Twenty two rounds and it all comes down to this.
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After months of going blow for blow at the top of the Illawarra Premier League, Bulli and Wollongong Olympic will face off for the competition’s ultimate prize.
The title hopefuls will meet in a blockbuster at Balls Paddock on Saturday afternoon in a bid to claim the League Championship.
Bulli head into the marquee clash holding favouritism with a one point lead at the summit of the league.
But Olympic will have confidence they can unseat the northern suburbs club after edging out the ladder leaders in the two clubs only other regular season encounter.
It’s undoubtedly a mouth-watering conclusion to a stellar season in the region’s top flight.
Bulli have held top spot since round three and have never looked back.
They’ve already claimed the competition’s first bit of major silverware when winning the Bert Bampton Cup last month against Albion Park and are still in the running to complete a remarkable three-peat in 2017.
“From our perspective the job is not done yet,” Bulli coach Matt Bailey said.
“We are looking forward to it very much after a very consistent season.
“We need to make sure we prepare really well and are ready for whatever Wollongong Olympic put up.”
A draw would still allow Bulli to win their first League Championship since 2014.
Olympic’s drought has been far longer.
Coach Rob Birkin’s men haven’t tasted success in the league since 1994.
And Birkin knows his high-flying team will need to be at their best against Bulli to break that drought.
“I think the game will be a spectacle and I am really looking forward to it myself,” Birkin said.
“We go in with a similar game plan to what we did in round 11 and it worked well so we won’t be changing much from what we did in that round.
“You have to manage their go forward. They don’t attack in ones and twos, they go forward in threes, fours and fives.
“It’s a matter of standing up our defensive systems and we will have our moments in attack as well.”
Kick-off is at 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon.
