Coach Kirk Hamblin is out after aggravating a back injury at work last week while assistant coach Guy Ward (ankle), midfielder-forward Corey Watt (hamstring) and ruckman Blake Thompson (calf) are all still under a cloud two weeks after their win over Marrar.

The trio will make a call on their fitness at training on Friday night. However, Saints will welcome back Troy Curtis and Ben Alexander for the annual Anzac week fixture against their arch rivals.

.Co-captain Cayden Winter says the local derby, preceded by an Anzac commemoration ceremony, is always a big occasion.

"It is a really good game to play in," Winter said.

"There's a lot of hype before it and they don't like us and we don't like them.

"And we've all got mates that play for them so that adds to it a bit.

"It definitely goes up a notch for these games, that's for sure."

It's not just the occasion, either. This rivalry is real - the Hawks have regularly proven North Wagga's nemesis in recent yeas and were the only team apart from Marrar to beat the Saints last season.

Both sides have started with two straight wins but there's a huge boom on the Hawks who have scored 285 points (including 42 goals) in their two games.

"It'll be a good test for us, to see where we're at," Winter said.

"I think it will be won in the midfield. If we can apply lots of pressure up the ground, it won't give them the chance to get that nice delivery into their pretty potent forward line."

Coming off a brilliant best-on-ground effort against Marrar, including 35 touches and a tackles stat touching on double figures, Winter says closing down the options of EWK star Chris Gordon will be critical.

"He gets a lot of the footy and he uses it well. He doesn't need a lot of space and makes good decisions so you've got to put a lot of pressure on," he said.

Winter is one of three new co-captains at North Wagga this season following Ned Mortimer's departure.

Teaming up with fellow young gun Jake May and the experienced Luke Walsh, he's enjoying the responsibilities of leadership.

"It's been pretty good. Me and Jake being pretty young captains, we've bounced a bit of stuff of Walshy. He's been pretty good to talk to, with his experience," Winter said.

Against a Hawks outfit boasting Nick Hull and Kyle North-Flanagan as ruck options, and with Thompson in doubt, the Saints' small men in the middle could have a mountain to climb. But Jimmy Morris had a big game against Marrar across half-forward and in the ruck and finished with more than 20 disposals.

The dependable Brayden Skeers will get the job on EWK star forward Chris Ladhams who's made a huge impression already at the Hawks, with 15 goals in two games.

READ MORE: