Twaddle will coach alongside key defender Brendan Murfett after the pair were unveiled as Bernard Moloney’s successors on Tuesday night.

The Eagles hope the joint appointment will help the club build on its three consecutive Hampden league preliminary final berths.

Twaddle, a former century goal-kicker for the Eagles’ forerunner Northern Districts, said he was excited to team with Murfett.

“I think by having a playing coach and a non-playing coach that we get the best of both worlds,” he said.  “I was part of the recruiting and Brendan helped out a lot with that so we’ve liaised significantly throughout the years so we know we can work together and will have a good, strong working relationship.

“We know we have the respect of our playing group so we are looking forward to a big year in 2015.”

Twaddle, 48, has a decorated junior and reserves coaching resume that includes being named 2013 Hampden region youth coach of the year.

But the man credited with luring Horsham century goal-kicker Dylan Parish to Bushfield said he’d always wanted to test himself at senior level.

“It has always been an ambition to coach at the top level and I probably thought that had passed me a little bit,” he said.

“I was really pleased when the committee came to me.”

Twaddle joined Northern District from Mortlake in 1994 and became a premiership player.

He said he was proud to lead a club he was passionate about.

“To be able to repay the club in some capacity is great because they’ve been fantastic to me over a long period,” Twaddle said.  “Also, I have done a lot of work behind the scenes as well so to be able to take that to another level, on a personal note, is really pleasing.”

The Eagles are happy with the shape of their list but are under no illusions as to how hard it will be to earn another top three finish next season.

Twaddle said the club respected reigning premier Koroit and runner-up Warrnambool and strived to emulate their long-term success.

“We know we have to make improvements across the board to hold our position and even challenge those top two sides,” he said.

“We are really rapt with the acquisition of the new players to the club with Dylan Parish, Jaymen Fletcher, Marcus Shaw, Matty Wheaton and Sammy Bannam-Walsh.

“It has been a tough year in recruiting circles to be able to get the calibre of those guys is certainly going to assist us push forward.”

Murfett, 30, was assistant coach to Moloney this year.

The 200-plus game defender, preparing for his fourth season at Bushfield after starting his career at Cobden, said he wanted to be “a sounding board” onfield for the club’s young players. 

Murfett said the coaching role sat comfortably with him.

“I have taken 90 per cent of trainings (this pre-season) and Andy McMeel has been taking running sessions down at the beach on off nights, which has been really positive,” he said.

“A lot of young ones are coming to that, so he (Andy) is taking another step in his development with talking and leadership. 

“It is a mixture of having a bit of fun and getting some kilometres into the legs early on.”

Murfett said the Eagles would set the bar high in 2015.

“A goal for next year is to make the last Saturday in September — that’s everyone’s ultimate goal,” he said.

“But we can’t get ahead of ourselves and we have to take each game on its merits.”

Eagles president Pat Doran said the decision to appoint the pair was unanimous and the club was rapt.

justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au