By MARK CASHMAN

Northern Suburbs coach Earl Va’a got a history lesson on Tuesday night before training and can’t wait for kick off against Gordon on Saturday.

It was delivered by his skipper and centre Harry Burey and the presentation to the first grade group spoke of the great rivalry with the Highlanders and all the shenanigans that go hand in hand with a great derby match.

Life member Richard Maude provided many of the facts and ammunition for the dressing room chat but Va’a and many of the first graders came away with a better understanding of why this game means so much to both sides.

“It was good to get an understanding of the history of this game and why it means so much to the boys,” Va’a said.

“That said we still have to focus on our roles and what we need to, then go out there, put the emotion to one side, and execute.”

Va’a, the former Manu Samoa flyhalf at two Rugby World Cups, has embraced and added to the culture at Norths this year and felt that this was an important chat to have.

Circumstances with Chatswood Oval and the demolition of part of the grandstand on the railway tracks side of the ground have meant that this game could not be telecast by 7TWO.

It’s first v second and in simpler times they’d be going pretty close to closing the gates at Chatswood.

“Quite simply they are the undefeated and the form team in the competition,” Va’a added.

“They are playing with great confidence and we will have to be on our game keeping pace with them and then stopping them.”

Norths have been able to name the same XV that started the game against Randwick and went so well.

Gordon coach Darren Coleman lauded the Norths performance against Randwick and said he was keen for Saturday to come around.

“Yeah it will be a great game that’s for sure,” Coleman said.

“Norths were exceptional last week and in fact I thought their game against Randwick was one of the better team performances that I have seen this season.

“There was lots of ball movement, some good attacking shapes, good defence and Norths showed that they had some real dangers out there that we will have to contend with.”

The Highlanders have been negotiating their way through a bit of a prop crisis and will look to see if the Western Force prop Dom Hardman helps out on that front.

Their scrum is an important part of their game as they look to get their attack going and despite going uncontested for seven minutes against Southern Districts have been in pretty good shape.

That’s the platform from which halves Harrison Goddard and Rodney Iona have worked off this year and Coleman couldn’t be happier with what they have been able to do.

“Harrison and Rod have been exceptional all year,” Coleman said.

“Each week they are showing leadership and a wide range of tactical nous while at the same time when they need to run they do it well.”

Norths are similarly blessed with Nick Duffy and Angus Sinclair in good form.

They are far from a carbon copy of the Highlanders duo but like Goddard and Iona have got in and got the job done.

Derby games always come up good banter and it was Coleman who threw the first barb out there this week at his good mate, Norths president Grahame O’Donnell.

Coleman actually got O’Donnell to come to Norths to coach when he was first grade coach at the Shoremen.

There’s dinner on Saturday night at stake on the result but Coleman says he’s been disappointed with the quality of the banter this week between the two clubs.

“I have reserved my banter for the presidential suite this week and every time I have spoken with ‘Hound’ (O’Donnell) he’s been going on about Norths being the underdog,” Coleman added.

“He’s throwing so many cliches out there I was close to vomiting at one stage.”

It all makes for an interesting afternoon.

GORDON (1-15):

Brandon Faavae-Eli, Robbie Abel, Dom Hardman, Jack Margin, Peter Chanel-Tagaloa, Mahe Vailanu, Tom Silk/James Lough, Jordy Goddard (c), Harrison Goddard, Rod Iona, Ahmu Tuimalealifano, Joey Walton, Ellis Abrahams, Oli Smealie, Reece MacDonald.

NORTHERN SUBURBS (1-15):

German Haeffeli, James Margan, Dewald Dekker, Dave Henaway, Declan Carroll, Brad Hemopo, Hugh Sinclair, George Murrin, Nick Duffy, Angus Sinclair, Reece Mau’u, Harry Burey, Nathan Russell, Cam Clark, Max Burey.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON