MELTON coach Brad Murphy will stay on for another season at the helm of the Ballarat Football League club.
Murphy and the Bloods have agreed to terms for a one-year contract, which will stretch his tenure at McPherson Park to four years.
He plans to hang up the boots and continue in a non-playing role.
Murphy, 32, said getting a full-time commitment from VFL-listed players who had Melton as their home club, and the leadership group had been integral to him continuing in the job.
Melton has had to deal with having the likes of Mark Orr (Coburg), Liam Carter (Williamstown), Dyson Stevens (Northern Blues), Lachlan Hickey (Northern Blues), Jaycob Hickey (Coburg) and Brock Kennedy (Werribee) being available on and off – depending on their VFL commitments.
Murphy said with some promising youngsters as well, the club was well placed.
He said there would need to be a top up of the list, but this could be undertaken on a solid foundation.
Murphy said the Bloods had made strong progress this season.
With three rounds to play, Melton is sixth and in with a realistic chance to play finals for the first time in a decade.
The Bloods have won six games – already three more than last season – are percentage ahead of Darley, one game clear of Ballarat and two ahead of East Point.
They have a massive assignment against leading premiership contender Bacchus Marsh on Saturday and then round out the home and away season against East Point and North Ballarat City.
The clash with East Point has the potential to decide who claims sixth position and the last finals berth.
A former Western Bulldogs player, Murphy was recruited by Melton from Hoppers Crossing, where he coached three consecutive under-18 premierships.
He also captained Hoppers Crossing in the Western Region league.
Melton won one game and finished 10th the year before Murphy took charge.
He took the Bloods to five wins and ninth in 2014, and three wins and ninth last year.
THE BFL match of the round between Redan and Lake Wendouree on Saturday has been transferred from City Oval to Wendouree Reserve.
The move was made at Redan’s request.
Redan’s next home game at the ground is against Ballarat on Saturday, August 20.
The BFL junior grand finals are also scheduled for the venue on Sunday, September 11.
