DESPITE most other sides at the AAMI Country Championship trotting out ex-NRL player after ex-NRL player and his side having regularly having none, Western Rams coach Darren Jackson remains confident his side is capable of competing at that level.
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In fact, he's so adamant of that fact, he said he's willing to sign on as mentor for several more years to prove it.
Jackson made his Western coaching debut in last Sunday's 32-30 elimination clash loss to the Greater Southern Stars, a side which had four ex-NRL players turn out in skipper Jake Mullaney - who only finished in England's Super League last season - Michael Lett, Jacob Loko and Ray Cashmere.
The loss was Western's third straight since the competition was changed to only include regional teams in 2014, following 48-40 and 12-6 defeats at the hands of the Greater Northern Tigers in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
"I definitely think we have the cattle to be competitive in this competition. I'm keen to sign on for a couple of years if that's the way the Western committee wants to go," Jackson said, defiantly.
"Back when I was playing sides had ex-NRL players but it doesn't matter ... we've been behind the eight ball though.
"Our last game was 2009 and then we came back (in to the top tier) in 2013 and, to be honest, our attitude and a few things like that hasn't been very good.
"It's not an overnight fix, and the boys know it's a rebuild."
Part of that means ensuring the best players are willing and available to play for the Rams, but for the most part it comes down to preparation.
With the Rams' catchment area such a wide-spread zone, coming together to train and bond is a tough ask, let alone scheduling trial games.
For instance, the Rams only trained twice together as a group before last Sunday's clash against the Stars.
Jackson said that's something those in charge will need to look at in future years, with trial games seemingly a necessity leading into the Country Championship.
One such opportunity has already arisen, Jackson explained, against the Italian side in Bathurst later in the year.
