NORTH Footscray had a metaphorical win in the Western Region Football League division 1 at the weekend.
Not in terms of the win-loss column, but in the development of a shoestring budget side that is clearly out of its depth in the west’s top flight.
When Ross Hedley took over from John Barnes as Devils coach after round four, all he asked for was a commitment to the cause on the training track and gradual improvement on the park.
Hedley has received both in his 10 weeks in charge.
His first game, in round five, was nothing short of a disaster. The Devils scored just three behinds to be merely witches hats next to powerhouse Spotswood, which booted 50 goals in a 325-point obliteration.
The two sides met again on Saturday, just 70 days after that dark episode.
This time around, things were a little different, and the Woodsmen did not have it all their own way.
They won by 95 points, but the Devils were not disgraced and managed to boot five goals of their own in a vastly improved showing.
“It was a 32-goal turnaround,” Hedley said. “I have seen improvement, which is pleasing.”
Improvement is not always measured in premiership points.
The Devils are fielding two full teams every week.
Despite their terrible record, players are turning up to training in good numbers.
“All my aim has been is to strip it right back to the bare basics,” Hedley said. “We do basic drills at training, keep the gameplan simple … I’m trying to put as much enjoyment into it as possible in regards to training so the boys keep turning up.
“To their credit, they have been fantastic – we’ve been getting 35-plus on Tuesday nights and 35-40 on Thursday nights, and we’ve been able to put 22 players on the paddock every week in both grades.”
Hedley’s appointment was made as a stop-gap measure.
The 2011 division 2 premiership coach wanted to help out the club in its hour of need.
“The club has always been good to me,” he said.
Hedley insists the Devils will not be a basket case on the field if they are relegated to division 2 next season.
He is confident there is enough young talent on the books to be competitive with the best sides in the second tier.
“If they can hold on to the core of players they’ve got at the moment, they’re very young, it would be a pretty good gig to take on in regards to the coaching,” he said.
“Get a couple of recruits to top up and off they go.”
The Devils will be desperate to keep hold of Patrick Jackson, who was club best and fairest two years ago and is odds-on favourite to earn another this season.
“Patty’s had a great year,” Hedley said. “He’s only 21, he won the best and fairest in his first year and probably should’ve won it last year, but got pipped at the post. He’ll probably win it again this year.”
Sam Kater has been outstanding, while Jac Manuell and Anthony Nicholls are players to watch.
Hedley will continue to give his young players an education about the opposition’s experienced campaigners.
“Every week I try, especially with the young blokes, to set them a task to run with one of the opposition’s better players,” he said.
The Devils’ task does not get any easier with top side Deer Park heading to Hansen Reserve on Saturday.
