After winless 2021, Darley prepares for finals with win over North Ballarat

After a winless 2021 season, Darley has clinched an immediate return to Ballarat league finals with a win over North Ballarat.

Andrew Azzopardi keeps his eye on the ball for Darley. Picture: Andy Brownbill

After a winless 2021 season, Darley has made an immediate return to Ballarat league finals.

The Devils clinched fourth place on Saturday with an impressive 18-point win over last year’s minor premier North Ballarat at Darley Park.

It sets up an elimination final clash against reigning premier East Point at City Oval on Sunday.

Having taken the coaching reins in October last year, Dan Jordan said this season was about improvement and was rapt with the turnaround.

“We never put any measure on it at the start of the year, we just wanted to get better,” he said.

“Thankfully we had a core group that wanted to do that and a club that was driven to do that, across all facets, and have been really supportive of my direction, and buy-in from the playing group.

“There’s still a few guys here some those premierships last decade and we’ve got some young guys coming through that affectively haven’t played footy for three years who are enjoying getting back out there.

“When it’s all said and done we’ll sit down and assess how we keep growing and improving and hopefully our season doesn’t end this week but if it does the direction won’t be any different.”

Darley secured its 10th win of the season with a 15.10 (100) to 12.10 (82) win over North Ballarat.

In a high-scoring opening term, the Devils kicked 9.6 (60) to take a 19-point lead into quarter-time but kicked just one in the second quarter as the lead narrowed to six points.

The game became an arm-wrestle in the second half as both coaches ramped up the defence but Darley was able to kick five goals to three to claim victory.

Essendon VFL ball-winner Dylan Landt finished with 40 disposals – 11 more than any player on the ground – as well as 15 clearances and kicked 3.2

Bailey Young (29 touches) and Matt Brett (26) were also prolific, while Luther Baker was named Darley’s best with 24 possessions and two goals.

Landt looms as a key figure in Darley’s premiership push after playing most of the second half of the season at local level.

“You always take a risk with VFL guys but I’ve got a good relationship with Dylan having coached him (at Essendon VFL),” Jordan said.

Dylan Landt in action for Darley. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“With Essendon’s high AFL-list availability he probably didn’t get the opportunities that he should and we’ve been the beneficiary of that, particularly in the back-half of the year.

“He’s played eight games and he’s been really influential in all of them.”

Star defender Darren Leonard and Mitch Ward could return for the first week of finals after being late withdrawals on Saturday.

East Point tumbled to fifth after sitting out Round 18 on the bye and losing three of its last three to Darley and Melton.

Jordan said the Round 16 win over the Kangaroos would have little barring on Sunday’s match but was confident his team could repeat the dose.

“Any game, in the top eight really, is a dangerous game and if you’re not on your game you can be beaten,” he said.

“We lost to Redan a couple of weeks ago when they were eighth or ninth and the next week we beat East Point who were second at the time.

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“We’re under no illusions it’s going to take our best effort to get a win, we know their best footy is capable of being the best in the competition.

“We’re going to enjoy the challenge and exposing some of these young guys to finals footy is what it’s all about.”

After beating Melton in Round 13, North Ballarat lost four of its last five to finish sixth, edging out Redan on percentage, and will face Sebastopol in an elimination final.

Melton will play Ballarat in the qualifying final on Saturday at Macpherson Park.