Luke Delaney is the first to admit his start to the year was disappointing but the key defender is quickly getting things back on track through some old fashioned football.

“The last few weeks I’ve just been purely focusing on being an aggressive defender,” he told NMFC.com.au.

“For me, it’s just about getting back to the basics again because that’s when I play my best footy.”

The 23-year-old played just one NAB Cup game throughout the pre-season and says he was far from himself.

“Early in the year I was probably just sitting off my man, not playing that aggressive football that I know I’m capable of.  I was worrying about other things like structures and decision making other than just shutting down my opponent.

“It’s all about the attitude I take into every single contest out on the ground and making sure that every little battle is either a 50/50 proposition or a win for me.  Not letting my man dictate the play and denying him space to work in and feel comfortable with.  It’s not just about smashing in and starting punch-ons, it’s about making sure I’m the initiator of the action and not him.

“They weren’t great games.  I was fumbling a bit and not composed with the ball and that was something that Scotty (Brad Scott) identified and it's something I’ve worked hard on.  So I wasn’t really happy with how things kicked off for me, but I’m a lot happier now.  Over the last few weeks, it’s definitively turned around for me but I have to make sure that continues and I don’t go backwards.  It’s all about constantly improving.  The start of the year wasn’t really up to scratch."

Form, along with an ankle and shoulder injury also restricted Delaney from adding to his career AFL games tally of 21.

“I had a couple of niggles which both came at bad times,” he explained.

“I think if I go back and look at some of my good games last year, my focus was to play my role defensively and the rest took care of itself.  My competitiveness against my opponent has lifted in the last three to four weeks.”

Playing for North Ballarat in the VFL, Delaney’s role is crucial for the team to have a chance at winning.  Against Frankston last weekend, he showed why he’s regarded as one of the club’s best one-on-one defenders.

“There are a lot of young blokes at Ballarat and I have to be one of the leaders.  I can’t just go into my shell and only worry about my role, I’ve got to be one of the ones that drive everything and lead by example.”  

With the North Melbourne back six looking as solid as ever, Delaney says he has to narrow his focus.

“It’s frustrating not being in the side but it’s like anything; if you can’t control it, there’s not much you can do about it.  I can’t control the way the boys in the AFL are playing at the moment, I can only control how well I’m playing.  It’s tough for spots at the minute which is good, so I just have to go back to North Ballarat and play my role so that when the opportunity does arise, whether it be through injury or suspension or form, that I’m the next bloke in line and at the top of the list.

“It's the only way you can look at it, you can’t be peed off with how well blokes are going because ultimately that’s good for North Melbourne and we all want team success.  You don’t sit back and whine about not being in the team because it’s not what we are about here anyway.  I want the boys to do well every week and when my time comes, I want to get in there on my own merit because I’m in good form.  I don’t want to get in and then get booted straight back out.”

A team player, Delaney knows if he’s playing well in the VFL, he’s doing his part for the Kangaroos too.

“It creates good depth.  Good sides have good depth and we need guys at VFL level putting pressure on the guys in the AFL, so they know they have to perform to keep their spots.

“Early on I probably wasn’t enjoying my footy as much, at the minute I’m in some good headspace and I know where I want to be and what I need to do to improve further.  I hope the boys keep winning, and I hope my time comes soon.”