But for Magic coach Damian Zane, just playing a game before their Australia Cup trip to Bentleigh Greens was a driving factor in ensuring the match goes ahead.

The Broadmeadow home game was moved on Tuesday to the synthetic surface of Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility (6:15pm), making it one of three catch-ups there on Wednesday night. Edgeworth take on leaders Charlestown (6pm) and Maitland meet Adamstown (8pm) on the other all-weather pitch.

Magic and Edgeworth have training slots at LMRFF and are using them to play their games. The other match is using an open slot.

Charlestown took the outright lead on 29 points with a 1-0 win over Adamstown on Sunday in the only round 18 game to go ahead. However, if they lose to the Eagles and Magic down Jaffas on Wednesday, Broadmeadow regain top spot on goals and with a game in hand.

Zane, though, was less worried about the NPL table and more about preparing for the round of 32 cup game on Thursday week. Magic last played on June 25, beating Edgeworth 2-1, and more rain is forecast this week, putting Saturday's game at Weston in doubt.

"You've just got to treat each game the same," Zane said of playing the Jaffas, who won 2-1 first time around.

"There's no point worrying about the table. There's so many games to catch up, you can't get a feel for who's where. You've just got to keep getting three points.

"We just need a game before the cup, more than anything. With the weekend unsure again, at least with this one we can make sure we get on."

Helping Magic's cause is the return of Keanu Moore, who has been away and last played on June 5.

Jaffas will be even more relieved to get on. They are fourth on 20 points but have played just nine times, three less than Magic, and have 11 games in 39 days.

"We've just got to keep playing and manage what's ahead of us, that's all we can do," coach Shane Pryce said. "It's a bit of an ask on the players but they've responded so far, so we'll wait and see if things catch up on us.

"Magic are a very mobile side, very up tempo game, a lot of pressure, and I think they will probably have the edge on us fitness-wise. And out on that surface as well, I think that might suit them a bit more. But we'll just turn up and have a go."

Jaffas regain Andrew Pawiak, who missed their most recent game - a win over Maitland on June 29 - with illness. Nathan Verity comes into the starting side, but Luke Remington is out suspended. Bren Hammel has returned from an overseas trip and Michael Kantarovski is training fully again after overcoming injury.

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