Waratahs second row pair Dean Mumm and Will Caldwell have vowed to uphold the 'mongrel mentality' in the NSW pack as the Super 14 franchise enters its first season without their old enforcers.

Dan Vickerman, David Lyons and Rocky Elsom's decision to play rugby in Europe opens the door for Mumm and Caldwell to step-up and take on extra responsibility in the forwards.

Caldwell said he's backing himself to fill Vickerman's shoes and become the new enforcer of the `Tahs pack.

"... With Vicks leaving it opens up a spot for that hard-nosed player, the aggressive player doing the tighter, harder stuff," Caldwell said on Monday.

"I think my game over the years has progressed into that role and I feel in myself that I could certainly fill that role.

"We've got a few young guys, that have come on through the trials, and we've got to step it up and get that mongrel mentality back in the pack that Vicks certainly insisted on last year, in his own way."

Wallabies forward Mumm, who's been calling the line-out during the trials, said the extra responsibility he will shoulder this season playing lock doesn't bring with it extra pressure, just a chance to improve his game.

"I was calling last weekend, and I'll be calling this weekend so hopefully I do a good enough job at it, that they'll give me the call further down," Mumm said.

"It's obviously added responsibility but I think it's more about preparation ... that's why Vicks was so good, he was so precise about his preparation ... and that's why his ability to read line-outs was so good.

"So that's an aspect (of my game) that I have to increase."

Mumm also said he's more than capable of bringing out the inner beast.

"I don't think people see me as that hard-man, and I won't pretend to say that I am, but in terms of that role I can certainly hold my own," Mumm said.

Coach Chris Hickey said he valued the experienced Caldwell - in his third season of Super 14 - and Mumm, a spring tourist, bring to his young side.

"I think one of the strengths of Will's game is the physicality of it, he's never shied away from it," Hickey said.

"You need to have a couple of players like that in the pack, I'm sure that Will is more than capable of filling that role, Hickey said ahead of the Waratahs trial with the Brumbies on Thursday.

"I think Cliffy Palu has a good physical impact on the game and Scott Fava has managed to do similar things the last seven or eight years at Super 14 level so I think we've got players there that are more than capable of filling that hole with Vicks going."

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