Bathurst Panthers' Jake Betts gets that opportunity this Saturday night when his side plays the Orange Hawks at Carrington Park in a blockbuster Group 10 premier league match.

The Panthers lock will notch up first grade game number 100 for the top grade side, a mark he would have reached sooner if not for last year's broken leg he suffered midway through the premiership season.

Betts has been getting back to his best since returning to the lineup in April's derby win over St Pat's and has now secured his place in the run on side.

He and fellow milestone man Jack Siejka, celebrating his 50^th Panthers first grade game, will look to contain a Hawks pack which has blown teams apart across the season.

Betts said the journey to this point has been full of great memories.

"It feels like it's gone by pretty quick. I was surprised when it was brought up," he said.

"When I first came into the grade Fearns [John Fearnley] gave me a crack pretty early. I don't know whether I should have been there but he showed a bit of faith in me and I'm still really grateful for that chance.

"That's probably helped me develop and bit better and quicker than what I thought I could.

"I'd grown up playing juniors with guys in this team so it's pretty special being able to play with them each week."

Betts hasn't taken long to regain his knack of shaking defenders away and gaining valuable post-contact metres with his hit ups.

"I'd put in a bit of work and testing during the pre-season which really helped," he said.

"I felt confident coming back into this season that I could do well."

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Panthers and Hawks sit level at the top of the table with the former holding the lead by just 10 point differential.

Their respective packs have laid foundations for impressive seasons, and it wouldn't be ambitious to call Saturday's game a potential grand final preview.

"Hawks are obviously the team to beat at the moment," Betts said.

"That forward pack's been really good and Willie Heta's been their main man. If we can slow them down in the middle and take him out of it then that will go a long way for us."

Panthers will be fielding an unchanged team from the one which overcame the Mudgee Dragons last weekend.

The win over Mudgee has given the Panthers and Hawks a near-unassailable six point advantage on the Dragons.

There's more senior milestone games the Bathurst club will be celebrating on Saturday at home, with league tag duo Jess Hotham (100 matches) and Georgie Betts (50 games) adding to a big day for Panthers.

First grade kicks-off from 6.45pm while the afternoon's play start with the under 18s league tag at 2pm.