"ANYBODY who puts the All Blacks jersey on will do a good job."

So said New Earswick All Blacks ARLC head coach Jack Stearman, who has shrugged off concerns that an injury list "as long as his arm" could contribute to a dip in their Yorkshire Men's League premier division form.

All Blacks have started the season well, sitting third with three wins from four. Their most recent was a 20-12 triumph at Siddal Academy - missing no fewer than a dozen players.

Jack Carling (concussion), Matt Cannon (dislocated shoulder) and George Hunt (gashed knee) are all middle-term absentees, though Stearman is hopeful of getting them back for the start of June.

On Saturday, All Blacks visit second-placed Bentley, with the experienced half-back Liam Gargan also unavailable.

"He'll be a big miss, but it's a chance for some of the younger players to step up and stake a claim for the first team," Stearman said.

“It was a really, really, really good win," he added of the Siddal game. "We’ve got a lot of injuries at the moment, so anything we pick up is good.

“Bentley are going to be dead tough this weekend.

"They're big and fast-eyed, and it's always tough playing away from home. It'll be a real tough away day.

"Ideally we'd go with a full-strength side but at the same time, we've got to play the cards as they're dealt.

"Anybody who comes in is strong enough to do a job in the premier division and anybody is capable of putting in a performance.

"Anybody I bring in is going to be a 100 per cent committed and I have no doubt that anybody we go with will be able to compete.

"Anybody who puts the All Blacks jersey on will do a good job."

At the start of the season, Stearman earmarked a mid-table finish as a reasonable aim for this term - and, despite the White Rose Avenue outfit's good early run this term, he is not revising his target too far upwards.

"If we overachieve, we overachieve," he said. "If we stick to (targeting) mid-table and achieve our goals, we'll be alright.

“Considering how we finished last year, I’m really pleased.

“The coaches have worked hard to improve the performances. We know teams we played against last year so we can put a game plan together, and the players stick to it."

Stearman also praised the maturity of his playing staff, whose game management towards the end of last week's game saw them over the line.

"They win games," he said. "They’ve stopped doing what they needed to and they have improved on sticking to a game plan.

"I think we're further on than we expected and that's testament to the players. They've stepped up and listened to what the coaches want.

"It's given belief that we can push for a top-four spot."

In division two, York Acorn 'A' visit Stanningley tomorrow night (7.30pm).

Up in the elite National Conference League, division one title-chasers York Acorn will look to recover from only their second defeat of the season when they visit Saddleworth Rangers tomorrow night (7pm). Heworth visit Salford City Roosters in division three following last week's demolition of Hensingham.