LABASA will miss the services of three top players in the second round of the National Football League (NFL) clash this weekend.
Experienced Maciu Dunadamu, Pita Bolaitoga and Taniela Waqa have joined the Papua New Guinea-based Hekari United and will be out of action for the Babasiga Lions until mid of this year.
Interim Labasa Football Association president Dip Narayan said they were expecting the team to bounce back from the disappointing losses in the opening round of the Fiji Sun/GP Batteries NFL competition.
Labasa lost its opening match of the season 1-2 to Nadi before getting hammered 0-3 by Suva.
The Arthur Simmons-coached side will face Nadroga on Saturday at Lawaqa Park before taking on the battered Lautoka on Sunday at Churchill Park.
Narayan said the team had regrouped, putting their losses behind to focus on their upcoming matches.
He said they were demanding a good performance from the side to put their campaign of finishing in top eight on track.
"It's really hard to run an association like Labasa. We stepped in because no one wanted to lead the district," Narayan said.
"We are giving the team an option to either perform well and get better results this weekend or risk losing us as the interim office bearers. We have spent a lot of money in this team and we want good results in return."
Narayan admitted coach Simmons, who was appointed late last year, needed more time to know the players better.
He added there were some capable newcomers who could fill in the void left by Dunadamu, Bolaitoga and Waqa.