WESTERN Division under-16 coach Jamie Szczerbanik says his side simply maintaining their breathtaking form won’t be enough in Saturday’s AAMI Country Championship semi-final against the East Coast Dolphins.

The junior Rams are the only side across both divisions to have won all three of their preliminary games - the Greater Northern Tigers are also undefeated, however drew their third game - but despite being the form team of the competition, Szczerbanik wants them to get better.

“It is time to take it up a gear and the boys know that,” he said, just prior to their Friday afternoon captain’s run.

“I don’t think the boys deserve to bow out now, they don’t either, with the effort they’ve put in over the last four or five months.

“We’ve been improving every week so now we need to turn up [on Saturday], improve again and hopefully put in our best performance yet.

“Our forwards have been really good so far and they need to continue going forward. We’ve got a lot of guys out wide, the likes of Zarrin Galea, Brock Naden, Charlie Staines, Jack Isedale and Lincoln Monk, who can do plenty of damage out there, but they need to be getting space.”

But, Szczerbanik said, his side’s hopes aren’t completely pinned on their ability with the football.

The Rams have only conceded 28 points in three games and against an expansive Dolphins side, their work without the ball will be just as important.

“I know the Dophins also play quickly and their quite expansive, so we’ll be looking to shut them down in defence,” Szczerbanik explained.

Monk, one of five Orange CYMS starters, will take his place on the wing again, with clubmates Josh Board, Hudson Spicer, Tyrone Harrison and Nathan Swain all retaining their starting spots too.

Bloomfield Tigers back-rower Zac Cook will come off the bench, as will Blayney Bears up-and-comer Joey Hobby.

The Rams take on the Dolphins from 10.30am at Dubbo’s Caltex Park. The winner will progress to next weekend’s decider in Tamworth against the winner of the Tigers and the Bidgee Bulls.

WESTERN DIVISION: 1 Charlie Staines (Forbes Magpies), 2 Jack Isedale (Coonabarabran Unicorns), 3 Zarrin Galea (Narromine Jets), 4 Brock Naden (Wellington Cowboys), 5 Lincoln Monk (Orange CYMS), 6 Matt Burton (c) (St John’s Dubbo), 7 Josh Board (Orange CYMS), 8 Luke Bain (Bathurst St Pat’s), 9 Paddy Haycock (St John’s Dubbo), 10 Matt Nicholson (Red Bend Forbes), 11 Hudson Spicer (Orange CYMS), 12 Tyrone Harrison (Orange CYMS), 13 Nathan Swain (Orange CYMS); Bench: 14 Blaine Gordon (South Dubbo Raiders), 15 Joey Hobby (Blayney Bears), 16 David White (Condobolin Rams), 17 Zac Cook (Bloomfield Tigers), 18 Jacob Pollard (Cowra Magpies)