If the NRL hadn't suspended its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 crisis, the NZ Warriors would be preparing to host the Canterbury Bulldogs for their round nine encounter in Auckland on Friday.
Although the rivalry isn't strong now, both teams played some bruising and memorable encounters in the early 2000s.
Back then, the Bulldogs and Warriors were among the best teams in the competition, with Canterbury playing one 'home' game a season in New Zealand.
Of late, the rivalry has been one-sided, with the Bulldogs winning seven of the last 10, although the Warriors won their last encounter with a 40-6 demolition in their 2019 season-opener.
A host of players have represented both clubs, including current Warriors playmaker Blake Green, Steve Price, Kieran Foran and Nigel Vagana.
The Bulldogs have always had a strong Kiwi contingent in their team including Vagana, with Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Perrett also having sucessful spells at the club.
With the Warriors due to face the Bulldogs in Australia later in the year, Newshub takes a look at three memorable games between the two sides that took place in New Zealand.
April 7, 2001 - Bulldogs 22 Warriors 22 at Westpac Stadium
Technically, this match was a Bulldogs home game, but played in New Zealand, so it is eligible for this list.
In Wellington's first NRL match, Canterbury looked set for victory, leading 20-2 with 25 minutes remaining and then 24-8 with five minutes remaining.
Then came one of the most incredible comebacks in Warriors history, sparked by a try to wing Henry Fa'afili.
On the next set, Francis Meli latched onto a kick on the halfway line to close the gap to four points.
Then, with the Bulldogs missing one player in defence, prop Justin Morgan broke through the line to set up a try for makeshift fullback Clinton Toopi.
Then came the good old commentator's curse, with caller Jason Costagan praising Stacey Jones' faultless kicking, but the playmaker shanked a relatively easy conversion attempt and the match ended in a draw.
Bulldogs 24 (Luke Patten 2, Hazem El Masri, Glen Hughes & Steve Reardon tries; Hazem El Masri 2 conversions) Warriors 24 (Henry Fa'afili, Francis Meli, Juston Murphy & Clinton Toopi tries; Stacey Jones 3 conversions & penalty)
Canterbury: 1-Luke Patten, 2-Hazem El Masri, 3-Nigel Vagana, 4-Willie Talau, 5-Brett Howland, 6-Braith Anasta, 7-Craig Polla-Mounter, 8-Darren Britt (c), 9-Corey Hughes, 10-Steve Price, 11-Darren Smith, 12-Steve Reardon, 13-Glen Hughes
Interchange: 14-Jamie Feeney, 15-Paul Rauhihi, 16-Willie Mason, 17-Darrell Trindall
Warriors: 1-Clinton Toopi, 2-Henry Fa'afili, 3-Richie Blackmore, 4-David Myles, 5-Francis Meli, 6-Nathan Wood, 7-Stacey Jones (c), 8-Ali Lauiti'iti, 9-Jason Death, 10-Justin Morgan, 11-Logan Swann, 12-Awen Guttenbeil, 13-Monty Betham
Interchange: 14-Motu Tony, 15-Richard Villasanti, 16-Justin Murphy, 17-Jason Temu
August 10, 2002 - Warriors 22 Bulldogs 14 at Mt Smart Stadium
The Warriors defied the odds to claim a memorable clash between two sides in the NRL's top four.
Canterbury came into the contest without defeat in their last 18 games (17 wins, 1 draw) and were hot favorites to beat the Warriors for the second time that season, but coach Daniel Anderson's troops were up to the task.
Ivan Cleary scored 10 points for the Warriors, while Kiwis Vagana and Matt Utai crossed for two of the Bulldogs' thee tries.
The win would be massive for the Warriors, as two weeks later, the Bulldogs were found guilty of salary-cap breaches and stripped of a record 37 competition points.
The Warriors would go on to claim the minor premiership and reach the Grand Final, where they lost to the Roosters 30-8.
Warriors 22 (Ivan Cleary, Wairangi Koopu, Francis Meli & David Myles tries; Ivan Cleary 3 conversions) Bulldogs 14 (Hazem El Masri, Matt Utai & Nigel Vagana tries; Hazem El Masri conversion).
Warriors: 1-Ivan Cleary, 2-Henry Fa’afili, 3-John Carlaw, 18-Brent Webb, 5-Francis Meli, 6-Lance Hohaia, 7-Stacey Jones (c) , 8-Jerry Seuseu, 9-PJ Marsh, 10-Mark Tookey, 11-Ali Lauitiiti, 12-Awen Guttenbeil, 13-Kevin Campion
Interchange: 15-Justin Morgan, 16-David Myles, 17-Logan Swann, 21-Wairangi Koopu
Canterbury: 1-Luke Patten, 2-Hazem El Masri, 3-Nigel Vagana, 4-Willie Talau, 5-Matt Utai, 14-Tony Grimaldi, 7-Brent Sherwin, 8-Willie Mason, 9-Corey Hughes, 10-Steve Price (c), 11-Jamie Feeney, 12-Steve Reardon, 13-Darren Smith
Interchange: 6-Johnathan Thurston, 15-Dennis Scott, 16-Mark O'Meley, 17-Paul Rauhihi
September 5, 2004 - Warriors 10 Bulldogs 54 at Mt Smart Stadium
A hell-ish season for the Warriors ended with a thrashing at the hands of the Bulldogs, who went onto win the NRL Premiership.
Wing Utai scored four tries - three in the first half - while Hazem El Masri scored 18 points for the Bulldogs. A young Sonny Bill Williams also crossed the line in his first match in Auckland.
The loss capped off a horror season for the Warriors, who narrowly missed out on the wooden spoon, while Anderson and forward Ali Lauiti'iti both walked out mid-season.
Bulldogs captain Steve Price was giving a standing ovation when he was substituted, as he was joining the Warriors the following season, while Jerry Seuseu was also applauded, after playing his last game for the club.
The loss was the Warriors' biggest-ever defeat at home.
Warriors 10 (Tony Marin 2 tries; Stacey Jones conversion) Bulldogs 54 (Matt Utai 4, Mark O'Meley, Sonny Bill Williams, Hazem El Masri, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga & Tony Grimaldi tries; Hazem El Masri 7 conversions)
Warriors: 1-Jerome Ropati, 2-Tony Martin, 3-Clinton Toopi, 4-Sione Faumuina, 5-Francis Meli, 6-Brent Webb, 7-Stacey Jones, 8-Iafeta Palea'aesina, 9-Louis Anderson, 24-Jerry Seuseu, 11-Wairangi Koopu, 12-Awen Guttenbeil, 13-Monty Betham (c)
Interchange: 14-Karl Te Mata, 15-Evarn Tuimavave, 16-Vinnie Anderson, 18-Lance Hohaia
Canterbury: 1-Luke Patten, 2-Hazem El Masri, 3-Ben Harris, 4-Willie Tonga, 5-Matt Utai, 6-Braith Anasta, 18-Johnathan Thurston, 8-Mark O'Meley, 9-Adam Perry, 10-Steve Price (c), 11-Willie Mason, 12-Andrew Ryan, 13-Tony Grimaldi
Interchange: 14-Reni Maitua, 15-Corey Hughes, 16-Roy Asotasi 17-Sonny Bill Williams
