On the park, they play with contrasting styles - the Greyhounds a formidable power game, Thirroul a slow-burn attritional style that marks all Butchers sides.

How they got to the big day is also vastly different. The Butchers are perennial contenders whatever the grade, with plenty of their squad having first worn the blue and white before they could properly tie up their boots.

Avondale have made a step up in grade and, having started largely from scratch, have formed a brotherhood that's brought the Greyhounds to the brink of a history-making title.

After coming together from all parts, prop Kenny Ahoevelo admits he wasn't sure what to expect from a group that had largely known each other as rivals.

"We didn't really know what was coming," he said.

"Most of our team are from Group Six, we all pretty much knew of each other but we'd only played against each other. Some of our clubs pulled out of the competition [due to COVID] and it was an opportunity to play with one another.

"We all found ourselves at Avondale and now we're in a GF this week so it's pretty crazy. For people that haven't played with each other it pretty much clicked from day one, it felt like we'd known each other for ages. We had a brotherhood that connected straight away.

"We strung a few wins together and here we are. I think it just comes down to having each others back and the club, especially the club. It's a great club, they've all made us feel welcome from day one.

"We didn't know any of the committee, none of the training staff or anything and they've made it feel like we've known them for years. It felt like family."

It will be a big motivator for the Greyhounds, who could etch the club's name of the Illawarra Rugby League premiership trophy for the first time with a victory. The significance isn't lost on the new boys.

"It would be really cool, giving back to the club that's made us feel so welcome," Ahoevelo said.

"I saw the reaction for some of them when we made the grand final and we went back to the club and they were a bit teary. You see how much this club means to them, even the local at the pub, they just love you.

"It's the first time they've put a team [in the top grade] so hopefully we can bring them back the trophy, but we'll have to give a top 80-minute performance against this Thirroul side to even stick with them."

That's something Ahoevelo and his side have learned quickly over two outings against the Butchers, with the ledger currently at 1-1.

"You can't fall asleep on Thirroul," Ahoevelo said.

"This is my first year in the Illawarra comp and I've played them twice. In the first game they were tough, they didn't look like much but then we played and they were so tough. In the second game they upped it again, they were even tougher.

"It'll be a good game this weekend, hopefully we can get the result but you have to play a full 80 minutes to beat this Thirroul side. We're really pumped, we've trained really well, everyone's brought high energy all week and everyone's ready to rock and roll."

The Butchers, of course, never enter any competition without eyeing the ultimate prize, with this year's Open Age campaign no different.

A title would be validation for a club that's battled through a tough season in multiple grades that's stretched the club's depth and resources.

The club's top side fell just short of a finals berth in the Presidents Cup, but a title on the last weekend in September would be a treasured prize.

"The boys playing Presidents Cup hasn't really affected us too much, we've had pretty much the same 12 or so core guys," skipper Riley Graham said.

"You always know, if someone goes down, someone is going to step up. We had the delayed start to the year but as soon as we came back that was the focus, to get to the grand final.

"Top two is always on your mind to give yourself that chance so it was good to finish [minor premiers] coming into this week."

In what's the virtual definition of a 50-50 match-up, the Butchers can't claim the underdog status they typically relish, but Graham says his side will always turn up with the same mentality regardless of the ledger through the regular season.

"A lot of boys played in our under 18s side that played last year so we are a young side, but we've got a fair few that have been there and done it in a grand final," Graham said.

"Avondale are proven, they've been one of the best sides all year, they beat us last time. We had a couple out but they still beat us by three tries so they were really good that day and have been all year.

"Even with the year we've had it's a grand final, it's the same feeling, everyone's up for it. There's obviously a few nerves, you expect that before a grand final, but everyone's going to go out there and do their job."

Grand final day at Ziems Park on Sunday will kickoff with Wests and Dapto in the under 18s decider at 11.50am. The second division match between Wests and Figtree will follow at 1.40pm ahead of the main event at 3.30pm.