Football PHOTO/FILE
If having all of Wanganui's premier teams at home this weekend wasn't enough for you to get your footballing fix, there are still plenty of matches going on in the men's and women's local leagues.
In the women's league matches today, Girls College face off against the Clive Barrit Builders Marist Women at 12.30pm, with Girls College looking for three points as they chase the pack, while Marist will not be giving it away easily.
Girls College will be hoping the current administrative battle they are in with Central Football over the playing eligibility of one of their younger schoolmates will not affect their performance on the field.
Wanganui Collegiate Girls 1st XI host the Castlecliff Scrappers at 2.30pm, with the Scrappers needing three points to keep them in the hunt for the title, while the big matchup this weekend will be between the tied league leaders, Wanganui High School Girls and the Wanganui City Women.
Both teams are locked on 13 points, with the City women just having the advantage through goal difference.
A win for either team would send them clear to the top, while a draw between the two and a win for the Scrappers would see all three teams sharing the lead with 14 points each.
In the men's competition, the City Thirsties have an early friendly against the City Renovators at 10.30am, which will be a good opportunity again for the Renovators to get some more competition experience as they look to prove their point for placing when the competition splits into a Top and Bottom 8 at the end of the round.
The Wanganui Athletic Reserves will be looking to heap more misery upon Castlecliff United at 12.30pm, while the derby between the St John Castlecliff 1sts and Castlecliff St Anthony's is my pick for the match of the day.
The Cliff 1sts have cemented their position at fifth so far, but the Saints have been showing up their big brother to date, and currently sit third on the table. I expect this to be a heated affair, as the Saints will be looking to teach their first-team rivals a lesson and prove that they are, in fact, the premier team at the club.
The Total Automotive Wanganui City Hammers will be looking to stretch their lead at the top of the table as they face off against the schoolboys from Collegiate, while Marist Celtic will be hoping to leapfrog up the table when they play the Wanganui High School International in the final matches of the 12.30 round.
The second session of the men's competition at 2.30pm sees the Wanganui City Reserves go up against the Athletic Weekenders, where both teams will be hunting a valuable three points, while the Wanganui Athletic Cosmos go up against the Castlecliff Braves.
The Braves are mounting a good case to stay in the Top 8 when the split occurs, while the Cosmos will be hoping to avoid the cut by gaining three points from the match.
Also looking to avoid the cut is the Marist Bhoys, who face their veteran clubmates, the Casuals, in the final Marist derby for the round.
A win would see the Bhoys push higher on the table, but the Casuals will want to teach the young upstarts a thing or two about playing football for Marist. This should be a good-natured encounter, but neither team will want to let the other team have bragging right in the sheds after the game.
Another big weekend of football on offer today, so be sure to hang around after the junior football in the morning, or get on over and enjoy some hot chips and a can of drink in the Roly Taylor stand, and take in the beautiful game, all free of charge at Wembley Park.