When the Newcastle All Blacks won last year's Koori Knockout, the team dedicated their victory to late Indigenous elder Uncle Bill Smith.
They beat a Walgett Aboriginal Connection side featuring none other than NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell 22-16 in an emotional final.
It was the 50th knockout held and the first since Smith, a well known Novocastrian, passed away little more than a year earlier.
All Blacks coach Randall Briggs believes Smith's memory was a driving force behind the side's victory in October, and will be drawn upon again when they face the Murri Carnival winners in Queensland on Saturday.
"We're very family-orientated and have a tight-knit community squad," Briggs told the Newcastle Herald.
"When we lost pop, he was one of the founders of the Newcastle All Blacks in '87.
"Plus we had our strapper that's been with us from day dot that we lost, and another uncle also passed as well.
"Pop's our emblem now on our chest, we run out with him every time we play.
"He's a big part in getting us home and I think they were all there behind us in the Koori Knockout and we'll be definitely dedicating that towards all of them."
The All Blacks face Erub United, who won Queensland's Indigenous knockout - the Murri Carnival - at Beenleigh on Saturday night.
Newcastle will be without Wests Tigers utility Will Smith, Bill's grandson, due to his NRL commitments and are missing a couple of other regulars. They had to cut their squad from a maximum of 25 players at the NSW knockout to 20.
Briggs said he knew very little of Erub but was confident his side could claim victory for the first time in the interstate showdown.
"I've heard they're pretty rough and tough, but that suits the way we play anyway," he said.
"I don't really concentrate on the opposition and what they can do, if we put our best foot forward I don't think many teams can beat us.
"The boys are pumped and ready to head up there on their home turf and bring home the trophy.
"And nominate ourselves as the best in the country."
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.
