We’re talking football of course, of the O&M grand final variety.

The giant is obvious, given Albury’s powerhouse domination of the league for several years following a similar golden run in the 1990s.

But on the occasion of the 2017 decider, it was Wangaratta who came out on top.

The Tigers were well-placed to go into that match full of confidence, given they’d bagged the three previous premiership cups.

But in what was more a gust than a breath of fresh air for a league that for so long has been the plaything of Albury and Yarrawonga, Wangaratta came through – but only just in the end, after the Tigers got back within eight points in the final term.

The only real disappointment of that day was that a bumper crowd didn’t make its way through the gates, though at a tick under 6500 it was at least a marked improvement on the wet weather, one-sided match the previous year when just 4000 turned out.

And here we are again, but the return to a Sunday showdown obviously has one key difference – after so many years of campaigning, it’s off to Wangaratta’s home ground, the Norm Minns Oval.

This time it will be the Pies’ chance to go back-to-back, which even in the saying adds considerable sting to the contest.

Wangaratta knows what it’s like to have a heyday, remaining the only club to have won four premierships in a row more than six decades ago.

It made the Pies’ denial of Albury’s attempt to do likewise last year all the more significant.

Their success gave the league the boost – and no doubt resulted in many O&M fans breathing a sigh of relief – and the upshot is it should make today’s clash one of the most eagerly anticipated in years.

All we can hope for now is a close contest as should befit such an occasion, a big turn-out for the city of Wangaratta’s time in the spotlight and for the weather goods to come true on the promised dry and 20 degrees day.

We wish all clubs competing today all the very best.

Cheers, Xavier