Phillips played a crucial role in breaking the Burgh’s 22-year premiership hoodoo in 2015, extending a family dynasty that stretched back to 1993 when his father Mark hoisted the trophy with the Tigers. 

He shifted to Collegians this season and, in one of those tantalising plot-twists rugby league has a happy knack of tossing up, will be looking to break the Tigers hold on a title he fought so hard to claim. 

It won’t be the first time Phillips has faced his former club this season but, with everything on the line, the stakes will be raised come Saturday.

“It’s bit strange, you’re always a bit worried about how you go coming up against the old team and how you’ll take it,” Phillips said.

“It will hurt a bit knowing if we do beat them we’ll be ending their 2016 campaign but I’m fully focused on doing well for the club I’m at now and I’ll be doing everything I can to get the win on Saturday.

“It’ll be the fourth time we’ve played them this year so I’m sure it’ll be much the same. Helensburgh are a great team and it’s no surprise they’ve got their stuff together at the end of the season and built some form coming into the finals.”

The Tigers have endured an up and down 2016 season but Phillips is also all too aware that his former club have a knack of lifting come the big games 

“They got off to a rough start but just with the culture of the club, the kind of blokes that are there and with Ryan Powell as a coach I’m sure they’ll be more than ready come Saturday,” Phillips said.

“One thing I do know about Powelly is that for the big games he always has an ace up his sleeve.

“I’m sure he’ll have a few slick moves to throw at us and it’s up to us to counter that and get over the top of them.”

The regular season ledger sits at one win apiece but the Tigers will head into the clash in better form having racked up a combined 104 points in wins over Berkeley and Corrimal.

The Dogs went down 22-18 to Thirroul last week after being reduced to 11 men early in the second half.

It followed a two-week break due to wet weather and a bye and Phillips said side will need a substantial improvement to test the finals’ specialists.

“[Thirroul] was an important game for us to try and get the win and take some momentum into the finals but we’ll be ready come this weekend,” Phillips said.

“We hadn’t had much footy, so match fitness was lacking a bit.

“The effort’s there it was just a bit of execution at times that let us down but as we saw on the weekend the boys really turn up for each other when we need to. We’ve been a bit up and down but that effort’s definitely there so that’s what we’re holding onto coming into the finals.”