Southern Districts and St Mary's, great TIO NTFL rivals through the 1990s and early 2000s, meet in another cut-throat Men's Premier League final at Marrara's TIO Stadium on Saturday.
This time it's the 2022/23 preliminary final, where a grand final berth is a prize for the winner and the end of the season for the loser.
The form guide points to another tough, physical encounter with both sides boasting wins over their rivals in a season where Southern Districts won the minor premiership and defending premier St Mary's finished third at the end of the home and away season.
Districts coach Shannon Rusca has been involved in all three senior premierships the Crocodiles have won since joining the Premier League competition in 1987-88.
A pacy wingman-forward in the club's first flag in 1997-98, Rusca captained the side under coach Michael McLean in 2006-07 that beat Waratah and coached them to the 2017-18 premiership when they beat the Darwin Buffaloes by a single point.
Rusca watched his side chase Waratah guernseys for most of the second semi-final loss and didn't like what he saw.
"The players weren't their usual selves, they got beaten at the contest where they usually don't get beaten and they were beaten on the spread,'' he said.
"They are areas we need to lift in and the boys know that, they've trained very well this week and can't wait to get out there again and play their normal game.''
Midfielder and dual Sandover medallist Jye Bolton returns to the side this week, along with Districts skipper Dean Staunton after he served his one-game suspension and utility Kaine Stevens.
The good news on the injury front is forward Jake McQueen (elbow) and No.1 ruckman Matt Dennis (cut leg) will take their place in the side.
St Mary's coach Anthony Vallejo is praying for fair weather when the first bounce of Saturday's 6.30 pm clash occurs.
"We're not a big-bodied side, we like to run the ball and use it to our advantage, something that makes it a bit hard in the wet,'' Vallejo said.
"We finished on well in the semi-final win (over Nightcliff) and finished with some sore boys, as did Districts in their semi.
"They've been the top side for most of the year and will be very keen to bounce back from the loss to Tahs, so we'll have to be on our game if we want to play in the grand final.''
Saints' tremendous defence, led by one of the Nichols Medal favourites in Kieren Parnell in tandem with Lucas Jellyman-Turner and Matt Green have been the rocks that have sunk opposition forward lines.
Combine the ball winning ability of skipper Nate Paredes and Nick Yarran with their rebounding defence and the league's leading goalkicker Jackson Calder in the goalsquare and the Saints enter the game with a lot of confidence.
2022-23 Men's Premier League Preliminary Final: Southern Districts v St Mary's from 6.30 pm at TIO Stadium, Saturday, March 11.
