Haisman Shield finals action heads to Numurkah Showgrounds from tomorrow as the minor premier hosts Nagambie.
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The Saturday-Sunday contest is a knockout clash for the Lakers, with the Blues to retain a second chance should they falter at the first hurdle this series as they look to defend their crown.
But skipper Liam Gledhill knows everything in his side's campaign up to this point in the season means little from now on.
“It is good to finish on top of the ladder, but it's a totally different kettle of fish now,” Gledhill said.
“Only the best sides are left and we're going to have to play really good cricket for hopefully three weeks.”
The Lakers have won just one fixture since November 23, but captain Mark Nolan is also enjoying the idea of a clean slate heading into tomorrow's first ball.
“After Christmas we've just struggled a little bit, but with finals now you have to treat it as a new season and we're looking forward to the challenge of facing Numurkah,” Nolan said.
“We've chopped and changed the batting line-up a few times, but things haven't gone our way, we're all working hard in the nets and it's got to turn around at some point — hopefully that's this weekend.
“There's probably no bigger challenge in our league than Numurkah at Numurkah, but there's no expectations on us.
“We're the underdog and there's no pressure for us, so we'll go out there and play with freedom and see what we can do.”
Numurkah will welcome Josh Smith back into the fold for the clash, with Mitch Grandell and Matt Cline finding plenty of rewards with ball in hand last round.
“Josh Smith is back in for finals, he moved up to Cairns for uni, but is coming back down,” Gledhill said.
“He adds another dimension for us behind the stumps and gives us more batting flexibility because he can bat up the order or do a job for us further down.
“Matty and Mitch will be very important for us over the next few weeks and Mitch is a player who has been bowling really well and putting in a lot of hard work in the nets.
“They (Nagambie) really took it up to us when we played earlier in the season and they have got some very good cricketers in their mix, we're looking forward to the challenge.”
Nagambie's squad will likely be the same as last match and with the club's C-grade team also battling at the showgrounds Nolan is hoping for an exciting weekend.
“We both made finals last year and lost in the first week, so hopefully one or both can go on with it,” Nolan said.
“We'll be side by side out there at Numurkah and I think they have a chance to go all the way this season.”
The region has been drenched this week with steady rain, leaving the pitch conditions at the showgrounds a mystery.
“They got a few hours of work into it Tuesday and then it was covered Tuesday night, we've had around two inches of rain since then, so it will be a bit of an unknown as to how it will play,” Gledhill said.
“The last few weeks it hasn't had much grass covering and Numurkah is never really a green seamer, but if it was ever going to be it might be this week.
“It's usually pretty flat, but I don't know what we're going to get, so we'll have to wait and see.”
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