Six months on they will meet the same team in Saturday’s grand final at Robins Oval with a chance to claim the 2014-2015 major premiership. 

The A-grade newcomers have been the improvers this summer and have already bounced back against Port Stephens following that early season hammering. 

Paterson, who moved to the Maitland one-day competition from Dungog, have three recent victories over Port Stephens which includes the major semi-final a fortnight ago.

However, the Pythons have experience, a minor premiership and a title defence on their side.

Port Stephens have recorded nine grand final triumphs since 2001-2002, including last year, and roll into this decider as the No.1 ranked team from the ­regular rounds.

Head-to-head in their five matches this season Port Stephens won the first two and Paterson the final three.

Port Stephens scored 3-282 at King Park 5 in round one and skittled Paterson for 83 in reply before successfully defending 4-154 by 31 runs in a Twenty20 at Bowthorne.

Paterson triumphed by eight runs at home in round 15 before accounting for Port Stephens by six wickets chasing 76 in a Twenty20 semi-final at Bill Bobbins Oval.

In the major semi-final at Thornton earlier this month, Port Stephens were bowled out for 78 and Paterson reached the total four wickets down.

This put Paterson straight through to the decider. 

Port Stephens breezed past Windsor Castle by eight wickets in the weekend’s preliminary final after dismissing the Stallions for 55. 

Key players for both sides will be Pythons skipper Josh Moxey and Paterson’s Russell Presland as well as Jaimes Magnee and Dean Bridges respectively.

Moxey led the A-grade run tally with 607 at an average of 40.47 and Presland finished No.2 on the charts with 509 at 50.90. 

It was a similar story with the ball as Magnee took 39 wickets at 11.08 for Port Stephens and Bridges snared 34 at an average of 15.32.

Saturday’s grand final starts at 12.30pm.

In the lower grade grand finals Chelmsford Hotel and Raworth both feature twice.

Chelmsford Hotel tackle Port Stephens in the B-grade decider at Thornton 1 and Fred Harvey Memorial in the D-grade showdown at Morpeth Oval.

Raworth meet Seaham in C-grade at Kurri Central and Maitland Ex-Services in E-grade at Coronation Oval.

A-Grade: Paterson v Port Stephens at Robins Oval (Norm Chapman 1)

B-Grade: Port Stephens v Chelmsford Hotel at Thornton 1 (Fieldsend Oval)

C-Grade: Seaham v Raworth at Kurri Central (June McNaughton)

D-Grade: Chelmsford Hotel v Fred Harvey Memorial at Morpeth Oval (Beryl Humble)

E-Grade: Maitland Ex-Services v Raworth at Coronation (McKeachie’s Run)