The rejuvenated Rams negotiated a testing new year schedule with aplomb, securing upset wins over premiership contenders Essendon and Blackburn.

It allowed the Rams to enter the home straight of the regular season with renewed confidence after a slow start to the summer and still in contention for the finals.

One will start to wonder if the Rams have blown their good form with defeat to the Bluejays in the nail-biter at KC White Reserve on Sunday, coupled with draws to Essendon and Cheltenham when they were in a winning position in recent weeks.

But, Rams coach Darren Malthouse is keeping the faith.

"We're sitting exactly where we were in seventh position before we lost," he said.

"We're still looking for a top-six finish."

The Rams eventually fell to 9-6 to the Bluejays in 10 innings.

The conditions were "awful": hot and humid for the first half of the match and wet and windy at the pointy end. The Rams young pitching duo fought it out until the bitter end.

Teen sensation Griffin Weir has produced the goods since finishing his Victorian under-age commitments and looks to be a star of the future.

"He's only 16 and threw against Blackburn when we won 8-3," Malthouse said.

"Once his duties for Victoria were over, his work-load has dropped and he's been doing really well."

Weir is the son of former Australian international and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim scout Grant.

"He's in a transition stage and is still growing," Malthouse said.

"He'll be good for us in the next few years."

The other youngster on the mound, Stephen Pengally, 19, is also showing tremendous potential. "He has a cannon of an arm," Malthouse said.

"He's got a good fast ball and curve ball."

Troy Malthouse went four-from-four at-bat and import Kyle Moore continues to have an influence, but the Rams are ruing the one that got away and will be keeping their fingers crossed that it does not have greater implications on the outcome of their season.