-time premiership victory over Woolgoolga in 2008. Off field, Castle was the first local project officer for the Good Sports initiative in conjunction with the Australian Drug Foundation.

With recurring injuries limiting his playing appearances and looking for a long term career in the game, he took up the position with ARL development, vacated by successful predecessor, Jay Sakaio.

This season he completed a series of advanced coaching courses which led to an appointment as assistant coach of Oxley Pioneers under-18s.

He intends to continue club coaching where possible after his move to Queensland.