South Rovers captain Trent Harmon remains positive Lions are on right track towards finals

The club successfully returned off the Warrnambool and District league-wide bye with a 41-point win against Old Collegians on Saturday, but await a big challenge against top two side Panmure next round.

Harman, who is in his second year as skipper, is confident the Lions are on the right course.

"The last few weeks I feel we're taking steps in the right direction," Harman, 32, said. "We're playing our brand of footy a little bit better. We've really got nothing lose and everything to gain with where we're sitting.

"It's about enjoying it and focusing on ourselves."

Coach Adam Matheson was pleased with his group's response after the Warriors challenged early in the second quarter on Saturday.

"We were good early, then Old Collegians came out and had plenty of momentum and used their opportunities well up forward," he said.

"They caught us on the hop a bit. It took until halfway through the second but we wrestled momentum back and opened the game up after half time and played a little bit more daring."

With a tough stretch of games ahead including Nirranda and Kolora Noorat, Matheson said the message remained the same.

"We're trying to keep our season alive one week at a time," he said. "It's about maintaining positivity and a good mindset and just go out and dare to be different."

Enjoyment within the team is something Harman is driving. The midfielder is loving sinking his teeth into a full season of football after toiling through two COVID-19 interrupted years.

"You don't realise how big a part football is in your life until you don't have it," he said. "You can take it for granted, so having a full season, it's been great to be back around the lads."

Harman said the group had built up its resiliency this year, especially after the club was forced to forfeit a reserves game in round six due to numbers.

"Everyone's banded together and done the best we can," Harman said. "It's building resiliency in the group. We realise we can't rely on the same sort of people."

He said players were looking forward to the challenge of Panmure at Walter Oval.

"We had them at their ground the last time which is a bit small," Harman said. "Hopefully the bigger ground, we can open them up a bit and take them on."

Kevin Moloney (hamstring) and Tim Rhook (ankle) are a 50/50 chance to play while key defender Tom Wilson is line for a return.

"Tom's been close the last couple of weeks but we're hoping he plays," Matheson said. "That would help out against some of (Panmure's) key forwards."

A number of in-form reserves players are also in contention.

"It's ironic, the Nirranda game you forfeit your twos and now we have people missing out," Matheson said. "Our twos are looking strong and players who strive to play senior footy are playing really good footy."

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