FAITH.

George Michael sung about having it in 1987 and Orange CYMS player-coach Mick Sullivan is echoing the WHAM! lead-man’s very catchy sentiments leading into Sunday’s Group 10 premier league local derby, where the green and golds will field a very different, very young side compared to recent weeks.

Sullivan confirmed on Friday afternoon his side, coming third and fresh off a tight win over premiership contenders Mudgee, will be without six of their regular players in Sunday’s David versus Goliath clash against the winless Orange Hawks.

Jerome Harrison (hamstring), Dom Maley (hamstring), James Wynne (hamstring), Kyran Bubb (knee) and Brenden Cousins (jaw) will all miss the fixture through injury, while Larsen Marabe is unavailable.

In the main changes, Rob Mortimer comes into the centres with Todd Murphy debuting on his wing, Ryan Griffin slots in at five-eighth and former Canowindra Tiger Kain Earsman will line-up in the second-row.

“It really helps we’ll have Ozzy (Simon Osborne) coming back into the side from suspension too,” Sullivan said.

“It’s only the second time all season we’ve had our full prop rotation, the one time we did was against Cowra and we put them to the sword so hopefully we can do that again this weekend.

“We are testing our depth and it is a very different side but we make a point of the whole club knowing the plays and that sort of thing in first grade, so we shouldn’t have any issues there. 

“They’re all local blokes as well so playing, or making their debuts, in this one should mean a lot to them.

“They’ll stand up, I’ve got complete faith in all the guys we’ve picked.

“We discussed playing some of the injured guys, they’re only twinges mostly, but you know, those one week injuries can become four week injuries quickly.”

Sullivan said his side will enter the game supremely confident, but conceded he is wary of a desperate Hawks side still chasing its first win.

“They’ve been hanging in with sides recently, except the Oberon game,” Sullivan said.

“They’re getting there, they’re clearly improving so we don’t want to let them hang in with us, like I said earlier in the week games can become dangerous when you do that.

“They’ll come out hard in a local derby, they tend to play well against us. We’ve got plenty of talent in the back-line so if we win up front I think we’ll be okay.”

CYMS and Hawks kick off at Wade Park at 2.30pm.

n ORANGE CYMS: 1 Ben McAlpine, 2 Dylan Wood, 3 Semisi Katoa, 4 Rob Mortimer, 5 Todd Murphy, 6 Ryan Griffin, 7 Mick Sullivan, 8 Simon Osborne, 9 Sam Hill, 10 Mitch Davis, 11 Kain Earsman, 12 Brock McGarity, 13 Tim Mortimer; Interchange: 14 Cam Jones, 15 Toby Westcott