League points won't be the only thing at stake when Belvoir and Lavington clash at Kelly Park on Saturday.
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The sides are playing for the Cameron Thompson Cup in memory of the former Border Mail editor who won premierships at both clubs before dying of cancer in 2008 at the age of 38.
Belvoir go into the game as holders, having won the annual fixture last season for the first time since 2014/15.
It's also a key game in the context of the season for both clubs, with fourth-placed Lavington looking to tighten their grip on a finals berth while the Eagles start the day only outside the top-six on percentage.
"There's even more on the line than usual," Belvoir president Brad Freake said.
"There's not many times throughout the year when you're playing for a trophy and you always want to put your best foot forward in games which carry that extra weight and significance.
"It's vitally important that every player who's out there, for Lavi and Belvoir, tries to do the best for their club."
Panthers president Sam O'Connor, like Freake, will be playing in the game.
"If we can get the job done this weekend, it helps us not only set up our season but recognise a bit of history," O'Connor said.
"That's really important, to celebrate Cameron's memory and what he gave to both clubs."
Cricket Albury-Wodonga secretary John McMillan played with Thompson at Belvoir and remembers a team-mate who was never short of something to say.
"He was only a little fella, 5ft 4in, but Cameron was a solid wicketkeeper-batter who opened for us," McMillan said.
"He was the cheekiest, most quick-witted bloke you'd ever come across and he brought that onto the cricket field. It was never derogatory but he was always a chirpy player.
"Being short, he could cut and pull and he was tidy behind the stumps."
Young players have been key to the fortunes of both clubs this season, with Kaiden 'Buddha' Withers (237) and Eddy Schultheis (236) almost inseparable in the batting charts while Oscar Lyons and Brady Marshall have also been prominent alongside Schultheis in the Panthers side.
"They didn't get much of a look-in last year but those young guys are the core of our side now," O'Connor said.
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"They're not just making up the numbers, they're proper senior cricketers and well and truly contributing.
"We're starting to get a settled side now and hopefully that means we can put a few good efforts together and go on to make finals."
Belvoir haven't played for five weeks, their first two games of 2022 having been washed out.
"It's really important for us to get the win," Freake said.
"We want to catch up to Lavi and get our foot inside the top six.
"If we get knocked off this week, we're lagging outside again.
"We've got aspirations to play finals and we think we're good enough but we need to be better with the bat.
"What 'Buddha' has given us this year has been fantastic but it's not up to a 17-year-old to be leading the charge.
"It's got to be the more experienced players like Drew Cameron and Joe Cooke who have played finals and done all of that stuff before. That's where we've got to stand up.
"Lachie McMillan's been pretty lean with the bat in the first half of the year as well.
"Lavi has a very good bowling attack and the key will be how we shape up against their bowlers. We've struggled with the bat in the first half of the year, so I think that's where the game will be won and lost."
Elsewhere, Wodonga star Bob Jackson is due to play his first game since November after completing his Big Bash coaching commitments with the Melbourne Renegades.
Jackson scored 117 runs in five T20 games before joining David Saker's staff, and he'll be looking to hit the ground running when the Dogs, who sit third, travel to Corowa.
A win there could lift them above Albury, who face an intriguing clash with Wodonga Raiders at Billson Park.
Raiders won three of their last four games before Christmas, including two victories over Lavington, but haven't played since.
Tallangatta entertains New City, with Shoaib Shaikh facing his former club off the back of a century last weekend.
Play starts at 11:30am.
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