Are Perth Glory in danger of being cut down by complacency?
Not according to defender Jason Davidson, who says the intense pressure for spots and Tony Popovic's high demands are driving them to new heights.
Glory shot seven points clear of the table following last week's 2-1 away win over Melbourne Victory.
They have a chance to extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches when they host lowly Brisbane at HBF Park on Saturday night.
The Roar are missing a host of key players, most notably Adam Taggart who has been sold to a South Korean club.
Brisbane shocked Sydney 2-1 last week but face a monumental task to do it again against a hungry Glory.
Popovic's intense focus on standards and fitness has helped drive Perth's resurgence.
And with a host of classy players banging on the selection door, the pressure for spots has kept everyone on edge.
Glory have the Premiers' Plate within reach and Davidson is confident complacency won't sneak in.
"I don't think many players would be complacent in this regime," he said.
"You can see how many players we rotate and how many players the boss puts out there, so that means everyone stays on their toes, which is healthy for the team.
"It means you need to work hard and perform on a daily basis because no one is guaranteed a spot.
"I know there's going to be other players out there hungry and willing to take my position or any other position in the team."
Roar's win over Sydney was just their second of the season.
Interim coach Darren Davies hopes the confidence gained from that match will flow into this week.
"We're speaking now about moving forward and using that as a springboard, if you like, for a performance against a good side, away from home, over in Perth," Davies said.
STATS THAT MATTER
* Glory are undefeated in their past nine matches. The only time they went longer was a 10-game stretch in 2014/15 (won 8, drawn 2).
* Brisbane are winless in their past 11 away from home (drawn three, lost eight).
* Glory midfielder Neil Kilkenny has a shooting accuracy of 89 per cent this season, the highest of anyone to have made at least five shots.
Australian Associated Press
