Six teams are left in the race for this year’s premiership, with four of them to fight it out for the right to move through to the preliminary finals next week.

After winning their qualifying finals, Dazzlers Dingoes and Rosebery Rampage can sit back, relax and watch on as they await their opponents in the penultimate weekend of the FCFL season.

Thursday night will see the Grubs and Dragons, who both entered the competition this year, face off in a final for the first time with a trip to Rosebery the reward for the winner, while an old rivalry will be reignited when the Piranhas and B!tches square off in front of what is expected to be a massive crowd at Kohuora Park in the other game on Thursday night, with the winner to face the Dingoes.

Here is your full guide to the two semi-finals this weekend.

Grubs (4) vs Dragons 1015 (8)

Thursday, July 25
7:40pm
Kirrawee Oval

Last meeting in a final: Never

This season: Dragons defeated Grubs 698-690 at Kirrawee Oval in round one; Grubs defeated Dragons 834-671 at Kogarah Oval in round eight.

The first final of the two is an all-Sydney sudden death affairs takes place this Thursday night, and what a grudge match it promises to be when the Grubs and Dragons square off at Kirrawee Oval.

Despite both clubs having only met 2 times since joining the competition this year, the pair have never met in finals, but that will come to an end with one looking to finish off the other’s season.

Not only did they lose to the Dazzlers Dingoes last Thursday night, the Grubs’ premiership hopes copped a sledgehammer blow when hooker Jake Friend suffered a serious arm injury in the first half, which has ruled him out for at least six weeks.

The 801-745 defeat was their first defeat in a finals match, having having qualified in fourth to earn two bites at the cherry.

Now they face a Dragons side which was ultra impressive in its 987-858 win over the Balmain Tigers last Thursday night, with the Kogarah men overhauling the Tigers after a spirited contest.

The club has won their past two matches following a six match losing streak.

It now remains to be seen which club has the hunger to stay alive in season 2019. I have the Grubs winning it by just.

For the winner: A trip to Eastlakes to face the Dingoes in a preliminary final next Thursday night.

For the loser: Lights out for 2018.

Prediction: Grubs by 24 points.

Piranhas (2) vs B!tches (6)

Thursday, July 25

7:40pm
Kohuora Park

Last meeting in a final: Never.

This season: Piranhas defeated B!tches 754-706 at Bexley Oval in round four; Piranhas defeated B!tches 888-723 at Kohuora Park in round eleven.

The second of the semi-finals this weekend promises to be huge, and for a variety of good reasons.

The B!tches’ 892-838 thrashing of the Eely Avengers at Bexley Oval last Thursday has set up what can only be described as a promoter’s dream, with the Piranhas and B!tches going head to head in front of what is expected to be a huge crowd at Kohuora Park this Thursday night.

Seemingly written off after a poor finish to the season, which included losses to lowly clubs the Avengers and Grubs, the B!tches have rediscovered their spark in recent weeks to breathe life back into their premiership campaign.

Making the win all the more impressive was that influential Avengers players Tom Trbojevic and Reuben Garrick both scored tons, and yet they managed to win despite no player scoring more than 82.

It will also be the first time Esan Marsters has faced his former club in a finals match since the 2018 Grand Final, in which he was part of the Piranhas (100n80) side that was thumped 887-838.

The Piranhas are coming off a heartbreaking 878-787 loss to the Rampage in Auckland, which has sent them to the Dingoes’ side of the draw. This means that the winner of this Thursday night’s match will face the Dingoes (who will be without Viliame Kikau after he was suspended for a shoulder charge on Darren Nicholls) in the preliminary final next weekend.

Nev’s men turned to their captain, Damien Cook, as they attempted to break down the Rampage, but after leading early, they were sunk by starring performance from Latrell Mithcell and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

Still, they were far from disgraced but they will now have to pick themselves back up for the clash against the B!tches, who won by 754-706 at Bexley Oval in round four before beating them again with a 888-723 at Kohuora Park in round eleven.

For the winner: a date with the Dazzlers Dingoes next Thursday night.

For the loser: Season over.

Prediction: Piranhas by 28 points.