City Memorial Bowls Club intra-club battle in 2022 Western District Playing Area preliminary final

The only question remaining: Will it be City Gold or City Red?

The friendly foes will face off in the preliminary final - coincidentally at their home venue - with the winner to play division one newcomer Dunkeld in the decider at Terang in a week's time.

Clubmates-turned-rivals Garry Davey (Gold) and Gary Smart (Red) are expecting a hard fought battle on the Cramer Street greens.

Red - the reigning premier - has traditionally been the club's strongest outfit but Gold earned that title this season, finishing higher on the ladder.

"It is always an interesting competition when we play a local derby so it will be intensely fought," Smart said.

"I love the club and we have 24 players here on Saturday competing against each other and they're all mates. When we step out for the Golds and step out for the Reds, competition will be on."

The club's depth will be on display in other grades too - something which pleases Davey.

"I love the club and being president as well, it's been a great honour to be that," he said.

"It is not just about the Reds and the Golds, it's about the other teams in the finals.

"We have a chance to have a team in all of the finals so hopefully we can have success right through."

Smart, 68, and Davey, 71, have been staples at City Memorial for years.

Smart - a former chairman of selectors during Warrnambool football club's dominant era under Grant Thomas in the 1980s - started playing in the 2000-01 season.

Davey, who still works as a contracted cleaner, joined the club in 2006 after returning from Melbourne.

Both are bullish but nervous about their respective sides' preliminary final prospects.

Smart said City Red had found its groove at the right time.

"We have had an up and down season. We have struggled for a lot of the season after coming off winning the division one pennant grand final," he said.

"We just got into the (top) four but after playing a final last week at Mortlake against Warrnambool, we had a good win and feel as though there's a bit of momentum there and we've had good practice among the team this week.

"We are hoping we can carry that momentum in against the Golds."

City Gold had a chance to move directly into the grand final but fell to Dunkeld.

"They handled it a little bit better than us. We were leading most of the day but we fell off with about four ends to go and they got on the top of us," Davey said.

"The Reds are playing quite well at the moment. They started the season off slowly but have got their acts together and we are going to have to be careful.

"We have to be careful they don't break away."

The division one game will start half-an-hour earlier than usual at 12.30pm.

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