Devils lack ruthless streak

Brothers’ player Canaan Brown looks to break through the Isis Devils defence again with Nathan Sullivan and Matt Curtis scrambling into position in the preliminary finals at Salter Oval.

Max Fleet

MISSED opportunities against lowly teams cost Isis Devils the minor premiership and, ultimately led to their premature demise, says coach David Jones.

He did not expect the kind of scoreline that eventuated Sunday afternoon against Brothers, but he was not surprised that his diminished team left the field a distance second.

Rather than blame Sunday's team for the big loss, Jones back-tracked to mid-season to explain the team's preliminary final capitulation.

“The importance of that minor premiership, and the week off, is underestimated,” he said.

"At a pivotal time in our season we dropped points and threw away games that cost us the minor premiership.

“Unavailability and injury increased and not having that week off compounded it. That was our fault; our inability to finish the lower sides cost us.”

The end result from all of that meant as many as seven top grade regulars were playing injured or unavailable in the season's biggest game, which also had an effect on their League 11s squad.

Not that Jones wants to be seen making excuses.

“A lack of professionalism in key areas is what has cost us,” he said.

The Devils will resume training in January and hope to build on the progress made in the last two years.

“I'm looking forward to next season already,” Jones said.

“We've come from second last and last (in A-grade and League 11s) two seasons ago.

“Hopefully we can create opportunities to win things and compete against the more viable clubs in town,” he said.