Kiwis appoint homegrown Gemmell as high performance manager
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) has appointed Brent Gemmell as its new high performance general manager.
Gemmell, who has extensive experience working in the domestic New Zealand game, will begin his new role on April 13.
He steps down from a position as national investment and business investment manager with DB Breweries, taking up a role left vacant when former Kiwi Tony Iro became assistant coach with the New Zealand Warriors late last year.
Gemmell has previously coached the NZ Residents, as well as spending time coaching the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup.
He has won four national titles with Auckland Pride/Lions as a coach, and two Fox Memorial titles with Auckland club Mt Albert.
Gemmell has also been part of the NZRL advisory committee. He has lectured Auckland Level 2 and senior club coaches on the importance of communication for the past seven years.
\”This is a key appointment in our organisation in terms of representing our core values and guiding some of our highest-profile programmes,\” says NZRL chief executive Phil Holden.
\”We were looking for someone that was respected in the New Zealand rugby league and we believe we\’ve found him.
\”Brent has already been a major contributor to our representative programmes in recent years and will bring that valuable insight into this new challenge.\”
Gemmell will be responsible for managing the NZ Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns programmes, and will also oversee all other national teams and development pathways.
\”After several years in the corporate world of sales leadership, and a lifetime of playing and coaching rugby league, I feel extremely privileged to have been awarded this role as high performance general manager for NZRL,\” he said.
\”I bring a genuine passion for rugby league and experience in the high performance environment, which will serve me well in the role.\”
Gemmell will stand down from his existing role with the Junior Kiwis coach for their game against Australia on the Gold Coast on May 2. One of his first tasks in his new job will be to find a successor.
