![Kiama Knights player Tom Atkins and coach Marc Laird. Kiama Knights player Tom Atkins and coach Marc Laird.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/kZL4qV6yTxfrWZJxKQxjSN/8dd40ec2-8eaf-4ffb-8ea4-385b33923d1f.jpg/r0_158_3000_1847_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Kiama Knights don't need any extra motivation to get up for a game against local derby rivals Gerringong Lions.
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Though Knights coach Marc Laird admitted he'd love to celebrate his halfback Tom Atkins' 200th Group Seven rugby league game on Sunday by downing the defending champions Lions at Kiama Showground.
"It's a special one for us this week. We've got our halfback Tommy Atkins playing his 200th first-grade game for the Knights. It would be special if we could celebrate with a win over the Lions," Laird said.
"We always look forward to playing Gerringong as it is. This will just give our boys a bit of extra motivation this week."
If history is any guide, form will count for little on Sunday.
The local derby has always been keenly fought over the years and Laird doesn't expect it to be any different this weekend.
The Knights have won only two of their six games this season but their coach feels his chargers are ready to hand the visiting Lions just their second loss of the season.
Gerringong's five-game winning start to the season was ended last week by the Shellharbour Sharks.
Laird expects the Scott Stewart-coached Lions to bounce back hard but said his team were just as desperate to kick-start their season by picking up their third win of the season.
"We're looking forward to it. They tend to bring the best out of us. Hopefully that's the case on Sunday," he said.
"We've been a bit patchy. Injuries have again hurt us but we get a few back this week, which is good. Hopefully we put in a good performance on the field back at home.
"They'll be hungry to get back to winning ways. They're always solid in any case and it doesn't matter what team they throw out or where they're sitting on the ladder, they're always hard to beat.
"We will have to put our best performance on the field to get the two points."
Laird said Kiama had started the season light on numbers and their depth had really been tested but the positive thing was that some of their better players were making returns from injury over the coming weeks.
"Luke Gallagher has rejoined us, which is great, he was probably our best player last year.
"So he's back with us this week and we've also got Trav Barrett back from the Dragons Jersey Flegg team.
"As a result it is probably the best forward pack we can put out this week, which is an added bonus
"That puts us in good stead for a clash against a very good Gerringong team."
Meantime round nine kicks off on Saturday with the Shellharbour Sharks gunning for a seventh straight win at the expense of Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs at Ron Costello Oval.
It continues on Sunday with Albion Park Oak Flats Eagle playing Warilla-Lake South Gorillas at Centenary Field and the Nowra Bomaderry Jets taking on the Stingrays at Bomaderry Sports Complex.
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