Norths host Eastern Suburbs at Lorn Park in the one-day fixture and Terrace travel to take on Kurri Weston.

The two top teams have a 14-point or more than two-win break on Western Suburbs, who are third with 18 points, with Easts two points further back in fourth.

Round eight of the 2017-18 season is also looming as a crunch game for reigning premiers City United who host Western Suburbs at Robins Oval.

City are in real danger of missing finals action after winning last year’s title and featuring in the finals for the past five years, including four successive grand finals.

Wests, the 2015-16 premiers, have plenty to play for after failing to make the finals last year and are returning to their best after falling just one-wicket short of beating Raymond Terrace going into the holiday break.

The win would have left them just five points adrift of Terrace who are the only unbeaten team with seven rounds remaining before the semi-finals begin on March 10.

In another incredibly tight season, only six points separates Wests from bottom placed City United. Kurri Weston are fifth and depending on results on Saturday could jump to third. Sixth-placed Thornton have the bye.

Given form to date Norths and Terrace should both be winners, but results have already shown nothing can be taken for granted this season.

In second grade, the unbeaten Easts have taken a stranglehold on top spot with 36 points at the halfway mark. Norths are second with 23, Wests third with 22 and Thornton Park fourth on 21 points. City United are six-points back in fifth followed by Raymond Terrace and Kurri Weston.

Third to fifth grade resume their one-day fixtures after the preliminary rounds of the Twenty20 competition ran from November 25-December 16. Tenambit Morpeth (seven wins) and Raymond Terrace (six wins) qualified top two in third grade from Kurri Weston and City United who had three wins and a draw each.

Thornton (five wins, two draws), City United (5w,1d), Kurri Weston (4w,2d) and Tenambit Morpeth (3w) were the four leading qualifiers in fourth grade. Western Suburbs (6w), Thornton (6w), City United (4w) and Northern Suburbs (4w) qualified top in fifth grade.

The A-grade one-day competition resumes with a top of the table clash between the two Port Stephens teams. 

Paterson (third) play Lakeside Village (fifth), SMR (fourth) host Lochinvar. Raworth Rabbitohs (seventh) play Bowthorne (ninth) and Seahman (sixth) host Regal Hunter (eighth).