Justin Beugelaar's men were desperately unlucky not to break a finals drought after finishing fifth at the end of the regular season.

Unfortunately for the Roos, lockdown forced the league to revamp the finals series, to just include the top-four teams.

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Despite this Dimboola fans should be impressed by how their side played in 2021.

The Roos got off to a flyer at the beginning of the season, winning four of their first five games. A slight drop-off in form saw them lose three in a row after that, however, they gathered themselves and managed to finish the year off winning two of their last three games.

Reflecting on the regular-season coach Justin Beugelaar was "excited for the community and football club" to see dimboola's progress.

"As a coach, I know that our better football matches it with the better sides," Beugelaar said.

"Games like Stawell and Horsham where we should have actually won, would have put us higher up the ladder to give ourselves a second chance.

"That was probably where I was aiming.

"But hey, I'll take the good with the bad and I'm very happy with where we've come and how far we've progressed this year."

According to Beugelaar "consistency" is what will take his side to the next level in 2022. After a brilliant start to the year, consecutive losses in winnable games against the Horsham Demons and Horsham Saints ultimately cost the Roos a spot in the top-four.

"Our best football can match it with anyone so it's just playing that football at times," Beugelaar said.

"We're obviously new to the finals scene and new to playing good football and having good players around us, it's going to take a while, but we knew that. We're really in the process of building for next year."

The Roos recruited heavily at the start of the season, with players like Jack and Brock Landt, Tom Cree and Dylan Tarczon all having a big impact on and off the field.

"When I came on as coach, my biggest thing was culture. You can have the best player out there on the park but he can be a cancer to a football club," Beugelaar said.

"I'm over the moon with our recruits and the fact that they are very good football players, but off-field they're better. They're the first to put their hands up and help around the club. They've really bought in which has been the best thing."

It wasn't just the recruits who stood out on the field for the Roos, with Beugelaar highlighting the improvement of the club's "local" players.

"Jayden Lehmann who's shouldered the ruck all year has been an absolute standout for me. He's taken his game to the next level and he's really come on as a leader at this football club," he said.

"The likes of Darcy Dubois, he's the vice-captain as well and he's really stood up."

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