by Nicholas Duck
So here we are again.
Come Sunday Drouin and Warragul will once again do battle in the famed Western Derby, two old rivals taking the Drouin Recreation Reserve as both look to resurrect their seasons.
The earlier rendition of the game this year was low scoring and dour but had a finish to remember, the Hawks rebounding from a goalless first half to win by 12 points.
Captain Jarrod Marshall was the hero that day, booting the two final goals of the match to see his side to their first win against Warragul since round three 2022.
Since then things haven't quite gone to plan for the Hawks.
They were sitting two wins and one loss at that stage. They are yet to taste victory again.
A combination of injury, player unavailability and some questionable goalkicking has seen them slip to six straight losses.
They've lost important pieces to long term injury like Joseph Collins and Thomas Evans, while others like Mitch Cotter and Tim Hancock have missed patches. It's made for an inconsistent team, both in terms of selection and output.
Admittedly they've also had a brutal run with their fixture, playing mostly teams in contention for the top five.
Regardless, a season that was shining bright with hope just weeks ago has dulled a fair bit in recent times.
With a run of matches to come against sides that Drouin would deem gettable, the Hawks will be out to restart their spluttering year here.
For Warragul, this is a match for both consolidation and redemption.
The Gulls have been significant improvers in 2024, their competitiveness on-field leagues ahead of where it was 12 months ago.
Warragul now boasts a serious hard edge around the ball - Tom Hobbs, Jack Lewsey, Lane Ward and Isaac Wallace are just some of the players that have helped transform the Gulls' engine room into something to be feared.
Their issues have largely been up forward.
Without proven experience down there at times the Gulls have wasted chances for wins. The young talent is there but it needs some guiding.
The return of senior coach Jed Lamb from his injury issues last week provided some of that, and Drouin will remember well what happened when Lamb did two years ago on their own ground. The Gulls spearhead booted 10 goals that day, leading his side to victory almost singlehandedly.
Despite Lamb's return, Warragul would have been disappointed to let their match against Maffra last week slip.
Bouncing back from that will be top priority, as will be redeeming round three's defeat to the Hawks.
The Gulls kicked just one goal in the second half of that match, allowing seven through the other way and seeing a game they had scoreboard control of slip through their fingers.
Regardless of how the game plays out there'll be plenty of feeling in this one.
For both teams it's an important game and a serious chance to build some momentum as we begin the second half of the season.
The opportunity is there. Who will be brave enough to take it?