By his own admission, Jace Lawson says "I didn't expect to play in another one".
Donning the Belmont uniform for over 20 summers, veteran left-arm seamer Lawson has featured in Newcastle District Cricket Association finals twice before - 2008-09 and 2016-17 - for one win and a loss.
But having been coaxed out of a short-lived retirement to help out a younger squad in recent seasons, the now 38-year-old finds himself in a third.
"I sort of retired there a couple of years ago and it was more I came back to add a bit of experience to the side to help [captain] Marcus Hainsworth out," Lawson said.
"It was mainly to bat and bowl some slow stuff, but I think I lasted half a game and ended up bowling again. The body sort of came good.
"So I didn't expect to play in another one to be honest. But I'm really enjoying my cricket and you can't take these finals for granted. There's a good chance I won't play in another one so I'm really looking forward to it."
Belmont meet minor premiers Wests at Harker Oval on Friday and Saturday, utilising the spare weekend after wet weather impacted the scheduled start on March 27 and 28.
Lawson reckons having the extra time to prepare has been beneficial for the Whips, not only a training session together at home at the end of last week but also resting "niggles".
"I actually slightly strained my hamstring in the Merewether game [last round], so the extra week has probably helped me more than anything," he said.
Lawson declares himself "good to go" and feels the body is "as good as I've felt for a long time".
His capacity to deliver more overs has built up throughout the campaign, which has yielded 22 wickets.
He went past the 500 mark in 2016.
Lawson, who lives at Cardiff and has an almost three-year-old son Nash, feels like "if we just put a whole game together, we give ourselves the best chance".
"I don't think we've done that yet this season," he said.
"They've obviously got a pretty good side ... but if we concentrate on our game and we bat well, bowl well and field well, you never know."
Lawson's advice to teammates ahead of the two-day decider was simple.
"This is my third final in 20-odd years, you just don't know if another one will come around," he said.
"So just enjoy the experience and give it everything you've got."
Lawson, Hainsworth and former first-class quick Jamie Heath are the current players to have won premierships for Belmont previously.
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