IT'S the friendly rivalry that has captivated the AFL North West in 2019 and on Saturday the Tamworth Kangaroos and the Tamworth Swans will add another chapter to their short history.
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The two sides will square off in a preliminary final, with the winner set to face the Inverell Saints in a grand final on August 24.
Saturday's clash was set up when the Swans claimed a 36-point victory over the New England Nomads in last week's first semi-final, while the Roos lost the second-semi final by one point to the Saints.
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Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Roos defender Savannah Shepherd believes last week's trip to Inverell will work in her side's favour.
"I wasn't actually involved in last week's trip to Inverell, but this will be our third trip to Inverell in as many weeks," Shepherd told the Leader.
"Having been up there two weeks in a row, I think we will have a better understanding of things like how wide the ground is and things like that.
"Inverell is a great club and I'm sure they will put on a really good show for us this weekend."
Swans midfielder Daisy George said her side benefited from its first taste of finals football last week.
"Given this is our first season as a team, I think that semi-final last week has helped us prepare for this weekend," George said.
"Now, this rivalry has probably added a bit of extra drive for us heading into this week's game.
"We pretty much treat every game against the Roos as a final, so to be in a final against them, in our first year, is pretty special."
Shepherd said the rivalry had added a new dynamic to the AFL North West women's competition.
"The Roos have been in the women's competition for about the last three seasons and I think it's fair to say we didn't really have any strong rivalries," she said.
"When you look at the rivalry the Roos and Swans men's teams have had over the years, we didn't really have anything like that.
"Now when we take on the Swans you get that same sort of buzz the men do, which is great."
George said her side would be "giving 100 per cent" during Saturday's clash.
"I think our effort will be the deciding factor for us on Saturday," she said.
"If we all just get in there and give it everything I'm confident we can win the game."
Shepherd echoed George's sentiments saying "the one percenters" would be key on preliminary final day.
"Talk and communication will be the big thing for us," she said.
"I didn't play a lot of sport growing up so talk is a new thing for me in a team sense, but if we can talk it up on Saturday we will go a long way to winning the game."
Saturday's game will begin at 1pm with the Tamworth Roosters under-14 and under-17 teams playing in the earlier matches.
AFL North West preliminary final schedule at Varley Oval:
9am: Under-14, Tamworth Roosters v Glen Innes Celts.
11am: Under-17, Moree Suns v Tamworth Roosters.
1pm: Women's, Tamworth Kangaroos v Tamworth Swans.
2.40pm: Men's, Inverell Saints v New England Nomads.