The Stingrays of Shellharbour and Shellharbour Sharks are firing heading into their Group Seven rugby league blockbuster this Sunday at Flinders Field
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But even if they weren't Sharks coach Abed Atallah expected both teams to rise to the occasion and play out a a tough, fiery derby clash.
"i don't think form matters too much when the Sharks and Stingrays play. It's a local derby, I know our boys are really looking forward to it," he said.
"History shows the games are always fiery, neither team takes a backwards step. I'm sure it will be another tough, fiery game."
As luck would have it Atallah's Sharks are actually in good form and will look to secure their third win on the trot when they take on the Stingrays.
The Sharks are in fourth-place (8 points) heading into the round nine stoush against the second-placed Stingrays (12).
"It's been good to pick up back-to-back victories. It's a pretty tight competition at the moment so it's important we keep on winning,"Atallah said.
"It's not going to be easy against Stingrays.
"Whether they've been winning or losing, it doesn't really matter when we play each other. They're very good contests and I'm sure they will come out firing.
"I'm sure we will come out firing too. It will be a massive game. We need to be very good to win.
"For starters we have to win the middle of the field. If we win that battle and take our opportunities with the ball and convert them into points, we'll give ourselves the best opportunity to take the two points."
Stingrays player-coach Tom Warner said his chargers were keen to bounce back to form after their last-start loss to the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets.
"I think this game against our derby rivals has come at the perfect time for us," he said.
"We don't need too much motivation to get up for a game against the Shellharbour Sharks. We'll be doing our best to bounce back to the winning circle and reward our home fans in the process."
The Stingrays' perfect start to the season was undone last week by the new competition leaders Nowra, who were good value for their 27-14 victory at Bomaderry Sporting Complex.
Warner praised the performance of the plucky Jets, adding he hoped his team would learn from the loss and return to winning ways.
"Look we've only lost one game and we are obviously doing quite well this season. But if I'm being honest I thought we were probably cruising a bit in recent weeks. All credit to Nowra, they deserved to beat us but I'm hoping the loss acts as a bit of a wake-up call to our side," Warner said.
"The Jets played a pretty good game actually. They played a very good 80 minutes where they hardly turned over the ball.
"We probably haven't put in a good 80-minute performance for quite awhile. The Nowra game showed us we need to do that more regularly if we want to win games in this competition."
Warner reiterated the Sharks game couldn't have come at a better time for his Stingrays.
"A local derby is a great game for us now to really try and bounce back and get a win," he said.
"Sharks happen to be in good form but even if they weren't they always get up for us. I'm sure it will be another fiery clash, as it always is.
"On paper it's a couple of handy forward packs so it should be good to see big boys going at it in the middle. It is pretty exciting."
Round nine kicks-off on Saturday with the third-placed Gerringong Lions (12) looking to return to the winners' circle at the expense of Jamberoo Superoos at Kevin Walsh Oval.
Competition leaders Nowra are also in action on Saturday, hosting the struggling Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies at Bomaderry Sporting Complex.
Meantime, having picked up their first win of the season with a dramatic comeback victory over Gerrringong, Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles will be gunning for a second straight win when they battle Kiama Knights at Centenary Field on Sunday.
There will also be a lot at stake in Sunday's other match between Warilla-Lake South Gorillas and Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs at Cec Glenholmes Oval.
The already injury-ravaged Gorillas will be without the services of gun five-eighth Tyrone Roberts who was sent off in the reigning premiers last-start loss to Jamberoo.
The Roberts'send off has been referred straight to the NSW Rugby League, who will decide his punishment on Thursday.
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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.
