The Dragons refuse to talk about it. After all, they've been burnt before.
It has become a mantra within the St George Illawarra squad this year about "playing one week at a time" and other cliches along a similar line.
But St George Illawarra have emerged as genuine title contenders this year for exactly the same reason Wendell Sailor can't find a place in the team.
For too long, the Dragons have relied on their superstars - the likes of Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper - who both return from injury for tomorrow's clash with Canberra at WIN Stadium.
At the club, no-one dares compare this year's winning streak to the eight-game run of 2005, simply because they don't want to suffer the same fate.
A world of promise and ability, only to fizzle out when it counts.
The 2005 failure - losing to Wests Tigers in the preliminary final - is still a sore point in Kogarah and Wollongong.
But it is the emergence of players like Josh Morris, Chase Stanley and Michael Lett that has the club in the mix alongside premiership heavyweights Melbourne, Manly and the Roosters.
On form, the Dragons aren't there yet when compared to the Sea Eagles, who have been the outstanding team over the past month.
In fact, their form has been scratchy at times and they may have triumphed over Brisbane and Melbourne without their Origin stars. But don't forget they have beaten all four teams above them on the ladder, including a sensational victory over Manly at Brookvale Oval.
Bulldogs-bound Morris' brilliant form has meant he demands selection even when Cooper comes back to take back his preferred left centre position.
"Josh has been the mainstay of the team in that centre role while (Cooper and Gasnier) have been out," Dragons assistant coach Kurt Wrigley said.
"There's not too many clubs that can lose two Origin centres and cover them with the talent of Chase and Josh."
Stanley switched to the second row for Sunday's battle, but is in doubt after being struck down by illness and may be replaced by Jarrod Saffy. Morris was switched to the right wing, sending star recruit Sailor packing to the Queensland Cup.
Remember, when big Dell was first signed, sealed and delivered to the Dragons after a two-year ban for cocaine use, the Dragons were struggling.
Coach Nathan Brown was prepared to give Sailor three weeks in the Jim Beam Cup and then throw him straight into the NRL and be patient while he found his feet. But the selection headache Brown now faces is who not to pick.
Which is another reason why the Dragons are desperate to keep a lid on their mid-season surge, maintaining the form and confidence of a player like Lett even when he's not picked.
"They're like firemen, they've always on call," Wrigley said.
"They've always got to be doing the right things, because if they don't they miss a good opportunity when it opens up."
The task these Dragons' young guns are now charged with is being ready when it counts in late August and September.
The Dragons will lose games between now and finals time. It may be tomorrow and probably will be next week against the Storm in Melbourne.
But they have the depth and ability to stay in contention closer to the finals - still nine weeks away - and the workrate and toughness of props Justin Poore and Jason Ryles suggests they will.
"We've got confidence that we've got some players who are playing well," Wrigley said.
"The pleasing thing is they've really toughed out some good hard wins.
"We've shown the ability to be a little bit more resilient and be relentless."
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