Cresswell informed the players at training on Monday night.

The former Sydney Swans’ star is on track to guide the club to a third successive finals campaign.

Raiders won only three games prior to his arrival.

“There’s a couple of reasons for staying on and obviously the youth that is coming through,” Cresswell said.

“We started to build something three years ago now and we’re starting to see the fruits of that, in bringing Jackson Kelly and Max Hillier to the club, it’s pretty difficult to walk out on that.

“But also the fact the club’s not in a position just yet to appoint someone to take over, obviously I don’t want to walk away from the club (at the end of 2018) and see it go through the struggles before I came on board.

“I think the club is a fair way down the track with finding a replacement.”

Cresswell says his youngsters comprise the most promising group of his coaching career.

“I’d probably say yes to be honest,” he said.

“You look at at the youth coming through our seniors like Dylan and Hayden Clarke and Jake Bradshaw.”

And in further positive news, boom Brodie Filo has also re-signed.

Cresswell has won 32 of  55 games, at a winning percentage of 58.

Raiders are on the verge of snaring an unlikely top three berth.

The youthful outfit lost four of its first eight games by eight goals or more.

However, it’s lost only match in the past two months, a 14-point thriller against Albury on July 22.

Raiders sit in fifth spot, but is equal on points with Yarrawonga and Lavington.

The trio is fighting for the remaining spot in the top three, with Raiders set to face both in the coming weeks, starting with Yarrawonga.