A hamstring strain before round 2 (after being told he was in the senior team) put the North Hobart running defender will behind the eightball and out of football for a month.

After strong recent form in the VFL, the 22-year-old won a recall for the Dogs' big win over Port Adelaide on Saturday.

He made his moment count, putting in a career-best afternoon.

Darley finished with 21 touches at 85.7 per cent disposal efficiency, taking six marks, laying three tackles, with two inside and one rebound 50 and four score involvements.

He describes being part of the fast-running Dogs' side that has jumped into the top four with a 12-6 record as fun.

The Tasmanian half-back said that feeling of enjoyment extended from the club's off-field end to 2014, when it lost its coach (Brendan McCarthy) and captain (Ryan Griffin) in a matter of days.

"It was quite a tough year with that tumultuous off-season, and I know not many people would have given us a chance of finishing anywhere in a position that mattered, except for ourselves and coaching staff," Darley told The Examiner on Wednesday.

"It is nice to prove those people wrong and show how promising our list really is, and that rather than waiting a few years, now is the time we can deliver.

"It has been touched on at the club a number of times that people do expect us to fall off, but we have this belief in this group that we are playing a brand of football that is sustainable.

"But we are not in a position where we can start getting caught up in what happens after this month (the final four games of the home and away season)."

Darley, who has 19 games to his credit (including 13 at Greater Western Sydney in 2011 and 2012), was happy with his own game on Saturday, but said there were still areas of his game he needed to improve on.

"I took tremendous confidence in our form in the VFL, as our backline had been our most stable team with Bob Murphy, Matthew Boyd and Jason Johannisen, so there has been myself and Shane Biggs unable to get a game.

"So it was just about taking that chance (with Murphy and Johannisen out), so I was really happy and was pleasing to get the win.

"The way Luke (coach Luke Beveridge) has brought in his game plan, it is almost a little like junior footy, when you have the freedom to just play footy.

"Obviously there are structures that you need to abide by, but when you have the ball in hand there is that freedom."

Other than staying in the senior side and playing a part in the forthcoming finals campaign, Darley has one other main goal.

He is hoping to use the remainder of the year to help establish himself for 2016 and to make more than just fleeting appearances in the senior team.

His first season with the Dogs in 2014 was ruined due to a twisted bowel, keeping him to just five games late in the year.

"But I want to make this spot my own and consistently play AFL footy and it would be ideal to start next year in the team, but for now I just have to keep playing the best footy that I can and take the opportunities when I get them."

But first, the Bulldogs face Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Darley said his side would be wary of a Demons team that defeated them by 39 points in round 8, believing they always bring their best for the Dogs.

"We have to make sure we get the win, and we do feel we owe those guys one as we don't want to lose to them twice in the season."