The match, to be played at Cessnock on Old Boys’ Day, will be the latest in a series of clashes between the two clubs which includes storied grand finals in 1977 and 2010. 

“There’s a fair bit of feeling to it. They always throw up the 1977 (grand final) win but we have a more recent one in 2010,” Pickers coach Trevor Ott said.  

“It’ll be tough. It’s a coalfields battle.” 

Ott said they were preparing for a pumped-up Cessnock side playing in front of a vocal crowd of old boys, with the weekend marking 40 years since the Goannas’ 1977 grand final win. 

They’ll have to do it without Jason Sinclair, who is out for the rest of the season after sustaining a neck injury last start against Macquarie. 

He joins a lengthy injury list, but Ott said all coalfields teams were in the same boat. 

“All three coalfields clubs are struggling.” 

Ott said there were some positive moments to come out of the lengthy injury list, with Maitland, like Cessnock, blooding multiple youngsters. 

He said there had been multiple impressive rookies, mentioning 19-year-old outside back Jayden Hocking in particular. 

Ott said they would look to build over their win over second-placed Macquarie in their last match.

“We controlled the ball well and that’s what we need to keep doing.”

Ott said their whole backline against Macquarie, with the exception of two, was comprised of 18 and 19-year-olds, a positive sign for the club’s future. 

To beat Cessnock, Ott said they’d have to aim up in the forwards. 

“The forwards beat us last time we played. 

“They played it all over our blokes.”

It’ll be Ott’s second last game at the helm, with the clubman to take up a position helping develop juniors at the club from next year.  

“I’ll help out (incoming coach Luke Dorn) behind the scenes and I’ll be helping local juniors come through,” Ott said.