Both are former carnival fours champions and Singles finalists and on Thursday morning take on the pairs favourites Aaron Teys and Ray Pearse for a spot in the semi-finals.

Smith and Hughes were club-mates at Dapto 30 years ago before both joining Engadine and finding immediate success in winning the Zone 13 Pairs championship.

Hughes has been a member at Engadine for more than 20 years now, but still lives locally, and won the carnival fours in 2006 with Shane Garvey skipping.

Meanwhile, Smith and Garvey won the South Pacific Pairs in 2013, while Smith was a singles runner-up to Matt Sargeant, and Hughes beaten by an 18-year- old Brett Duprez in the 1994 singles decider.

‘’We’re pretty experienced but still enjoy playing and hopefully we still have a few games to play together this year,’’ Smith said.

Hughes is a long-time state representative and knows it won’t be easy to upset current NSW Open state reps Teys and Pearse, who knocked out defending carnival pairs champions Brett Pieper and Scott Bateup in Tuesday’s second post-sectional round.

‘’It’s a tough draw but you never know on the day. We won’t be going out there to lose that’s for sure,’’ Hughes said.

The Pairs quarter-finals are from 9.45am on Thursday at headquarters Dapto Citizens BC, followed by the semi-finals.

The finals of the Pairs, Singles and Fours are on Friday in a super day of bowls.