Forecasts of heavy rain have round 17 matches in doubt. Saturday's game between leaders Broadmeadow and last-placed Rosebud at Adamstown Oval was postponed on Friday.

The Bears, though, were keen to tackle the Magpies, who are backing up from three tough games in seven days. Maitland lost 3-1 to 2021 premiers Lambton Jaffas at Cooks Square Park in a fast and physical clash on Wednesday night. That came a week after an intense 2-1 loss to Broadmeadow in the Australia Cup. In between, the Magpies came back to defeat Valentine 3-2 on a heavy CB Complex pitch.

Centre-back Zach Thomas was sent off for two bookings in the Jaffas match, meaning he will miss the Weston game suspended.

The Bears are also backing up from a midweek game, but their past two matches have been wins over bottom sides Lake Macquarie and Adamstown. Interim Weston coach Anthony Richards, who took over on Tuesday when Leo Bertos resigned, was buoyed by his side's 5-2 win over Lakes on Wednesday night and he hoped the derby went ahead.

"Certainly we'd love to play them, no matter who they've got," Richards said.

"It doesn't matter if they are mid-strength or full-strength, we'll still back ourselves to do well."

Maitland beat Weston 5-1 in the cup and 2-1 in the NPL this year, but Richards expected the Bears to improve.

"We were understrength that night and I think we've got the squad to do better tomorrow," he said of the cup loss. "We led 1-0 and I thought that apart from the last 20 minutes in that game, we were pretty good.

"[In the league] I think we had only two moments of not concentrating enough and Braedyn [Crowley] scored one of the goals. You just can't do that against A-League players."

Weston have Cooper Sargent (hamstring) and Michael McGlinchey (calf) out.

In good news for the Bears, goalkeeper Stuart Plant is expected to return in reserve grade for his first match since a frightening neck injury in round eight.

Plant lost feeling in his limbs temporarily after a collision at Magic Park in the top-grade match, which was abandoned then completed at a later date. He was later cleared of serious injury.

Richards said Plant had gained a medical clearance to play again and had been training in recent weeks.

Jaffas host Lakes at Edden Oval in the other match set down for Saturday. On Sunday, Newcastle Olympic were scheduled to play Valentine at Darling Street Oval and Edgeworth were welcoming Charlestown to Jack McLaughlan Oval.

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