From the outside looking in, South Sydney are up against it to squeeze into the NRL finals.
Likely needing seven wins from their final 10 games of the home-and-away season, the 12th-placed Rabbitohs might have left themselves too much to do.
But ask anyone inside camp and it's clear Michael Maguire's men are treating the home run as an opportunity for a late surge up the congested ladder.
As halfback Adam Reynolds pointed out, four points outside the eight is not a million miles adrift.
"It's not panic stations just yet," Reynolds said on Wednesday.
"We're not sitting where we want to but we're all about improvement here. It's all about turning out on the training field and putting in every session.
"The table is so close we've got to be on the top of our game every week."
The challenge starts at on Sunday against Penrith, who are one game outside the eight and finding decent form.
On Souths' side, the bye has left players refreshed while their last-out 36-20 victory over Gold Coast has boosted confidence before a match that will mark Dave Tyrrell's 150th NRL game and George Burgess' 100th.
His brother, stand-in captain Sam Burgess, is also primed to return from a glute injury after completing a full training session on Wednesday.
But the Panthers also have something to prove at ANZ Stadium after North Queensland snapped their four-game winning streak last weekend.
"Matty Moylan adds a lot to their team and their halves and forward pack are really playing well," Reynolds said.
"We know they have threats all over the park.
"For us it's about ourselves. If we turn up and play the football we're capable of I'm sure we'll put a good performance in."
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