Defiantly optimistic, the NSW Waratahs firmly believe they can still win the Super Rugby Pacific title despite starting their 2024 campaign with a one-from-five record.
Far from deflating the Waratahs, last week's 39-36 golden-point loss to the Fijian Drua in sapping conditions in Lautoka has only raised confidence levels within the group.
So says lock Miles Amatosero, who reckons a Waratahs roll on is just around the corner after the Drua near miss followed two-point home losses to the Blues and Highlanders.
"To be able to contend with these top teams, it's exciting times," Amatosero said on Tuesday.
"It's a really good spot that we feel like we're in at the moment because in moments we can really see what we can do.
"We've probably just been a centimetre off and that's exciting, that's a good thing that energy-wise we're in a really good space at the moment to move forward and beat these top teams.
"Every week we're getting better and better and it's just exciting to see where we're going to go from here."
Three successive bonus-points plus a round-two victory over the defending champion Crusaders has left the 10th-placed Tahs only two points out of the top eight, and just one win from potentially sixth spot a third of the way through the competition.
"We're seeing what we can do now and, focusing on our game, I believe we'll run over any team that gets put in front of us," Amatosero said.
"Obviously it's pretty frustrating to have lost because last week we were so close and most of these games we were winning for most of it.
"It's just those little decisions, even though they might be minor decisions or little mistakes, they are enough to dictate a game.
"So it's just fixing that minor decision that you might not think is a big deal, getting those things right.
"I don't think we ever want to panic."
The Waratahs are hosting the Melbourne Rebels at Allianz Stadium on Friday night in what shapes as a genuine must-win encounter.
"We've got to come out firing," Amatosero said.
"We're definitely a team that might be able to swing things in the later half but if we just come out ready to go, guns blazing from the beginning and put our foot on their throat, it won't give them a chance to play."
