Dapto coach Blake Wallace won't be asking anyone to be "Justin Faughlin 2.0" despite being without one of his key leaders for Saturday's clash with Collegians.
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The Canaries have turned heads in mounting a late finals charge on the back of three straight, but were dealt a major blow this week with Faughlin slapped with a three-game ban for a dangerous throw.
It was a baffling development given the tackle in Dapto's 32-30 win over the Devils last week was neither penalised or placed on report, the charge only levelled on review.
It's a bitter pill to swallow, but Wallace insists it won't dent his side's belief as it looks to continue a belated finals charge.
"We're going to put a team out there and, regardless of who is in that from 1 to 17, we're looking to win and do a job," Wallace said.
"The boys know what we've got to do, they're aware of the situation we're in and I expect whoever I put in there to just come in, play their game and do their job.
"I'm not looking for them to be Justin Faughlin 2.0. I'm looking for them to be the best version of themselves, to play their game and stick with the structures of how we play footy.
"The boys now understand it's starting to click in terms of how we want to play our footy and, when everyone knows their role, it doesn't really matter who you bring in and who you don't.
"If everyone's doing their job and understands what's asked of them, then they'll just fall into that. I expect no different on Saturday."
The Canaries have breathed fresh life into the Mojo Homes Cup finals race with three wins on the trot, including upset victories over Thirroul and Wests over the past fortnight.
Wallace was bullish about his side's finals chances following the win over the Devils last week, and wasn't shying away from it heading into Saturday's showdown with the reigning premiers.
"All year I've spoken to the boys about having belief," Wallace said.
"People come and say 'you aren't fit enough, you aren't this' and I've said 'it's got nothing to do with any of that'. It's got everything to do with the mentality side of it and belief in themselves and what we can do as a footy team.
"For me as a coach, how can I stand up there and talk to these boys about belief without showing it. That's why I didn't give a cliched answer, I said what I said because I truly believe it.
"I want my players to see that. I'm going to bat for them because I believe in them and that becomes infectious. We still believe that we can win on Saturday and go on with it.
"That's what we're going to keep driving. I'm not going to set the bar low and hope to creep in. We're going to set the standard to where it is and that's what we're climbing for and that's what we'll go after."
Collegians head to Dapto Showground riding a six-game winning streak that's catapulted them to the top of the ladder with four games remaining.
"They're a good footy team, they've got experience in their pack and they're going to be a tough side," Wallace said.
"It's just about coming out and playing our game and not getting, caught up in the fact they've got Blake Phillips, Jarrod Thompson, all these guys with a lot of experience.
"It's about going out there and playing the way we play and backing ourselves to get the job done. If we go out there and do all those things, we're going to come away with it."
Elsewhere, Thirroul will hosts Corrimal at Gibson Park looking to halt a two-game losing slide, while De La Salle will be looking to break a duck against Wests at Henson Park.
The early-season pace-setters, the Devils are staring down the barrel of four straight losses but are yet to drop a game to De La since the Shire club shifted south last season.
De La let a lead slip to share the points following a 20-all draw at Parrish Park in round one, before copping a touch up on their second journey south.
Stand-in De La head coach Trent Anderson said his side will be looking to get a breakthrough win over the Devils ahead of what's shaping as an inevitable meeting come finals time.
"Wests is the only club we haven't beaten in the last two seasons so it's something that we're mindful of as a club," Anderson said.
"The talk amongst the group is a little bit of unfinished business. We definitely felt that we probably lost that game in the in the first round. I don't think they beat us, we beat ourselves.
"In round two, again, we got ourselves into a winning position and probably their experience and just knowing us how to get the result come over the top of us.
"We're really looking for our first win and against Wests and just getting the two points this weekend."
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
