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There are three things certain in life. Death and Taxes are the obvious first two.

The third is pretty easy to pick up if you’ve followed the greatest game of all long enough. If you don’t follow League, then you could be waiting around for a while.

So what is the final certainty you ask? That’s easy. It’s the contempt for losing in the long-running saga that is the suburban rivalry between Parramatta and Canterbury.

There is no love lost in a feud which in it’s essence started back in 1984 when the Dogs ended the three-year premiership reign of the Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels.

Since then we’ve seen it all.

From the verbal stoushes between former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs supremo, the late Peter Moore and current Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels CEO Denis Fitzgerald to the demolition scorelines, this rivalry has been one hell of a ride.

Both sides are armed with plenty of emotional cholaterol built up as the years have gone by.

Canterbury fans didn’t like being denied a third consecutive premiership win in 1986 nor have they forgotten their 56-4 loss to the blue and gold in 2005.

Parramatta securing the services of Jim Dymock, Dean Pay, Jarrod McCracken and Jason Smith during the Super League war didn’t go down to well either at Belmore.

And as Mark O’Meley revealed this week, no one can forget the ‘stupid’ dance Mark Riddell performed on the night the Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels inflicted their biggest win ever over of the injured puppies.

You see it doesn’t matter how many years pass.

In this battle for supremacy, memories are as clear as the sliding glass doors the cleaners have just polished.

Parramatta have plenty of painful recollections to call upon in reserve if they need some pre-game motivation.

Losing in 1984 wasn’t the nicest gesture by the Dogs. But being beaten in the 1998 preliminary final after leading 18-2 with 11 minutes to go, now that hurts.

The taunts about that loss have never retired and probably never will.

Canterbury-Bankstown have also won 3 Grand Finals since 1986 and hold a better record over the Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium having won 6 of their past 13 clashes played there.

Will this be enough to help former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs player Michael Hagan grab his first win as Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels coach over former teammate Steve Folkes? Maybe.

Or does Steve Folkes know ‘Hages’ too well for Canterbury to get troubled out on the park? Tactically speaking both men deserve a lot of respect, having both won premierships.

Whoever wins today’s clash of the Gold Coast Titans">Gold Coast Titans will simply earn even more.

Perhaps with two former Canterbury figures at the helm of these respected arch-rivals, the big winner from today’s clash will probably be the fans.

This afternoon these two sides will not just play a football game. They will go to war in an attempt to crash and burn the campaign of the opposition.

With games like this on offer, how can you not love your Rugby League.

History Shows:

Head To Head:
Played 118, Dogs 64, Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 49, drawn 5.

At Parramatta Stadium:
Played 13, Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 5, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6, drawn 2.

Last 8 Clashes:

2006 – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 18 @ Telstra Stadium.
2005 – Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 56 d Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 4 @ Parramatta Stadium
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 16 @ Telstra Stadium.
2004 – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 48 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 14 @ Telstra Stadium.
2003 - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 10 @ Telstra Stadium.
2002 - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 10 @ Sydney Showground.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 32 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 18 @ Parramatta Stadium.
2001 - Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 24 d Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16 @ Sydney Showground.

Biggest Head To Head Wins:
Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 56 d Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 4 @ Parramatta Stadium, 2005
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs">Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 42 d Parramatta Eels">Parramatta Eels 6 @ Belmore Stadium, 1993. - Read More, Here