Greater Sydney Rams coach Brian Melrose was blunt when asked which little known names from his squad might be spoken highly of after they have played the UC Vikings in round two of the National Rugby Championship on Thursday night.
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Stung by his side's 31-2 loss in round one to the NSW Country Eagles at Coogee Oval on Saturday, Melrose said: "I don't think we've got any players.
"I don't think on our last performance we have any right to do anything other than get out and put on a performance that allows people to regain a little bit of our pride.
"The scoreline obviously hurt the other day. I don't think it's about saying 'who to watch out for'. We need to get out and improve our performance. I'm sure we will."
With the wet of last Saturday also expected on Thursday for the Rams' first home game at Pirtek Stadium in Parramatta, Melrose hoped that, despite the short turnaround between games, his side would be better placed to handle the conditions.
"We learnt a few lessons. We played in some trying conditions, and it may well be the same. I'd like to think we learnt a couple of things out of that game," he said.
"Tactically we were outplayed. I don't think we were in the contest and a couple of mistakes led to Country getting on top and they really put us away then.
"With wet weather around, we have to be a little smarter with the way we play."
What Melrose could not take from the Rams' first game, though, was the impact of the new laws and how his side adapted.
"I don't think our particular game had any ability to have any connection to the new laws, other than the scoring system," Melrose said.
"It was trying conditions for both teams. It wasn't an open game. It was a very difficult day.
"I don't think you could make a judgment on that. The other games I saw seemed to be pretty free-flowing … with us it was very difficult to move the ball at all."
Melrose expected a big challenge on Thursday from the Vikings who also lost their round one game at home to Perth Spirit 23-28 at Viking Park in Canberra.
Melrose said the Rams would improve with time and the Canberra-based Vikings benefited from having emanated through "a state-based side".
"[It's] not just time together. They have connection to the systems," Melrose said.
"The state-based sides clearly have a connection and a consistency in the way they have been able to prepare their infrastructure that is probably more in place.
"But they still have the challenge of bringing in new players with a short lead in.
"The more time we get together, the more I will believe in the players; and the more time we get together, the more we connect and earn our stripes by performance."
Other NRC round two games – Saturday: Queensland Country v NSW Country Eagles at Bond University, Gold Coast; Sunday: Sydney Stars v Melbourne Rising, Leichhardt Oval; Perth Spirit v Brisbane City at Uni of WA, Perth. Bye: North Harbour Rays.
