Nelson Bays captain Gavin Briggs is happy to see Hawkes Bay having to operate outside their comfort zone today.
Last year, Nelson Bays' plane broke down before it even left the tarmac for Napier for the second division final.
That was just a taste of worse to come ... they were thrashed
57-14.
Briggs said he hoped fortunes had reversed this year.
"We've done all the hard work through the round robin and now we can sit back and let them worry about being uncomfortable about being away from home.
"We've got everything on our side. We know the ground, we know where we're at and we've got all our local support behind us."
There is one other significant difference from last season. Nelson Bays' only round-robin loss last year was a heavy 40-14 defeat to Hawkes Bay in Napier.
This year, Nelson Bays capitalised on their home ground advantage to end Hawkes Bay's impressive unbeaten 36-match second division streak with a 34-32 upset win.
That result has increased Nelson Bays' self-belief and given them a handy launching pad for the championship decider.
Briggs and No 8 Kahu Marfell are the only two Nelson Bays members remaining from the side who beat Bay of Plenty in the 1999 second division final at Trafalgar Park.
So Briggs knows better than anyone what is in store for his players as Hawkes Bay seek not only vengeance, but also added credibility to their perennial quest for first-division honours.
"They will be a lot sharper this time and more aware of our game patterns. It's not new to them; they've been in the finals for the last three years," Briggs said.
"But it's there for us and it's really to do with our mental approach. If we want to get up and take this, the opportunity's there. It's about how much the boys really want it now."
Coach Wayne Love has retained the same squad who beat North Otago 32-15 in the semifinal.
- NZPA
The finals
DIVISION TWO
Nelson Bays v Hawkes Bay
Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Live Sky Sport 1, 5.20pm today
DIVISION THREE
Poverty Bay v Wairarapa-Bush
Rugby Park, Gisborne
Live Sky Sport 1, 2.20pm today
NPC fixtures, results and standings
Division One | Division Two | Division Three
