EFL 2018: Balwyn coach Rodney Eade set to remain with the Eastern Football League club in 2019

HIGH-profile coach Rodney Eade will remain at Balwyn in 2019, with the Tigers revealing how they plan to rebuild after missing finals for the first time in 23 years.

HIGH-profile coach Rodney Eade will remain at Balwyn in 2019, with the Tigers set to rebuild and recruit after missing finals for the first time in 23 years.

Saturday’s three-point defeat against Blackburn all but consigned Balwyn to its first year as a finals spectator since 1995, when it was in Division 2 of the Southern league.

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Balwyn football director Paul Johnson said Eade, who replaced Marty Pask as coach in January, would continue in the role next year.

Charlie Haley in one of his few appearances for Balwyn this year. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“He’s staying, he’ll be at Balwyn again next year … unless he got offered an AFL footy job in regards to football chief or football director at one of the clubs, like he was at Collingwood,” Johnson said.

“He’s not interested in coaching VFL (and) I think his coaching career at the highest level is finished.

“He’s pretty committed, we’ve already had recruiting meetings about next year with what he thinks we need.”

Balwyn ran flag fancy Vermont to seven points in Round 1 and started the season 4-1, suggesting the Tigers would again be an Eastern Football League force.

The Tigers won four premierships from 2012 to 2016 with a galaxy of star players, but are now faced with the prospect of refreshing an ageing list in the confines of the player points system and salary cap.

“Obviously some of the guys that are ageing … are at the end of their careers,” Johnson said.

“We’ll look to bring some youth into the team, we’re hoping some of the under-19s push up but we’ll definitely be looking to recruit younger type players for a four to five year situation.”

Balwyn celebrates its 2016 grand final triumph. Picture: Steve Tanner

Balwyn has also been forced to dip into their reserves after being hit hard by injuries, compounding the loss of recruits Henry Schade and Daniel Gorringe.

The pair walked out on the club when it was announced their former Gold Coast coach would be in charge in 2018.

“We thought we recruited well at the start of the year and on paper it looked like a team that could go all the way, but unfortunately due to circumstances we never got that,” Johnson said.

“The attrition through the season has put us in a position where it has been hard to compete with the better sides.

“It’s just been a disappointing season, the players feel really disappointed, they’re devastated to not be playing finals but we’ve had a good run and we can’t complain.

“It’s a situation where we’ve got to rebuild, get fitter and do it better.”

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