History beckons for both combatants in this Saturday's Cricket Illawarra one-day grand final at North Dalton Park.
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Minor premiers Northern Districts Butchers are in line to win the treble and will cap a remarkable season if they also add a premiership win to the Twenty20 crown they won in October.
For Wollongong, victory on Saturday will end a 54-year title drought for the Lighthouse Keepers.
The responsibility to end this long wait falls on Tobby Dodds and the very strong Wollongong team he captains.
"It's been a long time coming mate. We all sort of know how long it's been. We just got to stop talking about it and put an end to it. There's only one way to do that and that's to go out and win on Saturday," Dodds said.
"I know all the boys are keen to get the job done."
His Northern Districts counterpart Jackson Stewart was just as motivated to win and help the Butchers achieve "something special".
"We've had a good year. It would be the icing on the cake if we could win on Saturday," Stewart said.
"Given that we sort of narrowly won the T20 and then snuck up to win the minor premiership in as well, it would be really nice if we could win on Saturday as well. It would be something special for our group given that nine out of our 11 have played all their junior cricket for the Butchers.
"It would mean so much for us to get over the line."
Victory would mean just as much, if not more, for a Wollongong outfit desperate to break its 54-year title drought.
Dodds though was adamant breaking the drought didn't put any extra pressure on the players.
We all sort of know how long it's been. We just got to stop talking about it and put an end to it.
- Wollongong captain Toby Dodds
"I don't think we have any extra pressure. As I said, everyone knows how long it's been," he said.
"I think we're heading into this game as underdogs. They finished first, we finished second.
"So we're going in with no pressure. We're just going to go out and play our cricket. We know how to play and it's been working well for us all year and hopefully we can get the win and end this long wait."
Both teams have a win each against each other heading into Saturday's decider.
Dodds felt the teams were evenly matched, adding he expected a tight contest.
"They are a quality team. We know that they're just a very consistent team. They seem to just do the little things well, and they're a very tight knit group.
"So we know they're going to be very strong coming into this game.
"But we also think we're a very strong team as well and the pressure is not on us. I think it's more leaning towards them if anything.
"So we're just going to go out and do what we do best and hopefully win on Saturday."
To do this Wollongong will hope their openers Ethan Debono and Jayden Zahra-Smith continue leading from the front, as well as middle-order batsman Cooper Maddinson, who made a well-made 66 in their tough semi-final win over Keira.
The captain himself has also been handy with bat and ball this season.
As has his Butchers' counterpart Stewart, who actually hit the winning runs in the drama-filled Twenty20 final against University.
Two Englishmen have also played vital roles for the minor premiers.
Teenage all-rounder Archie Harrison was a revelation for the Butchers, dominating with bat and ball before leaving at the end of February to take up a professional cricket contract with Derbyshire.
His replacement Jack Plom took a bit of time to settle in but in recent weeks the all-rounder has been "immense" for the club on and off the pitch.
"They have been very good for us," Stewart said. "But I think our strength is our team as a whole, we don't really rely on certain individuals to star."
There is a chance of some rain on Saturday but Dodds is hopeful it stays dry and allows his batters to score heavily.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
