EFL 2018: Ferntree Gully coach Peter Farrell confident Eagles are on track for sustained success

FERNTREE Gully premiership coach Peter Farrell has outlined why he is confident the Eagles remain on the right track for success, despite facing relegation from Division 3.

Ferntree Gully coach Peter Farrell. Picture: Stuart Milligan

FERNTREE Gully coach Peter Farrell will lead the Eagles for a fifth season in 2019, confident the club is on the right path despite facing demotion from Division 3.

The Eagles have just five wins from 15 games and will drop back to the fourth tier next year, two seasons after winning their first premiership in 29 years in 2016.

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But Farrell said the building blocks were in place for Ferntree Gully to again display the form that took it to a drought-breaking flag.

“I think as a footy club we have taken some big steps forward in the last three or four years, to take a step back, we’ve just about retained our young group for next season,” Farrell said.

Andrew Cavarra continues to emerge at Ferntree Gully. Picture: Christopher Chan

“We see it not as a negative for us, we like to take a step back with a view to taking a couple more forward, that’s how we’re looking at it.”

Farrell said the Eagles had continued to unearth their next wave of talent, with the likes of Andrew Cavarra, Lachie Kennedy and Nick Knoops continuing to develop.

“We’ve got some kids who are 19, 20, 21 who have played 50 or 60 games of senior footy,” he said.

“I think it’s a pretty good indication if you have a group that sits between 18 and 21 that if you retain them and hold them together for the next couple of years as a minimum, they’re only going to get better.”

Farrell said he was always keen to remain at Wally Tew Reserve for a fifth season at the helm.

The Eagles logged 11 wins in 2017 but will be one of the six sides demoted from the third tier.

“We were hoping to finish top six, that was our goal … we would have liked to have won a couple more games than what we have to this point,” he said.

“I’ve always said to the club if we’re not having success, my time is probably up and we haven’t had a successful year but I think if you have a look at our group and where we’ve come from, there’s a lot of upside to where we can go in the next 12 months to few years.”