BATHURST Bulldogs playing Orange Emus in a Central West Rugby Union grand final qualifier - those contests have featured plenty of times across the grades, but this weekend when it happens the rivalry between the clubs will more intense that usual.
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This year as the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season, the draw was altered to make it a top-four sudden-death finals series in the Blowes Cup and women's Ferguson Cup.
It's a case of win and play in a grand final, lose and you're out in week one of the finals no matter where you sat on the ladder at the end of the regular rounds.
That, coupled with the fact all four senior Bulldogs teams will be fighting with Emus to qualify for a grand final this weekend, makes for another exciting chapter in the rivalry between the pair.
"We play Emus in all grades, it would be awesome if we could beat them in all those, but we'll see what happens," Bulldogs president Greg Reid said.
"It's been a trying year, there's no doubt about it, but I've been impressed with the commitment people have shown at training and by the new people at the club who have embraced the Bulldogs spirit.
"I am really pleased to see them all qualify."
While the last two years it has come down to Bulldogs and Emus in the Blowes Cup first grade grand final - the greens winning 30-18 in 2018 and Bathurst 27-24 in 2019 - this season only one will advance.
As the undefeated minor premiers, Emus are favoured to be that one. They have beaten Bulldogs twice this year (22-11 and 27-22) and both those successes came at Ashwood Park, while Saturday's semi-final between the duo will be at Orange's Wade Park.
Still, Reid knows upsets can - and do - happen in finals.
"We've just got to train really hard this week and come up with a game plan that might surprise the opposition, something different, something we haven't put on the table before if we are to win," he said.
"I think we relish being the underdogs. Last year we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and we've had a lot of changes in personnel, particularly in first grade, so we deserve the underdog tag and we'll just have to give it everything if we are to overcome them.
"You never know what will happen, hopefully we can make it to the grand final and give it a crack."
While Bulldogs first XV are definite underdogs for their grand final qualifier, it is a different story across the other grades.
The Bulldogs second grade outfit qualified for the final ahead of Emus, having suffered just two defeats during the regular season.
However, one of those defeats did come at the hands of Emus. Bulldogs won their first meeting 16-8 but went down 22-12 in the second.
Likewise, the Bulldogs women finished the regular season in second, winning four of the six games they contested as well as having one fixture snowed out.
They won their first match against Emus 45-14, but when meeting again the Orange outfit stepped up their physicality and came away with a 35-19 result.
It continued on from the rivalry the Bulldogs and Emus enjoyed last season, the Bathurst outfit beating the greens in the grand final.
In third grade Bulldogs and Emus have also continued their rivalry after meeting in last year's grand final. The Bathurst outfit won that decider and as defending premiers have beaten the Orange side twice in 2020 - to the tune of 41-12 and 15-12.
"Our women have got some really good players and playing against Emus should be very a good match up. Seconds have had some good matches against Emus as well and traditionally we always seem to play Emus in third grade," Reid said.
Reid said having a battle between the traditional rivals across those four grades "adds to the whole theatre" of the finals.
They are finals he and all those involved at Bulldogs know they are lucky to be contesting given COVID-19 saw other senior inter-town sporting competitions cancelled.
"It's really exciting that we've got this far. It's a credit to all the players, clubs and officials all standing fast and making it happen," he said.
"The easy option was to not play at all, so I'm really proud of Central West Rugby for fostering rugby and helping us get to this point.
"It was a one week at a time proposition and a few times there it looked like we might get shut down, but it's been fantastic and there's been some good rugby played too.
"There's a really good feeling at the club, there's an air of excitement."
Reid is hoping that all four Emus-Bulldogs semis will be played at Wade Park on Saturday rather than being split over two days at different venues.