Stand-in captain Peter Handscomb has backed Victoria to rebound from their upset Sheffield Shield loss to bottom side Tasmania, even without stars James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.
The Bushrangers remain on top of the ladder despite last week's loss to the Tigers and now play second team Queensland from Saturday at the Gabba.
With two games left Victoria are not yet guaranteed of making the final.
Pattinson has joined Siddle on the sidelines for the rest of the Shield season, with the two Australian pacemen nursing injuries.
"Poor Sids and Patto - obviously it's not great for us and they'll be very disappointed as well," Handscomb said.
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"We really could have used them.
"But ... it's all about a squad mentality."
Handscomb will take over the captaincy from Matthew Wade, who is about to become a father for the first time and is staying in Melbourne.
Again, Handscomb said it was up to the team to keep adapting.
"It can be quite disrupting, but we said this at the start of the season - if we're looking to win a Shield, it's not based around 11 guys," he said.
"It's based around your entire squad."
Handscomb said he would try to keep out of the way of his teammates, given their strong form this summer.
He will also have former captain Cameron White next to him in slips if he needs any advice.
"I will calling upon him a fair bit," Handscomb said.
If Victoria host the final, the game will be played in Alice Springs because of ground availability.
"It is a little bit disappointing - we'd love our own ground and our own supporters," Handscomb said.
"But we've been to Alice before ... and the local people there have been great."
