EFL 2019: Upper Ferntree Gully climbing up the Division 1 ladder

Upper Ferntree Gully started the Division 1 season 1-6 and was anchored to the bottom of the ladder but is now only outside the top four on percentage. Coach Joel Perry explains his side’s form turnaround.

Upper Ferntree Gully coach Joel Perry. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Funny thing confidence.

Upper Ferntree Gully started the Division 1 season 1-6 and was anchored to the bottom of the ladder.

On the back of a preliminary final appearance last year, it seemed the Kings would spend this season fighting off relegation.

But with six games remaining they sit outside the top five only on percentage, rising up the table with a bullet.

Upper Gully is the form team of the second tier, winning five of its past six games.

Its three losses since the start of Round 6 total 13 points.

Kings coach Joel Perry said the Round 5 defeat against Doncaster East, when they ran the ladder-leader to three points, reinstated some confidence in his side.

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“We were playing a little bit safe and we just started taking the game on a bit more with our ball movement,” he said.

“We were able to move the ball pretty well on Saturday and I think it was our highest score for a while as well so it was good.”

Perry said his young charges, including Eastern Ranges graduates Ryan Einsporn and Kye and Caleb Quirk, had gained traction in the season and were believing in their ability against men.

“I think it was always going to happen for us. We were going to come good to the middle, end of the season because we’ve got a lot of young talent and they just haven’t played a lot of senior footy,” he said.

“Now they’re nine, 10 games in, they’re starting to play really well.

“They’re just starting to flourish … we should hopefully continue to keep going and we might be able to get into the finals. We’ll see.”

Saturday’s 64-point win over Wantirna South lifted Upper Gully to 5-7 but the threat of relegation still looms.

The Kings sit just one game clear of the drop zone and any slip ups could prove costly, such is the evenness of the season.

Perry said games against Mooroolbark and last year’s grand finalists Lilydale and Doncaster East in the coming three weeks would be testing.

“That’s what I’ll be telling the players that we’ve been going all right and we’ve got a tough run the next three weeks and if we can’t maybe win two of them, we could find ourselves back on even points back on the bottom,” he said.

“It’s been well documented and spoken about and that is Division 1 footy. It’s always been that close, probably not to this extent but it keeps you on your toes.”

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