Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has seen the potential of his side - and that's what frustrates him as they cling to hope of a top-four NRL finish.
The Eels (14-8) are effectively two wins outside the top four with two rounds to play, trailing the in-form Melbourne (15-7) on percentage.
They confront Brisbane (13-9) on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium, where a repeat of the Broncos' win over them a month ago would all but lock up a finals berth for the hosts.
That 36-14 loss was a blip that continues to trouble Arthur, who maintains high hopes for his men.
"We've showed what we can do; we need to move past the team that can do this and can do that when we want to," Arthur told reporters on Tuesday.
"We need to be the team that wants to do it all the time.
"If we show that want and desire and it's not good enough, well I can live with that."
How to ensure that happens is the "million dollar question every coach wants to know", but Arthur said talk of a top-four finish - or finals in general - had not been used to spark the squad.
"You've got a job to do, you've just got to do it," he said. "Motivation has got to come from within.
"There's plenty to play for. We don't need to worry much about motivation and we feel our destiny is in our own hands."
The squad is a settled one after halfback Mitchell Moses celebrated his return in a 42-6 defeat of the Bulldogs last weekend.
Brisbane will present an intriguing challenge though, after they were thumped 60-12 by the Storm to leave them likely needing at least one win - and potentially two - from their last two home-and-away games to end a two-year finals absence.
Backrower and defensive general Kurt Capewell is expected to run out for Brisbane despite injuring his ankle in last Friday's loss.
The clash will be Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds' 250th NRL game.
"It's a big game for both clubs, probably a finals game come early," Reynolds said.
