EFNL Division 4 2024: Why Forest Hill can bounce back according to coach Brad Tuite

The Zebras have just three wins this season in Division 4 – but the coach has declared the club has “the core group” to rebound.

EFNL 2024: Forest Hill has three wins from 14 matches this season. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Forest Hill coach Brad Tuite is confident the club has “the core group” to rebound from a lean season.

The Zebras slipped to sixth – or second-last – on the Eastern Division 4 ladder with a 3-11 record following a 16-point loss to Croydon North-MLOC on Saturday.

Tuite said an exodus of players at the end of last season – including a host of names rejoining Yea out of recess – had given the club a licence to blood youth this year.

Up to 16 players from last year’s under-19s have debuted for the Zebras this season.

“This year for us was always going to be a development year,” Tuite said.

“We lost over 30 players moving on at the end of last season … a lot went back to Yea, a few retirees, so it was more about blooding the youth from our under-19s.

“In some of our games this year we’ve had 12 to 14 guys under the age of 20 playing in our seniors.”

EFNL 2024: Forest Hill coach Brad Tuite. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Among the young guns impressing this season have been rebounding and intercepting half-back Sonny Doherty and crafty half-forward and midfielder Ethan Van Zuylen.

Doherty, who often played for both the under-19s and seniors last year, has featured in 11 top-flight matches this season, earning five nods in the best.

“He’s got a great pair of hands, it’s his first year out of under-19s and he’s probably already clocked up over 30 games of senior footy,” Tuite said.

Tuite said of Van Zuylen: “He’s very talented – he won the under-19s’ best and fairest last year and has played every senior game this year.”

Tuite, a former club captain, landed the coaching role at the end of last season after he returned to steer the development side in 2023.

He etched almost 300 senior games for the Zebras in a playing career taking in a best and fairest in 1996, and coached the under-18s and reserves to premierships in 2006 and 2009.

“I’ve really enjoyed the role – it’s been challenging,” Tuite said of the senior job.

Tuite said on-ballers and key position stocks could be on the radar this off-season in a bid to complement a developing list.

“We’ve got a really good core group – (we’ve got) some of our experienced players like Luke Stelling and Ned Bradley, then you add some of the young kids coming through,” Tuite said.

“The core group’s there, and the highest we’ve had this year in our points is probably 26, so we’ve got plenty of room to move.

“The club knows where they’re at, so now it’s just moving forward with topping up with what we need.”

Forest Hill has a bye this weekend before meeting top-four teams Chirnside Park and Scoresby to close out the season.

The club has also advertised for a senior coach, senior assistant and development coach for 2025.

“All current positions will become vacant at the end of the 2024 season,” the club said.

Expressions of interest can be sent to [e-mail] by September 30.