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WHITE Hills will get a taste of what's to come next year when assistant coach Jack Fallon takes the reins of the Demons against Leitchville-Gunbower in the Heathcote District league on Saturday.

Fallon will coach the Demons in place of Sam Kerridge, who will be unavailable due to the travel restrictions preventing Melbourne players from lining up in regional competitions this weekend.

Fallon leading White Hills on Saturday comes on the back of Kerridge announcing he will be stepping down from the role at the end of this season, with Fallon taking over in 2022.

"It has been a great learning curve being an assistant to Sam this year," Fallon said on Friday.

"With Sam based in Melbourne and busy with his work, it has been a big commitment for him over the past three years and, hopefully, he sticks around and continues to play with us next year.

"I'm confident Sam will stick around and play from the chats I've had with him, but with COVID and his work, you just never know what's going to happen. I've been good mates with him for years, but he's just got to figure out what his next 12 months look like.

"When the coaching opportunity came up for next year, I had a good think about it being such a big job, but I'm really excited to be taking it on with both hands."

The versatile Fallon joined the Demons from Eaglehawk - where he is a premiership player - after the 2019 season.

With Kerridge based in Melbourne, Fallon's coaching apprenticeship has included taking charge of the majority of the Demons' Tuesday training sessions, while he has already coached the club in one game earlier this year when travel restrictions prevented Kerridge from playing and coaching in the 133-point loss to flag favourite LBU in round eight.

"That wasn't a very good start that day against Locky... they are a really good side," Fallon said.

"I've taken the Tuesday night training sessions this year and have had the opportunity on game-day with the Locky game and again this Saturday, so that has been a good learning curve.

"The way I'll go about my coaching is I've said to the boys that I'm more than happy to have a bit of banter with them, but when it's time to get down to work then that's what we're there to do and really rip into it."

The Demons, who have struggled to find their early-season form since the first lockdown pause in late May, are 8-4 and in fourth position on the ladder with two rounds remaining and now likely to have to go through the hard road from the elimination final.

"The way we've trained this week, I really think the boys are ready to get out there and take the game on this week," Fallon said.

"We know we're lacking form, but we've had a run where we've had some injuries and not having a consistent side, but now that we've got injured players back I don't see why we can't go deep into the finals."

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