Mustangs Brothers RLFC Men's coach Gerard Adams shares how his three year plan is paying dividends

Originally hailing from Atherton in Far North Queensland, Adams is a rugby league devotee and played the game for 21 years before hanging up his boots this year.

Now living in Yarrabilba, the Mustangs coach said his relationship with the Mustangs began as a player but he made the decision to coach after seeing the team's unrealised potential.

"When the kids were old enough we were looking around for rugby league teams," Adams said.

"I went down there one night to have a look and saw they had a men's team and that's kind of it. I was with them for about six games and then the kids moved there the following year.

"I really wanted to do something for the men's team, I could see there was some potential there."

Playing potential wasn't the only thing Adams said he wanted to help the Mustangs players with.

"You can help people on the footy field, but it can help their lives as well," he said.

"A few of our boys battle personal demons and footy is their escape from that. It's also the fact that if you can teach some basic life skills through footy they've not only become better players but better people to their wives, their kids and their other family.

"That's probably the main driver for me."

Adams is no stranger to coaching, having previously coached in his hometown and more recently his son's junior team at the Jimboomba Thunder.

During his tenure at the club Adams said the players had progressed considerably and were performing above his original expectations.

"I had a three year plan," he said.

"That was: rebuild, be competitive and play the finals, and then make the grand final in the third year.

"Last year, we made the grand final so we were kind of a year ahead, the idea was also to get enough players on board to have two teams in five years. We're there in three."

The sudden growth in player numbers had brought challenges, but Adams said help had come from a variety of sources including his coaching staff and his late friend and former Mustang Vaea Taavale'.

"One of the guys in our team, Miti Tuatai, I go to him for some advice," he said.

"Vaea was pretty instrumental in bringing almost half my team this year, even though he was with Wynnum this year he was still helping me out.

"I've also got a good support crew, like Dylan Gon-Chee my assistant coach. He's quite young but he's got a decent footy head. He still has to build some coaching maturity but he's coming along nicely."

With the season only just resuming after disruptions due to poor weather, Adams didn't guarantee the teams would make their respective grand finals, but said he "wouldn't be surprised" if they did.

As the finals were a long way off, the coach said his main focus was getting through the remaining games to ensure the players were in good standing by the season's end.

"For the rest of the season we just want to keep building," Adams said.

"I've got every bit of faith in our teams in both divisions, we have the right formula.

"We've just got to execute and then we can be close at the pointy end of the season, which is all you can ask for as a coach."

As for long term plans, Adams said he felt he had more to offer the club next season and so did his players.

"I have a plan to keep building with the guys, and I'm learning a lot as I go," he said.

"I'm pretty passionate about my footy, so pending anything crazy I'd say we'll have another year next year.

"Next year could be special, due to recent events like Vaea's passing. I know a few of the guys want to come in and play a season for him but I think this year's going to be special to the guys that we've got."