Brad Henderson has spent plenty of time in the elite ranks of rugby league but he says his appointment as the Sunshine Coast Falcons coach is special.
The Sippy Downs 50-year-old, who coached at the Canterbury Bulldogs for seven years, was delighted to get the top job at the Queensland Cup club.
“It’s enormous,” he said.
“It’s something I’ve always had my eye on, but the timing has just never really been right.”
A Sunshine Coast product with strong ties to local rugby league, he’s at home with the Falcons.
“I certainly don’t regret going down south to do what I wanted to, but my heart’s always been here,” he said.
“I’ve always felt like this is my club and where I wanted to be and where I wanted to put my energy.”
He has replaced Sam Mawhinney, who will return to teaching next year after taking the Falcons to the finals this year.
“It (the role) didn’t land in my lap but this time I was definitely in the right place at the right time for it to happen,” Henderson said.
“It really does mean a lot. I’ve been buzzing around the place, pretty excited about the opportunity.
“It’s exciting that it has finally happened for me and I’m really proud too.
“I just love the club and I’ve got some good relationships with the people who put in the hard yards to get the club up and running.”
Henderson moved to the Sunshine Coast from Wondai as a youngster and quickly fell in love with footy in the region.
He played for the Maroochydore Swans in the local competition and for the Sunshine Coast at rep level.
“So, I have always had a real sense of pride in what it means to represent the area and now that we have a team at the state level, I’m prouder at how far we have come,” he said.
His playing days ended in 2002 and his coaching stints began in earnest in 2006, with the Sunshine Coast under-18s team.
Henderson coached several junior rep teams and “a couple of really good” Sunshine Coast under-20 teams in 2011 and 2012.
But it was a coaching stint with the Queensland under-18 team that really opened doors.
“It put me on the radar a bit and I got to know (Bulldogs recruitment officer) Noel Cleal, who got me to meet (coach) Des Hasler at the Bulldogs and that was my pathway to Sydney.”
Henderson spent seven years on the coaching staff at Belmore, as Under-20s assistant coach, New South Wales Cup coach and NRL assistant coach, surrounding a stint as assistant coach at the Falcons in 2016.
“I really cut my teeth down south,” he said.
“That was the best part about it. I got exposure to some great coaches down there, with Des Hasler at the top of the tree.
“But there were lesser-known coaches like Jim Dymock and Dave Penna and Steve Georgallis: guys who I worked alongside for years.”
But the Bulldogs’ struggles led to the appointment of a new coach in Trent Barrett, who replaced much of the staff with his own.
“We got word towards the back end of the year (2020) that there would be a clean-out,” Henderson said.
“The writing was on the wall, and although there hadn’t been any formal announcement, no news was bad news.
“We felt like a new head coach would clear (staff) out and bring in his own people.
“So, when (football manager) Steve Price told me my time was up, I was more than ready for it.”
Henderson returned home and was again signed as an assistant coach at the Falcons, in 2021, before being appointed as head coach for 2022.
He said the experience he gained in Sydney, along with his knowledge and passion for Sunshine Coast rugby league, has set him up well for next year.
“I took a lot from those guys (in Sydney), I know the Queensland Cup well, I know the local footballers and the club’s sponsors,” he said.
“I think that’s a really good combination.
“I think there’s a really high standard of football here and I know the club is in a really good position.
“It’s got enormous support from the community, and the work our board does to keep the club’s head above water has blown me away.
“I can see the time and effort that (Falcons CEO) Chris Flannery puts in, and a lot of success comes down to that.”
Henderson takes over from Mawhinney, whose first year as appointed coach was essentially over before it began, as the 2020 competition was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Mawhinney took the Falcons to the top-eight in the 14-team Cup in 2021, but they were eliminated early in finals.
Now, Henderson is eager to steer the team as far as possible in 2022.
He has been busy at training sessions and helping to sign players.
“Our off-season has been really good,” he said.
“We’ve been pretty active in terms of recruitment and quite a few of our players have been lucky enough to get a pre-season with Melbourne Storm (as part of the clubs’ affiliation).”
Ryan Turner, Luke Polselli, Blake Wilson, Max Bailey and Grant Anderson were invited to train with the NRL juggernauts.
Key Falcons recruits include prop Turner (Dolphins), fullback AJ Gudgeon (Capras), outside back Jake Maizen (Capras), half Dan Atkinson (Storm) and centre Anderson (Pride) while important re-signings include forward Patrice Siolo, half Jack Wright and fullback Polselli.
The Falcons have a two-week break from training during the festive season, before resuming on January 7.
Their 2022 campaign will start with a clash against the Dolphins at Redcliffe on March 19 and their first home game is in Round 3 against Souths Logan on April 2.
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The Sunshine Coast first competed in the state competition, in its current format, with a one-year appearance in 1996.
The region re-entered the state league as the Sea Eagles in 2009 and won the premiership, during a two-year alliance with Manly Sea Eagles.
They rebranded as the Falcons in 2014 and the club’s been affiliated with the Melbourne Storm since.
They have made finals appearances in four of the past five seasons, including a runner-up result in 2017.
