The Pies sit eight points behind the Port Panthers Pirates, who have the bye, in second on the ladder.

Maximum points would be handy as the finals loom, and captain Craig Grant was looking for a strong finish to the regular rounds.

"We've got ambitions of sneaking into a semi final spot," Grant said.

"Wauchope is one win behind us [RSL is in fourth spot], so it's ever so important we get the win to stay ahead of them."

Young bowler Brendan Cunningham is a big part of the Magpies' season fortunes. Cunningham's accurate left-arm deliveries have impressed Grant.

He bowls to his field and Cunningham is keen to learn the finer points of the game.

"He bowls good line and length," Grant said.

"He's a good kid and he's fitting right in."

It hasn't been a bad year for Cunningham, who started the season in third grade.

He'll leave town shortly to head to university in Newcastle, but Cunningham will return for the finals.

"We have a lot of young players who leave for uni. The hope is they will come back," Grant said.

The two sides have met just the once this season in the regular competition, and Grant said that match was a thriller.

"They beat us by one run, and we only had nine players," he said.

"They got 30 runs more than they should have that day. They got away from us a bit."

His opposition have had recent batting woes, but Grant wasn't taking RSL lightly.

"They won the comp, and they still have the nucleus of that side," he said.

An outright would serve Comboyne well in the other match of the round. Last-placed Comboyne takes on Macquarie Hotel at Wayne Richards Park.