It can only be good when Otago sides dominate South Island football, excluding any Mainland clubs from the final.
In last week's semifinals, Caversham beat Western 3-2 and Technical beat the Woolston-Technical combination 7-6 on penalties, after being locked 3-3 after extra time.
The negative side of today's derby is that players will be wandering around after the match, not at all sure of their future playing plans.
Administrators have failed to confirm critical appointments such as the senior coach of Otago United, the national youth league coach and the national women's league coach.
This is in stark contrast to other teams in the New Zealand Football Championship.
Waikato has confirmed former All Whites defender Che Bunce as coach, while Wellington has been working hard to attract players for the upcoming season under coach Stu Jacobs.
Ex-Welsh age-group international and Hawkes Bay United player Chris Davies, fringe All White Cole Peverley, former Waitakere United midfielder Chris Bale, Solomon Islander and former Canterbury United player Michael Fifi, and former Phoenix striker Greg Draper have all been lured to Wellington, while Andy Barron has re-signed and negotiations are continuing with his All Whites team-mate, James Bannatyne.
Hawkes Bay has appointed Matt Chandler, Waitakere has Neil Emblen and Canterbury has Keith Braithwaite.
Once again, Otago could be the last club to get organised.
Last week's semifinals also re-opened debate regarding the reinstatement of a proper South Island league, instead of just the present top-two play-off system.
"The sooner we get a South Island league back, the better," Dunedin Technical coach Mike Fridge said.
"If we had the top teams from Dunedin and Christchurch, it would be a great league. The three main clubs in Dunedin are all for it."
Footballsouth chief executive Bill Chisholm also thinks a return to a travelling league would improve standards, but more conservatively thought it may take until 2011 to set up.
Time is of the essence, especially regarding players in today's match whose NZFC involvement is in limbo until some coaching appointments are made.
Technical has already lost Ross McKenzie and Justin Flaws for the play-off series, and Caversham striker Tom Jackson is negotiating a contract with a college team in the United States.
Otago's playing depth is not so strong that it can afford to be inactive, while players studying at university may be making plans to leave Dunedin for holidays, jobs, or even signing for northern NZFC clubs that are recruiting while United sits on its hands.
For most fans, the game today is what matters most, with both sets of supporters desperate to come out on top.
Caversham has already won Footballsouth's premier trophy.
While coach Steve Fleming is bemused that a second-placed club [Technical] can still win the overall South Island championship, there are precedents around the world of similar situations.
"Our focus today will be to win, and to win with style," Fleming said.
"All season we have tried to play in that manner, to show our supporters that we have the ability to score goals and entertain."
The game kicks off at 2pm.
