AFL Outer-East: New Warburton Millgrove coach Brendon Murphy earmarks 2019 as a season of enjoyment and improving
Brendon Murphy has taken the reigns at Warburton Millgrove for the inaugural AFL Outer-East season and top of his ‘things to do’ list is to get the Burras laughing again after last year’s wooden spoon.
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After three years at Healesville, including the 2016 Division 1 flag, Brendon Murphy has taken the reigns at Warburton Millgrove for the inaugural AFL Outer-East season.
And, top of his ‘things to do’ list is to get the Burras laughing again after last year’s 2-16 season and the wooden spoon.
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“I had a look at them a few games last year and had a feel for some of the issues,” he said.
“So we’re just training to improve. We’re not spruiking finals or anything like that, we just want the guys to improve.”
To that end, Murphy has based much of the pre-season on getting some enjoyment back into Warburton-Millgrove’s footy.
A big ask given the fitness work and sprints of summer, he laughed.
But he is confident that if the playing group rediscovers its love of the game, the necessary improvement in onfield performance will follow.
After three years under coaching legend Bryan Cole, seasons that netted Healesville a flag and two preliminary finals appearances, Murphy brings a truckload of experience to Mac Sparke Oval.
He has also been quick to build a handy support network.
Murphy will be reunited with triple premiership club legend Jason DeGraaf, a winner of seven club best and fairests and a league best and fairest medal.
The pair, DeGraaf as coach and Murphy his assistant, led Chirnside Park to an EFL premiership a decade ago.
“I talk to him a fair bit, mostly on the phone because he’s interstate a lot,” Murphy said. “He’s a great person to lean on.”
Murphy shares a great relationship with Bryan Cole and said his former Healesville mentor is always at the other end of the phone if advice is needed.
“I’m not sure who dreads the other’s name coming up more on the phone, me or him,” Murphy joked. “When we have a chat, it tends to go on for an hour or so. But he’s such a great coach and he just takes time out to help you.”
Line coaches Aaron Pye, Scott Muir and Nic Toy will also provide Murphy with invaluable support this season
Warburton Millgrove has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to its list with the majority of last year’s squad returning, along with a couple of additions.
“For me it was about the local people who are always there,” Murphy said. “Get that extra 20 or 30 per cent out of them.”
The biggest signature inked in the off-season is that of former AFL Saint Matthew Ferguson.
The 188cm Ferguson was taken from the Gippsland Power by St Kilda with pick No. 22 in the 2002 draft and, after making his debut against Port Adelaide in 2003, he played 12 senior games before departing the big league in 2008.
After a successful career in Gippsland, Ferguson spent last season at EFL’s Glen Waverley Hawks where he kicked 56 goals.
A knee injury will prevent him from playing for much of the first half of the season but he is already having a big impact off the park.
“He’s still coming to training and introducing a lot of high level drills,” Murphy said. “I haven’t been exposed to that level of drills in the past. What he brings to the coaching table (is so valuable).”
Despite last season’s wooden spoon, Murphy said it hadn’t all been doom a gloom with two wins over a Monbulk side that pressed for finals for much of the season.
“There were promising things there,” he said. “Get a couple of older players with a bit of experience, some bigger bodies to throw in among the kids.”
As well as bringing Ferguson on board, the Burras have recruited midfielder Jackson Lucas (Kilsyth) and former Yarra Junction/Doveton Eagles forward David Lever.
Nelson Aldridge (ruckman/forward), James Edmonds (rover), Corey Wilkinson (fullback/centre half-back) and Mitch Skinner (halfback/winger) have also come on board.
Warburton Millgrove will open its AFL Outer-East Division 1 season with a trip to Mount Evelyn on Sunday, April 14.
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