Cowra's Chris Miller headlines a big list of ins for Cowra this week, as they look to take the scalp of reigning premiers the Orange Emus at Endeavour Oval, and he's making it heard loud and clear: his side isn't just after third spot.
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Despite a loss last week against the Forbes Platypi, Miller, who will be back in alongside first grade skipper Tim Berry and club captain Conor Lamond, admitted the the consolidation of third place, guaranteeing the Eagles a home final, was the key item on the team's agenda.
"We're gunning for that third spot... we owe it to our supporters and to ourselves to get that home semi-final," he said.
But while a mathematically complex, a second place finish is still possible, and Miller was keen to emphasise, again, as any competitive sports person would, that aiming as high as possible was key.
"There's no reason for us not to gun for second spot either... We're more than capable of doing that if we... play to our potential in the next three rounds."
However, to achieve such feats will require a reversal of form, with the Eagles winning one from their last five, though Miller, who is back from a dislocated shoulder that will require end-of-season surgery, was buoyant about his club's prospects of turning it around.
"We're just going back to the simple things," the former captain, who was present at last week's loss, said.
"I think it's a lot to do with attitude and the want to win... I think Forbes just wanted it a bit more than what we did [last week].
"It's now the time to step up and prove that we have the right attitude to succeed at the back end of the season."
Still, while the presence of the aforementioned senior leaders, including Miller, will help with that - "[We're] pretty much nearly back to full strength this week" - the Eagles aren't underestimating the challenge that the Emus represent.
"It's going to be a cold, dour sort [of day]... They've got pace out wide... the centres and their wingers are very well drilled," Miller observed.
"We'll definitely have to work on our outside defence - Using the sideline as a second defender I suppose - [the wings] are their strength and we're going to have to try and nullify that."
However, on the flipside, he also maintained the club's belief in its own brand of footy, regardless of its recent lean form line.
"We've got to back our processes and move the ball around," he said.
More significantly though, as Miller sees it, the club's willingness to embrace and support its players throughout its recent on-field challenges - particularly injury and suspension - means the onus is now on the playing group to reciprocate that belief now the season is approaching the pointy end.
"The club's supported the players in pretty much every adversity that there has been this year," Miller said.
"As players it's now time for us to step up.
"The faith that they've shown in us, we owe that back to them."
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