IT has been a turbulent week for Dubbo Westside but stand-in captain Dylan Hill believes his side is firmly focused on Sunday's crucial match against the Nyngan Tigers.
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A number of Westside players are expected to miss the clash and face disciplinary action following last weekend's drama-filled clash with Macquarie while captain Shane Konz has already been suspended for three weeks for fighting.
With so much happening off the field Hill admitted his team had spoken about it during the week but had then swiftly turned their attention to Nyngan.
After last week's loss to Macquarie the Rabbitohs remain in fifth but are only two points ahead of the Tigers and a loss on Sunday could see them fall out of the finals places.
"We haven't focused on it too much," Hill said of last week's match.
"We did talk about it at training but we've got our minds set on this game and we're focused on that.
"We've really got to aim up to secure a top-five spot and Nyngan are going to travel over and be really keen to get one over us but hopefully at home with a big crowd behind us we can get the win."
Hill, who spent time with the Cronulla Sharks after a booming junior career at Dubbo, has taken on a real leadership role in his first season with the Rabbitohs.
He was one of the first names mentioned when players and supporters discussed the hardest-working players and Hill said he relished that role.
With Konz and others missing the stand-in skipper admitted he would be looking to produce an even more influential performance than normal.
"It is going to be hard, we've got a young team and 'Konzy' is a real leader so I've got to step up my game and be a leader for the boys," he said, before speaking of his own captaincy aspirations.
"I know some of the boys look up to me with my experience in Sydney so it's an aim for me. I'd like to captain a side full-time but now Konzy is there and I respect him and he's a great leader."
Hill described Nyngan as "unpredictable" but said half Jacob Neill, another player with Sydney rugby league experience, posed the biggest threat in the Tigers line-up.
With both teams having so much to play for the barnstorming front rower predicted plenty of feeling in the match but he was confident his side would maintain their discipline in what was expected to be a huge crowd.
"I have a lot of belief in the boys and we've got great depth," he said.
"You play to make finals so it should be a heated game again but we want to keep our emotion in check and just play football."
The action at No. 1 Oval begins at 11am with the League Tag with the first grade clash expected to kick off shortly after 2pm.