This is the second year the clash between Sunbury and Redan at Sunbury has been played as a tribute the couple, who died on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 when it was shot down over Ukraine in 2014.

Albert Rizk was a club committee member and Maree helped around the club. A son James still plays with the Eastern Lions.

Sunbury and Redan played against each other the day after 298 people died in the incident.

As a tribute, Sunbury and Redan played for the MH17 Memorial Trophy for the first time last season – giving Sunbury an opportunity to reflect on the contribution made to the community by the Albert and Maree Rizk.

Sunbury senior coach Rick Horwood said it would be another emotional day for the Rizk family and club.

There will be one minute’s silence before the game as a sign of respect.

James Rizk played in the corresponding match last season, but will be on the sidelines this year with injury.

Horwood said the MH17 memorial would add to what had developed into one of the big rivalries of the competition between Sunbury and Redan to earn a major billing in the BFL’s annual rivalry round.

The rivalry had grown around a decade of grand final clashes stemming back to 2002.

The two Lions camps initially met in three consecutive grand finals.

Redan went back-to-back in 2002 and 2003 before Sunbury bounced back in 2004.

Redan again had the better of Sunbury in 2007 and 2011, and then Sunbury took its turn again at Redan’s expense in 2012.

Horwood said Sunbury’s biggest rivalry in its Riddell District league days had been Darley and while that was still significant, there was always a lot at stake now against Redan.

Horwood knows what it is like to defeat Redan and lose to Redan in a grand final, having been at the helm in 2011 and 2012.

“It’s always tough.” And he expects Saturday’s game to be as tough as ever given the tightness of the competition.

Redan is third, one game clear of Sunbury in fourth – making it an ”eight-point” game for each with a spot in the top three on the line.

Horwood said Redan had a great will to win and in many ways Sunbury had aimed to model itself on the Western Lions.

Sunbury defeated Redan by 42 points at the City Oval earlier in the season, but Horwood is dismissing this as a formline.

He said Redan had several key players out on that occasion and were unbeaten in five games since to be building a lot of momentum.