The three-time North Ballarat Roosters' premiership coach, who won a trio of VFL flags between 2008 and 2010, was appointed in late 2019 but is yet to coach a competitive game due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hampden league on June 10 voted to cancel its senior seasons.

Hamilton Kangaroos football director Craig Pertzel said FitzGerald had impressed in his maiden pre-season at Melville Oval.

"We hoped when we spoke initially last year and we held a hope it would be a two or three year appointment," Pertzel said.

"Fitzy is very much a man of his word. He told us he'd never had more than one year deals but we had an ongoing gentleman's agreement (we'd extend).

"We started chatting and had a few things to overcome from the year that wasn't but we're really hopeful we'll get a full and proper season in next year."

Pertzel said Hamilton Kangaroos' playing list was buying into FitzGerald's football philosophy.

"His attention to detail and his professionalism are second to none," he said.

"It was really evident in the last month or so of pre-season leading into our final practice match how much the guys had brought into his game plan and style of coaching.

"It was a bit different to what we've known. There were different things about training, even just switching to the Monday and Wednesday nights instead of Tuesday and Thursdays."

Pertzel told The Standard Hamilton Kangaroos would turn its attention to 2021.

"We wanted to get (the Fitzy extension) done and finished as soon as we could," he said.

"We can start planning for next year now and keep moving forward."

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