The club told its players at training on Tuesday night that the two-time premiership player was the man to lead the Magpies through the equalization period.

“It’s a good challenge and I’m just looking forward to coaching again in 2016 and having a full crack at it,” Cairns, 33, said.

“I was just really happy that the board had the faith in me to do it again.”

Cairns has been acting as caretaker coach since round three, when he took over from Mark Knobel.

He’s led the club to seventh on the ladder, winning four of 11 games in charge.

Wangaratta president Col McClounan was glowing in his praise of the former defender. 

“We’re really happy with Brendan,” McClounan said.

“He’s a strong character with great leadership.

“We think that he’s had a reasonable start and been able to settle things pretty well in a critical time and we think he’s got enormous potential to develop into a great coach.”

Cairns played in Wangaratta’s back-to-back premiership teams under Jason Lappin in 2007-08, in a career spanning more than 150 senior games for the club.

With a young family, Cairns was initially hesitant to commit as senior coach for 2016, but the club is thankful that he’s had a change of heart.

“He’s a terrific communicator and the players really respect him and the person he is,” McClounan said.

“He’s probably as natural a coach that I’ve seen.

“We think that he brings the sort of values and behaviours that the club stands for.”

After starting strongly under Cairns, the Magpies have struggled recently, and with five games left in the regular season, would need a miracle to play finals.

They’re three wins and percentage behind fifth-placed Yarrawonga, and have been beaten by a combined 241 points by Albury and Lavington in their past two games.

But the Magpies will be aiming to stop the rot on Sunday against Wangaratta Rovers.