Keighley Cougars and Hunslet are both 80 minutes away from the Championship Promotion Play-Off Final, where one of them will face Swinton Lions for a shot at promotion.
But first, they will compete in the Betfred League One Play-Off Final on Sunday, where there can only be one winner.
The Cougars come into this match on the back of a gripping 26-22 Semi-Final victory against Rochdale. Jake Webster’s men finished second in the regular season and have therefore had two bye weeks in total.
Hunslet, however, have had three weeks of Play-Off action under their belt already. They first endured a 30-18 defeat in their Qualifying Play-Off match to Rochdale, but their league position (4th) meant they were given a second chance the following week.
They then went on to beat Midlands in a scintillating semi-final tie, before eventually overturning Rochdale 26-46 in the Preliminary Final to progress to the next stage.
And Sunday will see a tasty West Yorkshire derby unfold, as the two sides battle it out for a place in the Promotion Final, live on The Sportsman.
The teams are no strangers to each other, having already played each other four times this season – three times in the league and one in the Betfred Challenge Cup.
It’s currently 3-1 in the Cougars’ favour, but Hunslet did show earlier on in the year that they can travel to Cougar Park and win.
Back in May, the Cougars had remained unbeaten, but Hunslet and Jude Ferreria stunned the home side with an emphatic performance, becoming the first team to overcome Keighley in 2024.
Ferreria crossed for four tries, as Hunslet secured a memorable 18-26 victory. On either side of this, however, Keighley have ran out confident victors in the other two league encounters.
And Sunday's final could mark another memorable occasion, as father and son George Flanagan and George Flanagan Jnr, are set to face each other for a second time this season.
Speaking in an interview with BBC West Yorkshire Sport, Flanagan Jnr, who plays for Hunslet, said:
"Everyone was saying straight after last week's result that I was going to come up against my dad in a final the following week.
"It's a good feeling and probably one of the best feelings you'll ever experience when you know you're going to be playing against your dad in a final - I don't think there are many father and sons who have done that. For us to do that is class and it'll be good for all of the family as well."
Keighley's Flanagan also said: "At any level, it's a good accolade to have. To play against him is a good feeling. I know we're father and son but we're like best friends and we do everything together, so it's going to be a bittersweet moment when we get to run out together on Sunday."
With everything on the line on Sunday, which side will hold their nerve? It's set to be an exhilarating contest as the cameras return to Cougar Park, but who will come out on top in their biggest game yet?
Betfred League One Play-Off Final:
Keighley Cougars v Hunslet RLFC (live on The Sportsman)
Photo Credit: Hunslet RLFC
