But while fourth-placed Wollongong (12-10) will be playing their second of three games in six days, the second-placed Crocs (12-8) have been free to plot the Hawks' downfall for the past 12 days.

"They haven't played for a fair while and they've been totally preparing for us and focusing on this series," Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod said.

Both teams will fly to Townsville tomorrow, to prepare for their final meeting of the regular season on Friday night.

"With the week that's coming up and you take last weekend into account, it's three games in less than a week, so the priority for us on Sunday and Monday was all about recovery," McLeod said.

"It's an important week for us in that we freshen the guys up and make sure we've got enough in the tank to get through that situation," he said.

"From the coaching staff's point of view, when you're cutting up (game) tape and doing all that sort of stuff, that process is certainly helped by the fact we're playing the same team.

"In a lot of ways, it's exactly what happens in play-off basketball where you play a game and usually have to travel somewhere and play another."

The Hawks have dominated Townsville this season, prevailing by 22 in round five at the WEC and by 24 in round seven at The Swamp.

Unfortunately, Wollongong guard Tywain McKee's season-ending back injury has robbed Hawks fans of a mouth-watering head-to-head showdown with Townsville dynamo Corey Williams.

"Williams has been playing well, receiving Player of the Week awards and stuff like that," McLeod said.