The Devils Have Learned How To Win

Jared Duggan

Editor

Last updated: Thu 06 Aug 2026 15:52

Jared Duggan 2 hours ago

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Tasmania Devils have shifted from predictable to adaptable play, mastering both tempo control and attack.
Victory over Sydney showcased the team’s depth, with key contributions across all positions.
Maturity is growing: the Devils now adapt, learn from setbacks, and show traits of a true contender.

Devils Den Podcast w. Jared & Dan

The Devils Have Learned How To Win

When the Tasmania Devils burst onto the VFL scene earlier this season, they played with the excitement and energy you would expect from a brand-new football club. Their speed with ball in hand, willingness to attack and relentless pressure made them one of the competition's most entertaining teams to watch.

The Devils Have Learned How To Win
Patience Has Become A Weapon
Good Teams Adapt
Everyone Is Contributing
The Response Matters Most
More Than An Expansion Club

It also made them predictable.

As the season progressed, opposition clubs began to understand how Tasmania wanted to play. The Devils were still creating opportunities, but there were periods where they looked rushed with the football and relied too heavily on playing at one speed.

The exciting thing about their impressive win over the Sydney Swans wasn't simply the nine-goal third quarter that blew the game apart.

It was the evidence that this football team is learning.

The Devils aren't just playing better football.

They're becoming a smarter football team.

Patience Has Become A Weapon

One of the clearest differences against Sydney was Tasmania's willingness to control the tempo.

Instead of trying to attack at every opportunity, the Devils were happy to keep possession, switch the play and wait for the right opening before moving the ball quickly through the corridor. It was a measured performance that showed growing confidence in their ability to dictate the game rather than allowing the opposition to do it for them.

The Devils Den hosts highlighted this shift, noting that the side has developed a much better balance between slow play and fast play. Rather than relying purely on speed, Tasmania is beginning to recognise when to be patient and when to attack.

That might sound like a subtle improvement, but it's often what separates developing teams from genuine contenders.

Good Teams Adapt

Every football club reaches a point where its first game plan stops working as effectively.

Opposition coaches analyse vision, identify patterns and begin taking away the strengths that produced early success.

The best teams don't panic when that happens.

They evolve.

That's exactly what the Devils are starting to do.

Whether it's adjusting their ball movement, changing the tempo or reshuffling players into new positions, Tasmania is becoming far less predictable than it was only a few weeks ago.

The result is a team that now has multiple ways to win.

Against Sydney, they dominated through efficient ball use and decision-making. In previous weeks, they've won through relentless pressure and contested football.

That versatility will become increasingly important as the finals race heats up.

Everyone Is Contributing

Perhaps the biggest sign of the Devils' growth is that they no longer rely on one or two standout performers.

The win over Sydney was built on contributions from every part of the ground.

Robbie Fox controlled the game from half-back.

Bailey Bogue continued his outstanding run of form around the contest.

Jed Hagen kicked five goals.

Jai Mensy finished with four.

Nathaniel Salzberger produced his best performance in Devils colours, while Harry Brereton added another exciting chapter to his young career.

The Devils Den hosts summed it up perfectly when they admitted they could have spent the entire episode talking about individual performances because almost everyone had made an impact.

That's not the sign of a team relying on stars.

It's the sign of a football club building genuine depth.

The Response Matters Most

Another encouraging sign has been the way Tasmania has responded to adversity throughout the season.

Losing key players to the AFL Mid-Season Draft could easily have disrupted the team's momentum.

Instead, new players have stepped into bigger roles.

Early concerns about first-quarter performances have been addressed with greater intensity and composure at the start of games. Against Sydney, the Devils controlled the opening stages before producing one of their most dominant quarters of the season after half-time.

Even the disappointing final quarter, where Sydney kicked eight goals, became another learning opportunity. The coaching group and senior players were quick to acknowledge that good teams don't simply protect winning margins—they continue playing with purpose until the final siren.

That willingness to identify areas for improvement, even after a convincing victory, is another sign of a team with higher standards than simply collecting four points.