By Tara Murray
Darley has set its standard for the rest of the Ballarat Football League women’s season.
It’s been a tricky few weeks for the Devils with injuries and availability but on Saturday they produced their best performance of the season against Lake Wendouree.
Devils co-coach Brett Faulkhead said while the scoreboard showed a one-sided affair, the Lakers challenged them and showed their improvement.
The Devils kicked at least five goals in each quarter on the way to a 25.19 (169)-0.0 (0) win.
“It was good to bounce back,” he said. “We have quite a few injuries and players on holidays.
“Both teams only had 16 players available and no benches.
“We were able to play our game. We’re doing what we can, especially with the injuries.”
Faulkhead said it was a really strong performance from the whole side, which included an under-16 player who played to give them 16 players.
He said they didn’t rely on one or two to get the job done.
“It was the best game that we had played this season,” he said. “Everything clicked.
“We’ve been working on a lot of things and in other games and training have shown spasms but hadn’t done it in a whole game.
“Everyone played their role when it was their time to go.”
“We have others who we are expecting back and they will help make the team stronger.
Madalyn Clarke kicked five goals, while Kim Bessell and Lilli Condon kicked four goals each.
Condon, Charli Parsons Jones and Evie Johnson were named the Devils best online.
Faulkhead said co-captain Chloe Oughtred told the group after the game that this was the standard they wanted to hit each week.
“She said we have drawn a line in the sand,” he said. “We have set the benchmark for the rest of the season.
“We don’t want to go backwards. We want to meet this level or exceed it again.”
Faulhead said they had only one long term injury and were hoping to get a few others back on the field before finals.
The Devils sit in second spot after 12 rounds, percentage behind Redan.
Faulkhead said they were focused on trying to finish as high as they could.
“In round 15 and 16 we play the Cobras [Bacchus Marsh] and Redan,” he said. “We’ll play to get the best position we can be in come finals.
“If we do enough to win top spot back that gives us a bye in the first week of finals. I said to the players it doesn’t matter if we play the first week, if we have the bye it’s a bonus.
“There’s still four weeks to go plus a bye. Finals are way in the distance.”
