Chris Milicich's Waitakere sits three points clear at the top of the NZFC and is the first team to have reached 50 points in a season. There is a reasonable chance that tally will grow to 53 this weekend.
It also looks set to break its own league record for the fewest goals conceded (currently 12, record 19) and can set a new mark for consecutive wins with its eighth in a row.
Otago's record is less desirable. The least goals yet scored in an NZFC season is Hawkes Bay's 17 goals in 2005-06 and, unless coach Terry Phelan's side bangs in at least six goals tomorrow, Otago will acquire the record that no-one wants, as the lowest all-time scorer in the NZFC.
One has to go back to 1973 for a smaller tally, when Derek Daniels' Caversham side scored a total of six national league goals in one season. Vince Alcock top-scored with three, Brian Duncan got two and Robbie Neilson managed one.
Unlike the present franchise system, which has no relegation involved, Caversham was summarily given the chop, leaving Dunedin without a National League side.
Waitakere is capable of mustering fire power of which Otago can only dream, with Benjamin Totori, Allan Pearce and Commins Menapi collectively having scored 28 goals this season.
Danny Hay still has one game left of his two-match ban and Neil Emblen joins Hay on the sidelines after being sent off against Hawkes Bay.
Jason Hayne comes in for Darren Bazeley but, with knocks and niggles still to be assessed after the O-League clash with Auckland on Wednesday night, there may be more changes.
Otago, with a paper-thin squad, is likely to go for another backs against the wall performance, hoping to hit Waitakere on the bounce, and grab a goal which could change the complexion of the game.
Mike Eisenhut is injured, Nick Dale is suspect, Andy Pickering is suspended and, with winter league clubs jostling for player signatures, there may be a lack of focus in this final match.
The start of Soccersouth's winter league today is likely to further prune Otago's thin crowd of spectators, but the faithful will turn up, if only to see new Irish import Colin Falvey. Mosgiel's player-coach in the winter league, Falvey looks a tidy compact pro and his goal against Wellington has heightened interest in his performance tomorrow.
Absent last week, when he did not even travel to Wellington, player-coach Terry Phelan is eligible to play and will select his strongest side in an attempt to finish with a flourish.
An interesting addition to the Otago squad is youngster Hayden Gunn, who has already played a couple of NZFC games last season. His inclusion may indicate that Phelan is already planning for next year.
"I will be looking at the performance of players in the winter league before I leave in mid-May for America. Then I'll be in Ireland for the Milk Cup, and will sit my Uefa B licence and part of the A, before I return to Dunedin,'' Phelan said.
In Palmerston North, Manawatu plays Canterbury, with the red and blacks hoping to win their last two matches to overhaul Otago and escape finishing last.
