Perennial Geelong league battlers St Albans turned a few heads among their local football community when they started this season by winning four of their first five matches.

The Supersaints, who are in their first year under the coaching of former Richmond star Nick Daffy, then made plenty more people sit up and take notice when they demolished perennial powerhouse South Barwon in round six.

It was St Albans' first win over the Swans since 2003.

A further five games down the track, the Supersaints are well placed to make the finals for the first time since 2003.

As they enjoy a weekend off thanks to the representative game between Victoria Country and the VAFA, they sit fourth on the ladder with a 7-4 record.

And with a bit of luck they could be even closer to the top of the table. They lost to the David Wojcinski-coached Newtown & Chilwell by 12 points in round seven, then went down to reigning premier Colac by one point in round nine.

"Everyone's up and about," St Albans president Michael Cobb said. "We're getting 45 or 50 blokes at training. In other years we've been lucky to get 20 on a Tuesday night."

St Albans' most recent period of sustained success came in the mid-1980s. Thanks to the arrival of some gun recruits from the old Geelong West VFA club, the Supersaints made four consecutive senior grand finals. They lost the first two, but rebounded to win the latter two.

Among their best players during that golden era was Mark Dahlhaus, the father of Western Bulldogs star Luke Dahlhaus.

However, recent seasons have been tough. St Albans won only 26 senior games between 2009 and 2014.

"It's the toughest competition in country Victoria, and it's hard enough to survive, let alone succeed a little bit," Cobb said. "But we've always had the largest following in the competition. Other clubs cater for us. They know to put another barrel on when St Albans are coming. We've just got a very proud supporter base."

St Albans' latest revival began last September when Daffy contacted the club and expressed an interest in its vacant coaching position. He was soon appointed non-playing senior coach on a three-year deal.

The 42-year-old former Tiger, who lives in Geelong, had previously been coaching director at Bellarine league club Torquay. He then spent the 2014 season on the coaching staff at Carlton's VFL affiliate, the Northern Blues. "I knew I was taking on a big challenge," Daffy said. "But like most things I've done, I just jump in and have a decent go at it."

Daffy brought professionalism, optimism and a great footy network to St Albans, but his initial recruiting efforts were stymied by the Supersaints' lack of success.

However, a number of new players soon jumped on board, including former Carlton midfielder Jesse Smith and ex-Footscray VFL forward Jase Perkins. The Supersaints also signed 2014 Bellarine league best and fairest James Darke from Torquay.

"We've mixed the recruits with a few really good locals already at the club, like Kirby Bourke, Benny Evans and Billy Beardsell," Daffy said.

Daffy spent many hours over the summer teaching his men his preferred style of play. "I guess I like the attacking way Port Adelaide have been playing," he said. "That was the way I always liked to play my football."

Daffy went into the season with high hopes for his team, but he admits to being surprised by just how well his men have performed.

"It's really exciting for the club," Daffy said. "I guess a lot of people around the place have been used to accepting that they never make the finals. But there is a really good vibe now. It's nice to be a part of it, really."

Daffy was recently named AFL Barwon's coach of the month for June.

"Nick has been like the icing on the cake for us, because we've been putting in a lot of work to get our off-field stuff right over the last few years," Cobb said. "Nick has turned the playing group around. He works really well with our young fellas.

"He's a different sort of a cat, Nick. He thinks on a high level. But he's exactly what we needed. He's hard on the players. He won't be manipulated by star recruits who want to train when they feel like it."

The Supersaints begin their push towards the finals with a trip to sixth-placed Leopold next weekend. There will be plenty riding on the outcome, as the Lions, who lost last year's grand final to Colac, are only one win behind St Albans.

"We have to keep improving every week," Daffy said. "I think we've only just started to touch on where the club can go."

ST ALBANS FOOTBALL-NETBALL CLUB

* Nick Daffy played 165 AFL games for Richmond between 1991 and 2001. He played one game for the Sydney Swans in 2002.

* The St Albans football club has records dating back to 1881. The club is holding its inaugural Hall of Fame function next weekend.