The Cessnock Goannas have set up a top-two clash with Maitland following their 42-16 demolition of South Newcastle at Cessnock Sportsground on Saturday.
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The Goannas jumped from fifth to second, displacing the Lions from the No.2 spot in the process of their eight tries to two win.
What was already going to be a special day with the Goannas 1972 premiership team reunion, Old Boys Day and Life Members Day has gone to a new level of interest and Cessnock coach Harry Siejka has urged all Goannas fans to get along on Saturday and support their team.
Siejka and his team will be looking for a repeat of the 1972 grand final result when Cessnock beat Maitland to claim the title.
"We were pretty clinical in our work. I still don't think we played overly great, the first half in particular we were probably a bit sloppy," Siejka said assessing the Goannas' performance.
"The back half of the second half we really put it to them and ended up running away with it. It was really pleasing.
"This is the sort of game we want to play against Maitland. I thought on the weekend we are starting to get battle hardened and obviously Maitland are the front runners at the moment.
"To get them on our Old Boys Day, Life Members Day and '72 premiership reunion will be a massive occasion for us and the club and we're really looking forward to that one.
"Our supporters lift us, they're very vocal. If fans are going to come to any game, next week's the one they'll want to come to."
The Goannas are the form team of the competition with four wins in a row, including two against top five opponents.
"We had a few games we dropped by two points or less, with the personnel we had out it's basically a different team now," Siejka said.
"We lost a player like Honeti Tuha and we were able to bring someone like Josh Charles in. For him to come in, play his 100th game and put in the performance he did, is massive for us."
Charles scored a double and Siejka, Tyrone Nean, Jarred Anderson, Harry O'Brien, Josh Cagney and Sam Clune crossed for tries.
"I think we will take a lot of confidence going into Maitland and I think we are going to go after them. I'm really looking forward to it," Siejka said.
"We've got depth around the club at the moment and I think we are a different team than we were at the start of the year.
"I think it's just hard work. We lost a couple there and we realised we probably weren't working hard enough as a team.
"We sat around and looked at what we were doing as a team and I think we corrected a few wrongs that we'd made.
"I think the harmony among the group is pretty good at the moment, everyone is enjoying each other's company. I think if you've got a happy football team your results speak about that.
"The last couple of weeks have been pleasing, but I think the most pleasing thing is our defence.
"There was probably a try there late that we could have defended, but apart from that we haven't really let a team get beyond 10 points the last couple of weeks."
