Aberavon hope to take advantage of a rest day for the top two in the Indigo Welsh Premiership on Friday night.
The Wizards are currently third in the table – behind Cardiff and Llandovery – and aim to close the gap on those above them by winning at Carmarthen Quins.
While the top tier in Welsh rugby is still grappling with financial deals and unseen contracts, the semi-pro level of the Premiership is relatively stable, if not exactly awash with cash.
Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt has done most of his renegotiation and recruitment work for next season.
“We are in the final stages of finalising our squad for 2023-24,” said Hyatt.
“Every year we start talking to our players in November and we’re delighted with the way the squad is shaping, having managed to retain the vast majority of players.”
The club’s influential prop Rhys Fawcett has been retained as has promising young winger Gabe Lacey, but Joe Thomas and Lloyd Evans have both opted to move to Swansea.
The Quins are back in ninth place in the table with just four wins from their 15 games, but they did win on the road at Pontypridd last time out, 23-20.
They will also be keen to give a boost to current Wales captain and Quins old boy Ken Owens after an exhausting week, on the eve of the Wales-England game.
Aberavon are currently two points ahead of Ebbw Vale, and four ahead of Merthyr in fifth spot, but the Ironmen have two games in hand.
With four teams to qualify for the play-off semi-finals, it means one of the other Friday night games – Merthyr at home to Pontypridd – has significance.
The Valleys derby is always a tasty one, but Merthyr will be chasing points as they bid to break into that top four.
The home side are in form, too, as last Thursday evening they won a thrilling contest against Aberavon 38-31 in front of the S4C cameras at The Wern.
The third and final Friday night clash is a bottom of the table scrap between Bridgend and Llanelli at the Brewery Field.
Llanelli are currently bottom, four points behind the Ravens but will desperate to take the spoils as their rivals have two games in hand.
Bridgend thought they had done enough to get a draw last weekend, when they visited Ebbw Vale, only for the Steelmen to sneak a 30-27 victory with the last kick of the game – a drop goal from Kieran Meek.
Llanelli have only won twice all season, but they did manage to put plenty of points on leaders Cardiff last weekend, although they eventually ended up comfortable losers, 57-28.
