After finishing in second spot and contending for the title for most of the season, Bulli run the risk of being eliminated should they lose to Olympic at Elizabeth Park. 

It would be a disappointing end to what has been another strong campaign from the northern suburbs club, but isn’t an idea Smith has thought much about in the lead-up to this weekend.

"We won't take too much emphasis on [the knockout] aspect, we will just focus on how we are going to play the game,” the coach said.

"It is a different proposition to what it it was last week. There is some different personnel and a different approach and we have been planning for that.

"We are focusing on the process rather than the outcome and that should leave it us in good stead for the game."

Bulli will be forced to play a somewhat different team to the one which was beaten in a 3-2 thriller by the Albion Park White Eagles in last weekend’s qualifying final. 

They lost creative striker Julian Minutillo (concussion), defender Aaron Baker (knee) and midfielder James Kerr (calf) in the defeat.

Smith was yet to decide on replacements for any of the three players on Friday as Bulli’s youth grade squad are in action elsewhere on Sunday against Wollongong United at Albert Butler Memoral Park. 

Olympic also aren’t without forced changes of their own.

Harvey Rodriquez season came to a shocking end after the midfielder broke his leg in their 1-0 victory over Picton Rangers. 

Olympic coach Rob Birkin said his men won’t have forgotten Rodriquez when they meet Bulli. 

“He will be very much in our thoughts this weekend,” he said.

“He broke a bone under his knee and underwent an operation on Tuesday so we will hopefully we can get a good result for him.”

Birkin paid Bulli the ultimate compliment before their knockout date.

"I've told many people during the season that they are the best team we have played from a football perspective,” he said.

"They play a good brand of football and you only need to look at recent seasons to see their record speaks for itself.

"If a trophy is on the line or there is a trophy up for grabs they are always around the mark."

While Bulli hold the advantage over Olympic across two matches this season with a win and a draw, Smith maintains the utmost respect for the Bert Bampton Cup winners.

“Their defensive record speaks for itself and I think it is around the same as ours so they are very solid defensively and they are not easy to break down,” he said.

“The earnest will be on us to create good opportunities and bang them in.”

IPL – Minor Semi Final

Bulli vs Wollongong Olympic, Elizabeth Park

Sunday, 2.30pm