THERE are some people at Darley Park who may just be trying to lift the lid on the Devils’ prospects, but not coach Jarrod Edwards.
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Darley faces one of its biggest tests of the season when it travels to City Oval to take on Redan on Saturday, the first time the Devils have done so since 2012.
Although he has pulled his side back from the abyss over the past month, Edwards insists nothing has been proven yet.
The Devils have beaten Melton South, East Point and Lake Wendouree in the past three rounds.
“I don’t want to sound arrogant or pig-headed, but if we want to be a top side those are the sides we should beat,” Edwards said.
“People are getting a bit excited because we’ve won three in a row, but we haven’t really achieved anything yet.
“It’s a big game in the way we have the momentum, but we have to capitalise against a top side.”
Dashing line-breaker Nathan Jackel will likely spend another week on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, while captain Brad Inglis will play his second game of the year.
Edwards said there was caution to make sure Inglis was fully fit before he played.
“Against Redan you can’t hide players and if you aren’t fully right, you will get caught out and they will tear you apart,” he said.
Coming back from a bye, the Lions will welcome five names back into the side as they search for their ninth win in a row.
Leigh Ryall will play his first game since suffering a nasty concussion more than a month ago,
while Nathan Blomeley has returned from an overseas holiday.
Brett Dickinson has recovered from a knee injury, Ben Schiltz returns and Callum Currie is back after playing for North Ballarat Roosters last week.
Redan coach Eammon Gill was an interested onlooker at Darley’s win over Lake Wendouree last week and knows his side is in for a fight.
“Darley are up and about and playing some decent footy,” Gill said. “We’re really looking forward to coming up against a side that is in genuine form.
“They’ve got some real top-end players that we will need to stop if we are going to get up.”
Darley would likely climb to fourth win a win but could drop down to seventh, while Redan will remain in second, regardless of the result.
PREDICTION: Redan too good on home soil.