EFL: Ferntree Gully coach Brent Kiker’s plan to get jump on rivals
Brent Kiker is yet to coach Ferntree Gully in a match due to the coronavirus crisis, but he has wasted no time casting an eye to 2021, pinpointing one key area for his Eagles in coming months.
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Ferntree Gully coach Brent Kiker has turned his attention to what he deems a balancing act vital to his club’s success for 2021 – pre-season.
The first-year mentor served as an assistant under outgoing coach Peter Farrell last season, as the club contested a preliminary final in Division 3.
Kiker was appointed to the role left vacant by Farrell late last year but the coronavirus crisis put match-day coaching on hold for 2020.
He has re-signed for next season and will now look to plan a fitness regimen he hopes will serve as a cornerstone for the Eagles’ assault on Division 3 for 2021.
“Pre-season’s always important, but I think this year coming up with guys coming off a non-season, the planning and how we go about the pre-season is even more vital,” Kiker said.
“Myself with the assistant coaches, that’s what I’ve started now and how we go about it – this season I started pre-season later for that reason, to try and keep fresh, but it is a balance.
“Because we’re coming off a non-season, I think it’s going to be ‘let’s start a bit earlier,’ just lighter though and have more of a build-up to the running … I’m not going to hit them with a time-trial first up.
“Just seeing where guys are at too – some guys are still going to be running on top of the ground and you’ll get some guys who’ve taken the opportunity to rest up.”
Ferntree Gully last year finished three games clear in second position, with its season-ending 18-point loss to the Waverley Blues in the preliminary final providing reason for future optimism.
Former Bayswater spearhead Wayne McInerney headlined the inclusions at the end of 2019, with the return of running half-back Mat Camera from the Waters and Croydon utility Alex Bull among the key ins.
“(Outgoing coach Peter Farrell) left the club and the list in a really good place,” Kiker said.
“I’m going to play a different style, there’s no doubt about that – we were really strong defensively so I want to just build on that and bring a more attacking game to the table.
“We’re in a really good spot and we’ve got that really good balance of mature guys and really good, young talent.
“As a club, we’re not saying next year will be the be-all and end-all (but) we’ve got a good build going … we think we’re going in the right direction.”
With the all-conquering South Belgrave promoted to Division 2 following its flag in 2019, Kiker believes Division 3 will open up to become a more even competition.
“Waverley are looking pretty strong next year, Warrandyte and Donvale and so forth, but it’s not going to be easy,” he said.