Roy takes Devils top job

By Todd Whelan

Darley has signed popular 2017 premiership assistant Dan Roy as head coach for next season.

The appointment of the 31-year-old former South Barwon Best and Fairest winner puts to bed a lengthy search (in football circles), for the Devils to fill the senior role following Heath Scotland’s move to North Melbourne.

Roy originally joined the Devils in 2017 as a playing assistant coach to Scotland in their premiership year before a knee injury in round one 2018 against Bacchus Marsh forced the experienced midfielder into premature retirement.

The signing comes as a welcomed change of luck for the Devils who were recently dealt a double blow on field, losing the Graham brothers to West Footscray in Division Two of the Western Region Football League.

Roy not only has a successful history with the Devils and South Barwon but has links of origin with Mansfield in the Goulburn Valley – the same club from which newly appointed Bacchus Marsh coach Tom German was recruited. The ‘intel’ on each other is sure to add a further dimension to next year’s local derbies.

Can’t wait.