Roar's win over Newcastle Jets at the weekend was enough to lift them into third spot after six rounds of the competition.

Questions of discipline and the loss of key players such as Massimo Murdocca and Matt McKay have dogged Roar and the club will be challenged in the coming weeks with three players away with the Young Socceroos.

Despite this, Farina is far from downbeat and is confident that the players he does have available will step up to the plate.

He told the Courier Mail: "We've copped a fair bit of flak from some commentators who say we've been limping along and I think that's been unfair. We're in third place, a better position than where we were at this stage during the previous two seasons.

"Considering there has been a bit of adversity, we're doing OK. We're sitting third, I'll take that right now.

"There's some positives. Reinaldo is back, and that's like having a new signing in the team. We didn't expect Josh McClougan to play 78 minutes last week, but he did it well and Charlie Miller was wonderful for us."

Meanwhile Farina will use the next couple of weeks to cast his eye over a number of trialists.

"When you look at the team that played in the Preliminary Final last year, seven of that eleven are missing, so it's pretty thin," the Roar coach said. "We've still got a little bit of depth but we certainly have to bring some players in."

There could be several places up for grabs, with Farina hoping to receive the go-ahead to sign cover for the Young Socceroos as well as long-term injury casualties Murdocca and McKay.

Farina added: "We have to confirm that first but hopefully we'll be able to bring some players in as cover.

"They'll have a week or two weeks to show whether they can step up to this level. We've got to cast the net to see if players are available and if they're up to the standard."

Roar will look to build on their win at Newcastle when they entertain Dave Mitchell's Perth Glory on Sunday.