NSW and Victorian police, and members of the Border Aboriginal community, will go head to head at Noreuil Park on Australia Day. 

While the winner will hold the First Nations Border Challenge cup for the next 12 months, Albury Chief Inspector Kim Sorensen said there was far more at stake in the annual hit out.

“They cheated,” he joked of his Victorian counterparts, who won last year’s match.

“We’re all about fostering community relationships between us and Aboriginal people, that’s where the difference lies.

“We’re committed to the real cause, they’re all committed to the silverware.

“It just goes to show they’re all about winning the cup.” 

Wodonga Acting Inspector Kevin Coughlan said while he struggled with the idea of a game “where you have to throw things backwards to go forwards”, he was looking forward to the day.

“There will be some significant bragging rights,” Acting Inspector Coughlan said.

“We’re currently even-stevens.” 

Members of the Indigenous and Torres Straight Island community play alongside the police members during the game. 

Chief Inspector Sorensen said it built relationships. 

“It’s not so much about the game itself, it’s about the concept of everyone getting together for our day of celebration,” he said.

The warm-up starts about 10am with the game kicking off about midday.