The Devils have been one of the BFNL's most successful clubs since the turn of the decade - making finals every year since 2012 and winning two premierships - but the returning Roy warned his side couldn't rest on its laurels.

"Anything less than finals is an absolute failure for us," he said.

"To start with, it's a bit unpredictable (this season), but we'll just try and get in the top group for the final.

"But if we play the style of football that I know we can play and that we're showing we can play, there are no boundaries."

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The Devils bundled out in an elimination final in 2019, compounding the misery of a preliminary final loss the year before.

Roy, who played in Darley's 2018 and 2015 premierships, said the memory of the finals heartbreak offered plenty of motivation for the playing group.

"I know they finished third on the ladder (in 2019) and lost in the heats, which is probably a disappointment for them in the end," he said.

"They thought that they had a team to go a lot of further than an elimination final."

Roy took on the top job at the end of the 2019 season and is yet to coach a game, owing to the abandoned season, giving him plenty of time to discover a Devils' brand of football he hopes will see his side go deep into finals.

"We just want to play a fast style," he said.

"We've got a lot of young guys who are good athletes and are quick. So for us, it will be all about pressure.

"Our barometer is our frontal pressure and how much we can try and squeeze up teams and get the ball back on the inside."

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Darley has added the arsenal it needs to play high-pressure football.

The big figure of former Port Adelaide forward Mitch Banner will offer a target up top, with an army of zippy small forwards, including VFL-listed Ryan Kemp, ready for anything that comes to the ground.

However, it's not just the recruits that Roy hopes will drive the Devils.

A sweep of under 19 players are being primed for senior football under the tutelage of AFL Hall of Famer, and new Darley junior coach, Doug Hawkins.

"A few of our under 19s probably don't understand how good Doug was and what he did for footy," Roy said.

"I know the parents of the younger guys would be pushing their kids, telling them that the opportunity to get coached by Doug Hawkins doesn't come very often.

"It's been a real positive from that side where the younger guys have been up-and-about and have been training with the seniors.

"There have been really quality kids coming through and Doug, and another guy Rocket, are all about getting them up to the seniors and giving them the exposure they need.

"Darley has been really lucky with that."

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