Brisbane Broncos head coach Kevin Walters believes Saturday's NRL preliminary final clash with NZ Warriors will boil down to one very important numeral - the No.7.
Veteran halfbacks Shaun Johnson and Adam Reynolds will go head-to-head in a duel Walters believes may be the decisive factor as to which team advance to the Grand Final and which campaign comes to an end.
Both sides lean heavily on their respective halves as their on-field generals, whose elite kicking games become even more valuable at the pointy end of the season.
"This year, both of them have come alive with their football teams," Walters said. "We are both heavily served in the No.7 jumper, both us and the Warriors, so it should be another good battle that will decide the outcome.
"It's like all the great players, you have to take away their time and limit their opportunities. That's what the gameplan is and I'm sure we can execute it."
The contest between the two talismen is probably the most intriguing of several mouthwatering match-ups, which also include a heavyweight joust between arguably the sport's best two front-rowers in the Warriors' Addin Fonua-Blake and Dally M Medal contender Payne Haas.
More than 1000 fans flocked to catch a glimpse of their Broncos in their final full training before their epic showdown, as Broncos-mania takes hold of Brisbane in a similar fashion as 'Up the Wahs' has engrossed Aotearoa.
Just two years ago, the scenes at Red Hill were vastly different, when livid fans showed up to shower the pitch in more than 150 wooden spoons to vent their frustrations at their side's last-place finish.
"It's amazing," said Walters. "Even with the amount of people that showed up, we're very grateful for their support.
"It's now about transferring that support into a good performance against the Warriors, which I believe we are ready for."
One area the Broncos are distinctly lacking is in their big-game experience. Only Reynolds and Kurt Capewell have played in preliminary finals.
As well as Reynolds and Haas, the Broncos will rely heavily on a core of highly talented youth to get them over the line against the Warriors, highlighted by fullback Reece Walsh and five-eighth Ezra Mam.
Walters insists he has complete confidence in his youngsters, who hope to help snap the club's 17-year premiership drought.
"We have handled it well all season, really," Walters said. "Everyone has been waiting for us to fall off a cliff and implode, but we haven't.
"If anything, we have gone again. I still believe our best football hasn't been played yet and that is what excites me about tomorrow night.
"When we play our best football, it is at a very high level."
Further to the clash of the sevens, Walters identifies a fast start as critical to his side's cause against the Warriors, stressing the need for a high-intensity defence right from the opening whistle.
“It’s been a big focus for us all year, we like to start games well," sad Walters. "We are a very athletic side and physical side, and we need to bring both those components tomorrow night.
"It's been a good week’s prep and I am really excited about the opportunity tomorrow presents for the Broncos. [The Warriors] have had a great season like us, but again, it's about us tomorrow night - getting our defence right.
"It's been really good this year and we spoke about our defence leading the way again tomorrow night. When we do that, everything else looks after itself."
The winners of Saturday's match will advance to face the victors in Friday's first preliminary final between defending champions Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm.
Join Newshub at 9:30pm Saturday for live updates of the Warriors v Broncos NRL playoff clash
