The opportunity to enjoy the moment and realise what his side had done was pretty special for Darley captain Brett Bewley on Saturday as the Devils claimed another premiership.
Bewley, who was part of the Devils’ Ballarat Football League premiership in 2023, said this one hit differently.
The Devils led 47-0 at quarter time with the game all but done at that point. While the Sunbury Lions fought hard, the Devils had the answers.
“Unreal, that is why you play,” Bewley said. “We had 2023, the last minute steal in a way, so you didn’t really get the chance to absorb it.
“By the time 28 minutes had gone, we kind of knew we had it. The first 25 minutes of that last quarter you didn’t want to get ahead of yourselves.”
Bewley said the group had been really focused this year on not looking back and were always looking to the next quarter and the next game.
It worked with the side clearly the best team all season.
Bewley, who finished second in the Henderson Medal during the week, was awarded the Roy Edward Memorial Trophy as one of the best players on the ground.
Making this one more special for Bewley was getting the opportunity to play in a premiership alongside his brother, Jack Bewley.
Brett said it was a dream come true at their home club.
“When we won in 23, he went away to Europe and he had the year off,” he said. “Then he was a bit flat that he missed out.
“He had his injury battles last year and he got back at the start of the season. I always told him that he would get one.
“If you’re willing to work for anything, anything is possible.
“It has been a massive journey for us together. Dad played at Darley and won a flag and both his sons have won a flag too, unbelievable.”
For Bewley, he couldn’t have asked for much more after his AFL career ended and decided to come back to where it all started.
He’s got two premierships and two Henderson Medals and is one of the best players in the competition.
“When I first come back the club wasn’t in a position to be thinking about winning premierships,” he said.
“We were building from the ground up. Credit to the boys, everyone has been digging in and doing the work.
“Credit to everyone else and they have bought in and we’re on a path together. A lot of young boys and keeping the older boys young.”
Bewley said the party at Darley would be one of the ages with their A-grade and B-grade premierships also winning on the same day.
