21 DAYS TO GO | EFNL Media will be previewing each club ahead of the 2020 season with the #InFocus2020 series, all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap.
By: Dylan Carmody
INCOMING Upper Ferntree Gully coach Stephen De Luca has expressed his excitement for the season ahead saying his side is good enough to hang with the best.
The Kings did not play finals in 2019, after taking part in a preliminary final in 2018, missing by just 2.93 per cent.
It was a bitter blow, winning eight games and losing 10.
De Luca, who replaces Joel Perry, arrives this season from North Heidelberg in the NFNL, having been a senior assistant coach under North Melbourne legend Brent Harvey, while also boasting experience at VFL and AFL level.
“I’ve loved every minute of it,” the 36-year-old said of the Upper Gully coaching role.
“It’s a different experience, coaching in different positions and at different levels, but I’ve loved it thus far, and the boys are great, they listen intently, they train hard and I couldn’t be happier with them.”
De Luca said he was bullish about his side’s chances for finals in 2020, citing last year’s wins as proof that they can hang with the best.
“I don’t really want to put a cap on these guys,” De Luca said.
“With a very young group, they beat the best three teams in consecutive weeks last season, and then they fell to the bottom team to miss out on finals.
“We’ve done some great recruiting, so you sprinkle that on top, and I think we are poised for a really good year ahead.
Upper Ferntree Gully has brought in a Port Melbourne best and fairest winner, Luke Tynan, who will act as a playing assistant coach.
“Luke is a very strong backman, and reads the game very well. He brings good instruction to a younger team in the backline,” De Luca said.
“He’s going to be really good for us, we’re excited to bring him on board.”
They have also brought former VFL footballers David De Araugo and Michael Riseley, former teammates of Tynan.
“Both have played at Casey alongside Luke. They’re all in that age profile that we are missing, so it balances us out a bit.”
“We’ve got an interesting group, with a mix of young and old.
“As I said before, we’re really excited. We’ve got good processes in place, and we’ve trained hard. Anything can happen.”
The men’s side is not the only coaching change-up at the Kings, with the women’s team introducing a new three-coach model.
Terry Lewis, Andy Hayman and Peter Green will all take charge this season for the girls, and while three head coaches are rare in footy, Lewis believes that it will work well.
“Yeah it is rare, but I think it will work well for us,” Lewis said.
“One of us will look after midfield, one forward and one back.
“The reason we did the three-coach model, is that some days I won’t be available, or Andy won’t, or Peter won’t.
“So as long as one of us is there, we can teach these girls something, and give them as much knowledge that we can between the three of us.”
The Kings finished sixth last season in Division 1, ending up with a 5-8 record, but Lewis is not as concerned about the results.
“It’s more working on their skills, than anything else.”
“Skills and structures is the main point for us. Obviously we want to win, but if we can nail those areas, the results will come.”
Upper Ferntree Gully begins its season against Montrose away on Saturday, April 4, while the women’s fixtures are set to be released at a later date.
