Desperate Devils one step closer

By Todd Whelan

Darley withstood an avalanche of inside 50s from East Point in the last quarter to win a nail-biting, one point thriller at City Oval last Sunday. The win guarantees the Devils a semi-final meeting against Ballarat this Sunday.

Sure, the Kangas would lament their inaccuracies (1.7 in the last qtr) but credit to the Devils back six and support crew for holding on under immense finals pressure. Players from both sides had barely enough energy to celebrate or commiserate at the final siren. Any last efforts in the immediate aftermath were spent purely on a handshake or embrace -recognition and respect for an old fashioned battle that went down to the wire. Devils small forward Dylan Bishop kicked a point to give Dan Jordan’s men the lead in time-on before stoppage after stoppage played out deep in East Point’s front half for the best part of ten minutes before the game ended.

Kangas Captain Matty Johnston and Mickitja Rottumah-Onus led the charge in the second half, either waltzing out of stoppage or with their run and carry just as the Devils looked to be tiring. But the ‘Brett Bewley-less’ Devils blend of youth and experience down back, combined with some Kangas wasted opportunities on goal, amounted to a wholesale, morale boosting win for one, and heartbreak, disappointment for the other.

The highlights reel will be a tough assignment for the techs. So where do we start?

For the winners, Bailey Young was arguably best on ground for his four quarter effort ahead of a host of defenders led by Matthew Brett and Mace Cousins. Bigman Trent Angwin was terrific in the air and was influential between the arcs providing a target for the Devils all day. Darley’s (albeit) match-winning return of seven goals was shared across seven players.

For East Point, finishing near plus 20 for inside 50s in a game they won just one quarter, says a lot for their final quarter dominance. But alas, couldn’t get it done and lost no admirers for their effort.

On a tough day for forwards in unassuming breezy conditions, the Kangas managed just five goals, shared among five individual players. Evidently, it was the Kangas lowest score of the season.

The numbers didn’t lie heading in, giving every indication this final was going to be a close one. For the record, the Kangas averaged seven more points (FOR) per game while the Devils were conceding seven less points (AGST) per game to suggest a draw could’ve be on the cards.