The Gungahlin Eagles had one hand on their club championship in 36 years and their first minor premiership in 12 years. Then two World Cup hopefuls showed up as potential party poopers.
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Pete Samu and Toni Pulu will be standing in the way for the last game of the John I Dent Cup season on Saturday as the Eagles chase top of the ladder honours for the first time since 2007.
Samu and Pulu will play for the win-less Easts, who are equally as desperate to breakthrough for their first triumph of the year and ruin the Eagles' party at Griffith Oval.
They are two of several ACT Brumbies players scattered through the first-grade competition this weekend, with Joe Powell released from Wallabies camp to play his first game for Tuggeranong in almost three years.
The Eagles can secure the minor premiership if they secure a bonus-point win against Easts.
If they fall short, the door will be open for the winner of the Tuggeranong Vikings' clash against Royals to jump ahead at the last chance before the finals start next week.
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Samu is making his comeback from the hamstring injury, which ended his Super Rugby campaign in the play-offs and ruled him out of a knockout final against the Argentina Jaguares.
Pulu scored a try in his debut for Easts last week and the lightning-quick winger will move to the centres to give the Eagles some headaches.
The Eagles have been the most dominant club across all grades this season and finishing first in first grade would secure the club the first club championship since 1983.
Gungahlin is equal with Royals on 56 points, but Royals are first on points differential. The Vikings are lurking on 54 points.
The Vikings' hopes will be bolstered by the return of Powell for the first time since the 2016 grand final after he was left out of the Wallabies squad.
It gives the Vikings the luxury of having Powell start the match at scrumhalf and his Brumbies teammate Ryan Lonergan coming on at the end to finish the job.
Powell is hoping to force his way into the Wallabies team, but faces a stiff challenge to dethrone Will Genia and Nic White.
"It's been a while for me with the Vikings, so I'm looking forward to this one," Powell said.
"It's a good game to be coming back to, there's plenty on the line and it will be good to play with them. I met some of the newer guys at training on Thursday night.
"I think I finished the Super Rugby season playing some good footy. I was happy to be in the Wallabies squad ... it's good to see I'm still in the mix and hopefully I get some [Test] game time.
"I'm just trying to play as good as I can this weekend to get the win for the Vikings."
The Vikings will also boast Australian under-20s duo Noah Lolesio and Lachlan Lonergan, Brumbies prop Vunipola Fifita, Darcy Swain and Len Ikitau in a daunting challenge for Royals.
Tom Banks will stay in Wallabies camp in Brisbane, despite not being picked to play in the Test against Argentina on Saturday night.
The Uni-Norths Owls had been hoping for an injection of Banks' flair, despite already securing a finals berth for the second consecutive year.
The Owls will be hoping to build momentum towards the finals campaign, but their opponent will be equally as determined to finish on a high for one of Wests' favourite sons. Wests coach, and former premiership hero as a player, Craig Robberds will end his 24-year time in first grade after announcing he will finish his tenure this season.
JOHN I DENT CUP ROUND 17
Saturday: Easts v Gungahlin Eagles at Griffith Oval, 3.05pm; Tuggeranong Vikings v Royals at Viking Park, 3.05pm; Wests v Uni-Norths Owls at Jamison Oval, 3.15pm.
