NSW are intent on tightening their grip on top spot and defending champions Victoria are determined to climb off the bottom, in the final round of Sheffield Shield cricket before a two-month hiatus.
The halfway point of the ten-round competition will be reached at the conclusion of the fifth round, which starts on Sunday.
It will then take a break until early February, as the Big Bash League T20 tournament dominates the domestic scene over the turn of the year.
NSW (24.56 points), who won their first three Shield games and held on for a draw against Victoria, play Tasmania (11,74, 5th) in Hobart.
"The last few years we've been chasing our tail at the back end of the year because we haven't started the Shield season very well," NSW batsman Daniel Hughes told AAP.
"It's very important that we can stay at the top of the ladder and get four (wins) from five."
Queensland (18,81, 2nd) host SA (13.12, 4th) in the first Shield game to be played in Cairns.
Luckless paceman Chadd Sayers will be available for SA after again missing out on a Test debut, while Australian one-day international batsman Sam Heazlett will make his first class return for Queensland after overcoming a shoulder injury.
Victoria (7.05, 6th), the only team yet to record a win this season, take on WA 15.63, 3rd) at the MCG, with Bushrangers' captain Aaron Finch saying it was very important they get a victory.
"Obviously the position we've put ourselves in isn't ideal," Finch told AAP.
"We're starting to play some really good cricket and that hasn't been reflected in the ladder at this stage.
"But our time will come, things will swing our way and go right for us."
WA will be bolstered by the return of internationals Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis.
After this round, there will be no more first-class cricket before the end of the Ashes series.
NSW wicketkeeper Peter Nevill conceded that could make it more difficult for Test aspirants to stake their claim.
"Possibly but you can't really go week to week wondering if this is the week there could be an opportunity," Nevill said.
"'You've really just got to get on with it and try and do the best you can every time you go out there, there's not much else you can really do."
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