In his 15^th season at Magic, Piddington has won four premierships, six out of six grand finals appearances, including a man of the match effort, six club player of the year awards and played a Broadmeadow record 340-plus competition games.

Now 32, Piddington has wrestled with the decision to retire all year and decided in the past week that this will be his last season.

"I'm grateful that I actually get to choose to walk away and not be forced into retirement through injury or anything else," Piddington said.

"I'm feeling as fit or fitter than I ever have playing the game and I've been lucky enough to go out with [coach] Ruben [Zadkovich] the last couple of years. He's taught me just as much again as I knew before he came.

"It's good to be going out on that high and a grand final would probably top it all off ... but the comp's too tight to be looking too far ahead."

Magic play traditional rivals Hamilton Olympic on Sunday at Darling Street Oval in a crucial catch-up game. Two more rounds remain after this spare weekend and any one of six teams can still win the premiership.

Broadmeadow sit fourth on 32 points, two goals ahead of Charlestown (32) and a point in front of Lambton Jaffas (31). Ahead is Edgeworth (35), Maitland and Weston (34). Maitland host Valentine on Saturday (3pm), while Charlestown welcome the Jets Youth and Jaffas are away to Lake Macquarie on Sunday (2.30) in other catch-up matches.

Hamilton (19) are well out of the finals race but they will be desperate to damage their old foes' chances.

"The Greeks v the Masos, it's always one of the toughest games of the year and one I usually look forward to," Piddington said. "And in the scheme of things, where we are at, you could start calling these games must-win for us given how tight the comp is.

"I can't recall where, that with two, three weeks to go, there's six teams with a mathematical chance of winning the premiership, but all six could also drop out of the finals.

"Then at the other end, there's three team desperate not to finish last, and we've already seen Valentine knock Edgeworth off, and those teams have probably still got something to say about it all."

Matt Hoole and Hayden Seaton are suspended for Magic, while Andrew Hoole (foot) is out.

Meanwhile, Valentine co-coaches Darren Sills and Sam Griffin have been appointed for 2020.

** Edgeworth are not playing this weekend but they have been busy preparing for their home FFA Cup clash with the Newcastle Jets.

The Eagles drew the Jets in the round of 16 on Wednesday and the match at Jack McLaughlan Oval was confirmed as the Fox Sports TV match on August 21.

Since the draw, Edgeworth have installed four new light poles and 38 bulbs to complement the existing four poles and ensure they have the required 500 lux of lighting. The Eagles have spent $200,000 on the system.

** The third-placed Bears, who also don't feature on the spare weekend, were playing the Central Coast Mariners in a friendly at Weston Park on Friday night.