Since the Northern NSW Football League's inaugural season in 1959, 64 grand finals have been played and the two most famous football clubs of the coalfields have never met with a championship on the line.
That changes this Sunday.
Weston Bears and Maitland FC will finally write their names into the same grand final chapter, with the NNSWF rivals meeting at Darling Street Oval in what promises to be one of the biggest derbies in the competition's history.
History alone would make this a grand final to remember but the four El Clasicoal derbies between the sides this season have already provided more than enough evidence of what awaits.
They have split those four encounters two apiece, with neither side willing to give an inch when the other has stood in its way.
Maitland FC's two victories proved pivotal in their season, their round 13 win at Hunter City Motor Group Stadium kickstarting a run of wins that saw them finish second on the table, while they also claimed an inaugural Men's State Cup title when they defeated the Bears 1-0 last month.
Conversely, the Bears' victories over the Magpies have been just as impressive, drawing first blood back in round two with a 2-1 win at Cooks Square Park, before stunning Maitland at home again in the first weekend of finals, winning a thrilling penalty shootout 0(5)-0(4) on their way to the grand final.
The message from both clubs is clear: across their histories, there is no match either side will get up for more.
“As soon as I came to the club, it was always Maitland versus Weston,” Weston captain Chris Hurley said.
“[That] was the big one. Then you buy into it.
“You always find an extra gear when it's an El Clasicoal, it'll definitely put a bit more fire in the belly.
“It's one on the calendar we definitely all look forward to; it's pretty fitting. We had the Men's State Cup final as well, which they, unfortunately, got one over [us]. We'll be looking to get one back and hopefully get it done.”
“It's probably going to be one of the biggest grand finals in history,” Maitland captain Braedyn Crowley said.
“I think you're going to get a massive turnout. You've got Maitland versus Weston. It's a derby.
“It's been pretty fiery, the last few games. It's going to be a bloodbath. Everyone's going to be flying in for challenges.
“Hopefully we get the job done, it'll be special for the club.”
But beneath the rivalry and the history is a bigger story, one that has taken more than a decade to reach its grand final destination.
The clubs have spent years rebuilding, reshaping their senior programs and working their way back towards the top of the NPL Men’s NNSW competition.
The Bears have been in the midst of one of the longest silverware droughts in their near 120-year history, not being crowned premiers in 16 years and champions in 31 years, their last grand final victory coming in 1995.
Weston began a steady rebuild over the last 10 years and even had to navigate a change in coach this year, with Damian Zane coming in to replace Kew Jaliens at short notice.
But despite losing the Men’s State Cup earlier this year, the side has continued to progress, culminating in a surge in extra time over premiers Broadmeadow Magic, scoring three goals.
For Hurley, who has been at the club throughout that rebuild, this grand final feels like it was always the end goal.
“It'd be a massive opportunity,” Hurley said.
“I came to the club [and] being here [for] 10 years, it's been 10 years of rebuilding.
“In the last four to five years, [we’ve] been around finals, then making finals. Obviously, falling one game short last year, it'd mean everything to the club and the people.
“Seeing what even the sponsors and the supporters and all the committee are going through. Even the young Bears, they come along every week to support. It's just massive for the club all around.”
Such a sentiment would be echoed by the Magpies, who, despite having more recent success, are looking to break an even longer drought between champions titles, their last grand final win coming all the way back in 1980, 46 years ago.
The club rebuild has yielded results in the last few years, being crowned premiers in 2019 and 2022, the latter being the last time the side made the final, going down that day 1-0 to Lambton Jaffas.
Already claiming some silverware in the Men’s State Cup in August, the weekend has the potential to be a watershed moment for the Magpies with the men's senior side, the men's reserve side, the women's senior side and the women's reserve side all making their respective grand finals.
“It's special to have four Maitland teams in grand finals,” Crowley said.
“It says something about the club and says something about what we've been trying to do in the last couple of years and how many years it's been going.
“This is a special year and at the end of the day, even on grand final day and on Saturday and Sunday, we've already won because we're doing great things for this club.
“It's special to see all the teams in the finals and hopefully we can get a few over the line. It's an exciting time for the club.”
Come Sunday afternoon, one of the two longest championship droughts will finally come to an end.
For the first time in 64 grand finals, Weston Bears and Maitland FC will meet with a championship at stake. A fitting finale to two clubs' decade-long journeys back to the top.
The rivalry has waited more than six decades for this moment.
Now, there is nowhere left to hide.
“The big thing for us in the last few weeks was our work rate together as a unit and our cohesiveness, which is definitely what's been the difference for us,” Hurley said.
“All around the park, the effort is the difference at the moment. We always knew we had the quality. It was just putting in the effort together and doing it as a unit. We've done that.
“That'll be where it's won or lost, to be honest.”
“To be honest, I think it's nice to have not a Newcastle team in the final,” Crowley said.
“It's a win-win for us out there; it's good to see Weston versus Maitland.”
“I love this club. This is what the aim's been all year, we've been working for. Just to be a part of it is exciting. Hopefully we can get it done.”
Watch Hurley and Crowley go head-to-head for the championship from 2pm at Darling Street Oval on Sunday 13 September.