Donachie has eight games under his belt for Victory this season after leaving Brisbane Roar where he had success in winning the 2014 A-League title.

The tall 23-year-old is locked in battles with Alan Baro, Leigh Broxham and Nick Ansell for a centre-back position.

But his big chance came in the 2-1 derby win over Melbourne City after Nick Ansell’s knee injury called for his services.

“When you get your chance to be in, you just have to keep it and I think I learnt that the hard way coming down and finding my feet,” Donachie told FourFourTwo.

“I had to do it a bit quickly, but now it’s my turn to stay in, if I keep trying to play well and stay in then great and if I don’t, I don’t so that’s the way it is I guess.

James Donachie with a fan at the new Adidas store at Westfield Southland

“For me that derby was the most exciting game I’ve played in so far, I’ve played in some really good games in the past like coming on in the Brisbane Grand Final.

“But to play, have the win with the fans there going mental and it was a good football game as well…. not so much with keeping the ball, but with intensity and it was fast so it was good to watch for the spectators.

“You couldn’t have come up with it yourself if you wrote it, not every game goes like that, but at the end of the day if Bes scores and we win then I’m happy.”

Donachie also indicated the depth in the competition has favoured clubs who find themselves at the top of the table.

Victory face the struggling Central Coast Mariners next Wednesday and despite their inexperience, Donachie highlighted new coach Paul Okon had them looking dangerous.

“At the end of the day you have to remember if you go out there and think ‘they’ll be easily beaten’, then we’ll probably be on the other end,” he said.

“We’ll go out with the mentality like it’s the derby and same thing - try run over them.

“Sitting back and watching the league, it’s been a big season of depth and the teams that have good depth are at the top and the teams that don’t are at the bottom.

“It’s a big factor in where teams are right now and our team having good depth has taken us a long way.”

He also wanted the scrutiny to remain on the other teams.

“There hasn’t been much talk about our current position, when City and Sydney sit second you’re hearing a lot about it,” he said.

“I’m happy that way, I prefer it that way to go under the radar and if we end up being top and winning the final, then no problem.”

Captain Carl Valeri said the 4-1 loss to City in Round 2 was the only real disappointing performance this season.

Skipper Valeri unbothered by lack of scrutiny

“There’s a certain buzz at training and to be honest the buzz was always there, there was only one real dent in our armour,” Valeri said.

“The fact we’re flying under the radar – that doesn’t bother me, what matters is at the end of the season we’re at the top.”