Sandhurst coach Andrew Collins won't use suspension and injuries as an excuse should the Dragons fail in their crucial BFNL clash with Kyneton on Saturday.
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With Collins (quadricep) in doubt himself and forwards Daniel Connors and Pascale Craig out suspended, Sandhurst will go into Saturday's game at Kyneton with its most inexperienced side in recent years.
"I'm confident we can win the game. Kyneton is going pretty well, but I'm confident in our boys,'' Collins said.
"You only have to look at a team like Strathfieldsaye. They've had several injuries and they're going pretty strong.
"Golden Square was missing their skipper last game and still managed to win.
"There's no excuses from our end."
Collins was injured late in the Dragons' win over Gisborne on May 12 and was forced to miss last Saturday's inter-league clash with Hampden in Warrnambool.
"I'm probably a 40-60 chance,'' Collins said of his chances of playing against the Tigers.
"I haven't ruled myself out, but I'll be struggling. By Saturday it will only be 14 days for a muscle strain. If it was 21 days I'd be pretty close. If I do it again then I probably miss a month."
On top of Saturday's trip to Kyneton, the Dragons also have a big game looming against Eaglehawk at the QEO next week.
Connors and Craig will miss the Kyneton and Eaglehawk games after being suspended for three and two matches respectively from incidents in the Dragons’ win over Gisborne.
The BFNL tribunal found Connors guilty on two charges. He received two weeks for a string charge and one week for an attempted to strike charge. Craig was found guilty of a striking charge.
"We'll have to make a few changes, but we've got Tim Martin and Taylor Strachan to come back in,'' Collins said.
"As disappointing as it is to lose Connors and Craig... we bring back some experience and some good players.
"We have good depth. The reserves are going really well and we have good players there that should be playing senior footy. Those players will get their chance. It's not as bad as what it looks."
With key forward Matt Thornton (fractured cheekbone and broken nose) already sidelined, the Dragons will be light on for firepower inside 50.
Thornton resumed training this week and is on track to return to action in three weeks.
"His face needs a month to heal and his nose is in good shape,’’ Collins said of Thornton. "We'll get a good block of training into him and he'll be ready to go for the second round of matches."
