Nine teams tried - and failed - to knock off Tauranga Sports in the first half of the Baywide Premier rugby competition's regular season, but one of the two sides that ran them close gets the first second crack this weekend.
Greerton Marist, one of only two teams to emerge from the match-up with the competition frontrunners with a point following a 25-18 loss at Greerton Park in the opening round, have since recovered from a disappointing 0-2 start to sit in second position on the ladder.
The side, which shrugged off a poor showing against Te Puke Sports in a 39-17 hiding in round eight, bounced back to beat Opotiki last weekend and will be looking for a boil over at Tauranga Domain.
Marist may need some points from the contest to prevent slipping out of the top four, with a host of teams sniffing around looking to mount a campaign for the one home semifinal spot that effectively remains.
Te Puna's match with Mount Maunganui is another with implications at the top of the table.
Thanks to a remarkably even competition - aside from Sports' unchecked run to sit 15 points clear of the rest of the field - the Mounties sit just one win outside the playoff spots after a slew of close, and inexplicable, loses that threatened to stifle their campaign.
A victory against Te Puna - one of four sides to pip the Mount by a single point so far this season - would likely see them leapfrog their rivals to threaten the post-season positions for the first time this season.
Mount coach Rodney Voullaire is still upbeat despite his side putting him through the wringer with a number of close defeats.
"We are still in the hunt - that's the main thing," said Voullaire.
"It's been so up and down trying to make these guys click, but we are getting there. Every game we have played this year we have looked pretty good, but again it's just those little patches that we have been lacking."
Considering how many close games his side has come out on the wrong side of, Voullaire is happy enough with the team's position.
"The win against Te Puke opened the guys' eyes that they can do it. Going up against the two-time champions and taking the win was great. Now it's about keeping the guys grounded and looking for the win that matters at the end of the tunnel.
Te Puna coach Vaughan Bidois sees the match as an important clash for both sides.
"I think last week's win over Te Puke will put them in a good space, so the Mount will definitely be tough," said Bidois.
"It'll be a big challenge for us - we've had a couple of big losses and needed a big win last week which we came back with, so it sets the scene for a big match-up going into the next round.
Bidois' side has four home games in the next six weeks, so will likely need to string a few wins together to put themselves in a good position towards the end of the season.
Rotoiti will host fourth-placed Whakarewarewa in a match that the latter can ill-afford to lose, while equal bottom-placed sides Paroa and Rangataua will be visited by Te Puke Sports and Opotiki respectively.
Secondary School rugby
This weekend offers up another chance for footy fans to take in the best schoolboy rugby the region has to offer.
While Tauranga Boys' College First XV travel away to play St Paul's College in Hamilton, the Bay of Plenty secondary school competitions offers up six matches.
Otumoetai College's home game against Western Heights shapes as a cracker in division one, while Opotiki College will play Bethlehem and Mount Maunganui will host Tauranga Boys' College's Second XV.
Baywide draw, May 25
Premier: (All games to start at 2.45pm)
Paroa v Te Puke Sports (Lawson Park 1)
Rangataua v Opotiki (Te Ariki Park 1)
Rotoiti v Whakarewarewa (Emery Park 1)
Tauranga Sports v Greerton Marist (Tauranga Domain 1)
Te Puna v Mount Maunganui (Maramatanga Park 1).
Division one: (All games to start at 2.45pm)
Katikati v Whakatane Marist (Moore Park 1).
Seeka KI WBOP senior:
Rangataua B v Judea (Te Ariki Park 1, 1pm)
Tauranga Sports B v Matakana (Tauranga Domain 2, 1pm)
Te Puna B v Katikati (Maramatanga Park 1, 1pm)
Arataki v Te Puke B (Arataki Park 1, 2.45pm)
Eastern Districts v Mount Maunganui B (Paengaroa Domain 1, 2.45pm)
Greerton Marist B v Rangiuru B (Greerton Park 1).
Baywide Colts: (All games to start at 1pm)
Kahukura Colts v Te Puke Colts (Kuirau Park 1)
Marist St Michael's Colts v Taupo Colts (Marist Park 1)
Tauranga Sports Colts v Greerton Maris Colts (Tauranga Domain 1)
Te Puna Colts v Mount Maunganui Colts (Maramatanga Park 2)
Bye: Edgecumbe Colts.