The first-year BFL coach has committed to the Kookaburras until at least the end of the 2010 season under a new deal designed to create long term stability at the club.

The deal will most likely see Russell finish his playing career at the Burras.

The Kookaburras currently occupy 11th on the Ballarat Football League ladder with just one win, but Sebastopol president George McIntosh said the club had been very impressed with how Russell had managed the task of rebuilding the team, often under difficult circumstances.

"The direction he is taking the club is the right direction, we believe," McIntosh said.

"He has been terrific with the young guys and he has a lot of respect from the playing group. When we announced it to the players they were rapt with the news."

Since taking the Sebastopol coaching job Russell has steered the Kookaburras in a new direction. Under Russell the club implemented a professional pre-season fitness campaign and adopted a new code of conduct.

Russell said he had asked the club to give him more time to allow his new regime to take effect.

"I suppose what I wanted and what the club wanted was the same," Russell said.

"We sat down and had a bit of a talk. I told them in order to have some stability of the club I needed to have a couple of years.

"There has been too much change at this club and I think the stability would be important."

"I wanted to say to the players I'm here for a couple of years, and that I'm not going anywhere."

Russell said his decision to take on the Sebastopol job for a further two seasons showed his own faith in the club's direction.

"You lose by 120 points and it hurts you at the time, but I have never thought (Sebastopol) was a bad spot to be," Russell said.

"From round one to where we are now, we've come a bloody long way. It is a great club. Everybody around the club wants success and wants to move forward."

Russell said the stability offered by the longer-term deal would also improve the club's ability to attract new players.

"We are sitting in a good spot in terms of recruiting," he said. "Our ground is the only one in Ballarat not affected by cricket. There is now permanent water and the club has a bunch of genuine blokes who are doing everything right to move forward."