WERRIS Creek and Kootingal match up in the first grade preliminary final at David Taylor Park, Werris Creek on Saturday.
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It's an on-going battle between the two small towns and clubs.
Back in 2015 Kootingal beat Werris Creek 25-24 in a Group 4 second Division Grand Final at David Taylor Park. It was a golden point thriller and Kootingal's most recent premiership.
They've won six G4 Second Division titles, reeling off five wins in six years (2001-02-03-04 and 2006).
Werris Creek have won four Second Division titles (1969, 2010, 2012 and 2016. After losing that golden point thriller to Kootingal in 2015 they bounced back to beat Dungowan 14-12 in the 2016 GF.
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However the Creek have also won 9 Group 4 First Division titles too, starting way back in 1925 and filtering through to 1933, 1948, 1952 and 1979 before they struck glory days in the 1990's.
The Magpies won four titles in five years, beating Gunnedah 20-16 in 1993 and overcoming the Bulldogs again in 1995 (16-14) and 1996 (45-16). 1996 also brought them the Clayton Cup, the symbol of supremacy in Country Rugby League.
1997 was also a monster Magpie occasion.
They drew that year's Grand Final 34-all with Wee Waa Panthers at Wee Waa and were to return to Wee Waa's home ground, Captain Cook Oval, a week later for the replay. However floods intervened and Werris Creek headed to Dangar Park, Narrabri where they beat the Panthers 22-21 to win the premiership!
Ron Dellar coached those sides and had an abundance of stars including Stewart and Richie Porter, Daniel and Cory Wilson.
That Werris Creek and Kootingal, who were playing in the Group 4 Second Division in 2017 are playing in Saturday's Preliminary Final (after the merger of the First and Second Divisions last year) is a positive result of hard decision Group 4 had to make a few years ago.
Group 4 president Ray McCoy believes it vindicates the decision to merge the competitions and make it viable for all clubs.
"Great to see the first grade final between two teams who were in our second division two years ago but they have fought their way up," McCoy said.
"It's an outstanding effort by the two small clubs and towns."
You need only look at Kootingal Moonbi Rugby League Football Club.
The Roosters realised they had to expand their playing numbers if they were to survive in the First Division after they were literally knocked out of contention last season.
So they did that and have a second grade side under coach Damien Allan who beat Gunnedah in last Sunday's minor semi-final and who now play Narrabri in today's knockout preliminary final at the Creek.
Winner goes on to play minor premier Manilla.
The Roosters have three sides playing today, still well alive in premiership hopes with the Tim Walsh-coached Under 18's playing Dungowan.
Clarence "Lad" Jones is the KMRLFC president, has been for five years.
He also plays in the second grade side so he knows how tough it is to survive on and off the field.
Kootingal is a small town with a population around 2000 and situated about 20km north east of Tamworth.
Situated in a rich alluvial valley on the banks of the Cockburn River it is an agriculture based town with lucerne, fruit, vegetables, chicken and egg farms.
There is a bowling club and the Kootingal Hotel, painted in the red, white and blue of the Roosters is the major sponsor of the Kootingal Moonbi Rugby League Football Club.
The Roosters have won five premierships, all in the old Group 4 Second Division and coming in a six year stretch starting with an 18-10 victory over Bendemeer in 2001.
They won three more in succession, beating Bendemeer 22-14 and 22-12 in 2002 and 2003 and then accounting for Uralla 36-16 in 2004. Two years later they won the fifth of their six titles with a 26-22 success over Uralla.
Grand Final losses to Werris Creek (44-0) in 2012 and Dungowan (30-10) in 2014 followed before the 25-24 golden point win over Werris Creek in 2015 completed their premiership wins.
Last Saturday Kooty had four sides in Minor Semi Finals, all against Gunnedah, and three of the sides won - first grade, second grade and under 18's.
Only the women, who stunned North Tamworth by winning last season's Ladies League Tag Grand Final, missed out, losing to Gunnedah 8-4 in a tough and tight minor semi.
Lad Jones, 38, thought last Saturday was a "massive day" for the club given that it had four teams in and three of them won their knockout semis to earn Preliminary Finals berths at Werris Creek.
"Gunnedah had all four teams in as well but to come away with three wins against them is a real good effort.
"It's a really good day for the club and a big effort by a lot of people. We've got a great committee, a great head coach (Geoff Sharpe) and his manager/assistant coach Paul Noldt. Damien Allan (second grade coach) and Dustin Munn have done a great job with the second grade too."
The Roosters are also keenly cultivating their juniors as well and have a good junior base playing in the Tamworth and District Minor League.
"We've got eight junior sides (playing in the Tamworth and District Minor League), two Under 6's, Under 7's, 8's, 9's and 11's as well as two Under 12's and an Under 16's," he said.
Werris Creek co-coach Ron Dellar was having a few quiet beers at the Railway Hotel, Werris Creek after Tuesday night's training session at David Taylor Park with his fellow coach, and former Newcastle Knight Matt Parsons, as well as 2TM's Geoff Dunn, who also doubles as ground announcer for the Magpies on occasion.
Geoff also used to be the publican at the Commercial Hotel at Werris Creek, just down the road, a few years back when a great supporter and sponsor of the Magpies.
He also played with them back in his younger days.
Ron and Matt were mulling over the side's major semi final battering from North Tamworth last Saturday.
"We know we can play better than that," Ron said.
So how do the Magpies overcome that 52-8 loss and earn a rematch with the unbeaten Bears.
"Play better," he added.
Matt Parsons, disappointed in the sacking of Nathan Brown from his beloved Newcastle Knights, hopes the Magpies can dismiss Saturday's loss from their memories and focus on the good things in their game.
"We've got to change our mindset," the former prop reckoned.
"Good to be playing at home against a good team. We're still punching away with the same core group of blokes."
He and Dellar have made no changes to the side and know they have a team that can win it's way to Saturday week's Tooheys Group 4 First Grade Grand Final at Jack Woolaston Oval.
The Creek haven't won a premiership since they beat Dungowan 14-12 in the 2016 Group 4 Second Division Grand Final.
They lost the 2015 second Division Grand Final to Kootingal 25-24 in golden point extra time as well although they did beat Kootingal 44-nil to win the 2012 title.
