With a tougher schedule in the second round, Pirates will be looking to get a run on the fifth and sixth placed Premier teams when they face Utiku Old Boys tomorrow.
After a couple of quiet weekends for town rugby, Tasman Tanning Premier action returns to Spriggens Park with a bang tomorrow with a double header of fixtures to finish off the first round.
And both games are likely to have significant bearing on the makeup of the Top 4 as unbeaten Waverley Harvesting Border will be looking to stack the trophy case when they are hosted by Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
Meanwhile, preparing for a hard month and a half against fellow teams in the Top 6, most of them away clashes, Black Bull Liquor Pirates will want to put out a significant result against battlers Utiku Old Boys in the early afternoon game.
Border are still defending the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield and even if they slip up against Marist, they would appear safe to claim the Paul Mitchell Cup as first round winners - given McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu would need to win with a four-try bonus while making up a 19-point differential on their long haul into South Taranaki to meet Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri.
But after picking up a crucial road victory over PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape last Saturday to secure their Top 4 spot, Marist are bringing some confidence back home.
"That was huge for us," said coach Jason Hamlin.
"If we manage to win, it will get us closer to the [top] two teams. It's a pretty big game."
Hamlin is well aware with this nine-team grade forcing a no-points bye week, and at least two contender teams clashing every weekend from here onwards, that the only way to guarantee survival is victories.
The home side will be without the Premier's joint leading points scorer Mitchell Millar, currently tied with Border's Nick Harding on 78, after a head knock against Taihape.
Meanwhile, the laundry list of injuries for dynamic utility back Cameron Crowley is becoming the punchline for team jokes - the latest being a bone chip floating near his wrist which needed attending.
"It's a bit of a pain," Hamlin understated.
However, Marist are better equipped than previous campaigns to weather their absentees - as stalwart Steelie Koro will just slot back into first-five and winger Lachlan Blackstock is nearly ready to come back from his achilles injury.
The team has secured Elijah Ah Chong, younger brother of Lucky Ah Chong, while their bench has been strong with the likes of Aiden Fitzgerald, Pehira Huwyler and Junior Nepia not even starting games.
"It definitely helps us - hopefully we're just working our way way to getting everybody back," said Hamlin.
This weekend will also offer fiery lock Sam Madams the opportunity to test himself against his old clubmates, in particular their new former Fijian test player in Sekonaia Kalou.
Similar to his clashes back in the day with Ruapehu's Nick Cranston, Madams is known for rising to a challenge.
"I'm sure Sam will be all guns blazing," said Hamlin.
Meanwhile, Pirates coach Phillip Morris has sympathy for his opposition of predominantly farmers having to make the long trek over from Taihape early in the morning to meet the 1pm kickoff.
"We did ask to go up there a while back," he said.
"I don't know why there's two games at home and none at Taihape."
While Utiku are not a great travelling side this year, they are coming off the boost of rare win two weeks ago against Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau and have had a bye week to get over any bumps and bruises.
"There's never an uncommitted Utiku side, that's for sure," said Morris.
"Committed forward back. They're straight forward."
Coming off their own bye to run up 10 tries against Harvey Round Motors Ratana last weekend, Morris said his team is preparing for "a lot of bus time" over the next few weeks as they face the flip side of the coin from their long run of home games over the first five weeks of the competition.
"I've always said, 'come June you roll your sleeves up'.
"Our bench is getting stronger, which is a must when the weather turns."
Therefore, captain Lasa Ulukuta is likely to be rested or coming off the bench, due to his high workload.
Veteran Ricky Boniface will slot back into halfback as bolter Fa'alele Iosua is on a stand down following his third yellow card of the competition,
So far in 2017 there have been 41 yellows issued in Premier rugby - with five warning letters from the WRFU sent to players after their second offence.
Morris noted similar statistics in Wellington club rugby, as due to the new rules he has taken to warning his players to just "leave the ball alone" in certain ruck situations, while being aware of the somewhat grey area over "reckless" tackling around the head and neck.
"I suppose it's better [for Iosua] to get it now. Two of them were desperation corner flag tackles."
Also wanting to take any opportunity he can get is second-five Junior Ainea - currently third highest points scorer with 76.
When Ainea saw Canterbury's Ranfurly Shield team named online, he began making polite inquiry about the date of Steelform Wanganui's trial sessions.
"He's a young boy and I like his attitude. And he's got some old heads around him," said Morris.
"We can only tell them and it's up to them if they want to commit or not.
"There's quite a few boys who should have a go - whether they're Wanganui material or Development material."
In the other games, Kaierau will be desperate to salvage their first win since Week 1 when they host Ratana at the Country Club, while Ruapehu will make the three hour trip into bee country to meet Ngamatapouri.