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EFL 2019: Brent Kiker appointed Ferntree Gully coach

Incoming Ferntree Gully senior coach Brent Kiker will tap into his experience as a junior mentor to promote the Eagles’ exciting young talent.

Ferntree Gully coach Brent Kiker with son, Ethan.
Ferntree Gully coach Brent Kiker with son, Ethan.

Incoming Ferntree Gully coach Brent Kiker will attempt to breathe new life into an experienced Eagles list in 2020.

A host of senior players helped lift Ferntree Gully into this year’s EFL Division 3 preliminary final before it bowed out of flag contention in straight sets.

Jess Moore, Sean Currey, Danny De Ieso, Hayden Lovat and Michael Russo each returned to Wally Tew Reserve as one-point players.

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Kiker, 45, forecast the club would look to promote its youth in 2020.

He has coached the club’s junior sides and had a stint in a development role at Eastern Ranges.

“I’ve had a bit to do with the juniors coaching-wise down there,” Kiker said.

“Those boys are coming through to the under-19s this year and they’re a really strong group.

“I see them as the future of the club to drive us through the divisions.”

Brent Kiker replaces Peter Farrell at Ferntree Gully. Picture: Davis Harrigan
Brent Kiker replaces Peter Farrell at Ferntree Gully. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Kiker had served as an assistant under outgoing senior mentor Peter Farrell for the past two seasons.

He played junior football at the club in the late 1980s, had stints with West Brisbane and Trinity Beach and was a member of Wantirna South’s 1996 Division 4 premiership.

Kiker said he wanted to rejuvenate the list.

He will be joined by Max Gasparroni as a senior assistant coach.

“We want to bring that age bracket (of the list) down a little bit,” Kiker said.

“If we can win a flag, we go up and it’s on the back of guys that are going to be around there for a while.”

Ferntree Gully won the 2016 Division 4 premiership, ending a 29-year flag drought, and finished with a 14-4 record in 2019.

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“I’d still expect us to be right up there next year,” Kiker said.

“There’s no ceiling on next year, that’s for sure.”

Ferntree Gully president John Evans said Kiker was a unanimous choice as coach by its selection panel.

Evans said Kiker’s focus would be on junior development.

“He’s already embedded himself in the Ferntree Gully Eagles Football Netball Club in his previous coaching roles, both in the junior and senior divisions,” Evans said.

“We’re delighted to have Brent on board to build on the club’s long history.”

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/efl-2019-brent-kiker-appointed-ferntree-gully-coach/news-story/58abe932c9d615bbfcbf572db09f6809